Allowing political (or otherwise controversial) polls in GD.

[VarlosZ]

Link (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12082424#post12082424) to an example.

Presently, if one wishes to start a poll about politics, it needs to go in IMHO because the polling feature is disabled in GD. The problem is that, unless the poll lends itself (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=550492) solely to uncontroversial comments, people are going to want to debate (or at least argue about) the opinions that people are voicing to go along with their votes. But this is verboten in IMHO -- not debating in general, but debating about politics, religion, or anything similarly weighty.

The inevitable result is that every such poll spawns illicit arguments and counter-arguments, each of which must draw some response from an increasingly annoyed moderator. In effect, these threads serve as factories for mod notes, mod admonishments, and mod warnings. Unless the idea is to use these threads as "speed traps" to catch those posters inclined to skirt the rules (which would be clever but counter-productive), it is my opinion that this setup is both nonsensical and unsustainable. People want to post political polls, and people want to have back & forths about the contents of the resulting threads. This isn't a bad thing, so we should find a way to make it possible.


The inelegant solution would be to create sister threads in GD for controversial IMHO polls. The better solution would be simply to enable polling in GD. From personal experience on other boards, I can attest to the fact that having a poll at the top of the thread doesn't hamper discussion.

[ladyfoxfyre]

Considering the clusterfuck that thread became, I wholeheartedly agree. On more than one occasion I found myself shouting at the TV, "LET 'EM PLAY, REF!!!"

[Czarcasm]

Considering the clusterfuck that thread became, I wholeheartedly agree. On more than one occasion I found myself shouting at the TV, "LET 'EM PLAY, REF!!!"At least "The Ref" remembered where the game was being played. I'll be damned if I'll let a poll in IMHO turn into a juvenile brawl just because some posters can't control themselves. I keep telling people to take the debates to Great Debates where it belongs, but a minority seem to think that they just have to have the last word.

[BigT]

At least "The Ref" remembered where the game was being played. I'll be damned if I'll let a poll in IMHO turn into a juvenile brawl just because some posters can't control themselves. I keep telling people to take the debates to Great Debates where it belongs, but a minority seem to think that they just have to have the last word.

I don't think they are arguing that you were wrong, but that such a poll that was likely to cause that sort of debate should be able to be opened in GD, or at least moved without killing the poll.

[tacoloco]

I don't think they are arguing that you were wrong, but that such a poll that was likely to cause that sort of debate should be able to be opened in GD, or at least moved without killing the poll.

Well I'll argue that point.

I understand the need to keep a lid on things, but FFS, let people discuss the topic.

[Czarcasm]

Well I'll argue that point.

I understand the need to keep a lid on things, but FFS, let people discuss the topic.Nobody is stopping them from discussing the topic..in the proper forum.

[tacoloco]

Nobody is stopping them from discussing the topic..in the proper forum.

It isn't a reasonable situation when people create threads they can't have a discussion about without moving that discussion to another area of the board.

Having a discussion in a poll thread, is, OTOH, a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

If you don't like that, then you, as a moderator have the ability to move the discussion to an appropriate forum. That would be far preferable to continuing to harp on people for doing what comes natural when an even slightly controversial topic has a poll.

[Czarcasm]

It isn't a reasonable situation when people create threads they can't have a discussion about without moving that discussion to another area of the board.

Having a discussion in a poll thread, is, OTOH, a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

If you don't like that, then you, as a moderator have the ability to move the discussion to an appropriate forum. That would be far preferable to continuing to harp on people for doing what comes natural when an even slightly controversial topic has a poll.1. Political polls almost never stay "slightly controversial"
2. Taking a dump is also a natural function, but civilized adults have the decency to go to the proper area to do it.

For now, I'm putting a hold on political polls in IMHO until a solution can be worked out.

[Sapo]

...In effect, these threads serve as factories for mod notes, mod admonishments, and mod warnings...

You say that like it is a bad thing.

[Sapo]

What happens when you move a poll from IMHO to GD? Is the poll automatically closed and/or disabled?

[Muffin]

What's the big hang up about having polls in GD? Will it cause the world to end? Will children be corrupted? Will we all end up sitting on the Group W bench?