# Can We Keep Politics Out of IMHO and MPSIMS? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 13, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870 "2016-11-13T18:22:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/1 "2016-11-13T18:22:44Z")
While I understand that there are plenty of people in the world, and on this board especially, that are all atwitter about the election and its results, but I’ve noticed that A LOT of threads are being started regarding it in IMHO and MPSIMS. I hate any and everything associated with politics and stay far, far away from Great Debates and Elections because of it. I go to IMHO and MPSIMS as an escape from that crap. I know that it’s a simple “well don’t read them”, but the fact that they’re there is what gets me. This is why the Elections board exists, is to talk politics with people who want to talk about it. I also don’t see the opinions and comments about the elections ending any time soon, so I’m not banking on these threads being a temporary thing. Is it possible to post something that’s basically “Hey all, if it’s related to politics at all please put it into the elections” thread? ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/2 "2016-11-13T18:26:02Z")
_Everything_ is related to politics, so it’s tough to know where to draw the line. ---
**Author:** ![ASGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@ASGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/3 "2016-11-14T02:01:52Z")
I’m with **Sir T-Cups** on this. Yes, I can (and do) skip them but they belong in Elections. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/4 "2016-11-14T02:41:21Z")
Add in Cafe Society\* and I’ll second my esteemed colleagues motion. \*Although things are 10,000 times better before the Elections forum was created. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/5 "2016-11-14T02:49:43Z")
> [@voltaire](#): > > _Everything_ is related to politics, so it’s tough to know where to draw the line. Not really. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/6 "2016-11-14T02:53:51Z")
I’m not sure I’d agree with the notion that anything to do with politics belongs in the Elections forum. I could see a path for a political thread that could belong in most other fora. Still, on the general you’re probably right. I’d encourage you to report anything you think needs to be moved and let the moderators of that fora make the decision. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/7 "2016-11-14T03:58:20Z")
Let’s rename the Elections forum Politics. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/8 "2016-11-14T07:43:22Z")
I disagree. Many of these threads have to do with people’s personal feelings in the wake of the election, and how we’re dealing with these feelings … not appropriate for “Elections.” And while I don’t believe that everything is political, not everything political is directly relevant to a particular election. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/9 "2016-11-14T08:04:50Z")
Just give it some time. People are still reeling from the election result (and not just in the US either) so if you’re able to be patient for a few days, I’m sure the post-election threads will diminish. Give folks a bit of leeway to rend their t-shirts and vent their spleens. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/10 "2016-11-14T08:05:03Z")
I said a while back they just should make the election forum “politics” or make it a sub forum in the pit ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/11 "2016-11-14T08:08:04Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Just give it some time. People are still reeling from the election result (and not just in the US either) so if you’re able to be patient for a few days, I’m sure the post-election threads will diminish. Give folks a bit of leeway to rend their t-shirts and vent their spleens. > > 🙂 This. The number of threads already seems to be on the decrease. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/12 "2016-11-14T08:17:14Z")
yeah but only until some politican does something aggravating …or trump does something stupid and then there we go ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/13 "2016-11-14T11:29:32Z")
A thread about politics _can_ go almost anywhere. For instance, in GQ, we have a question about whether Melania will be the first immigrant First Lady. It obviously relates to Trump, but it’s also strictly factual. And a thread in CS could be something like “This reminds me of one episode of West Wing”, or the like. That said, if you see a thread that you don’t feel is an appropriate fit for the forum it’s in, report it. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/14 "2016-11-14T13:46:21Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Let’s rename the Elections forum Politics. I agree with this too actually. I know it’s election season somewhere in the world, but this opens the forum up to more political discussion that could be centered around policies and the like, and not just the candidates themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/15 "2016-11-14T14:18:45Z")
Maybe I’m in the minority as I like it the way it is. Just calling it “Politics” is too broad. Most discussions related to actual policies seem to do fine in IMHO or GD. For example, should a debate on gun control go in a “Politics” forum? I don’t think so. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/16 "2016-11-14T14:30:55Z")
I think it’ll die down. As for renaming Elections to Politics, it’s not needed and I could go either way. The description defining the scope of the forum is already pretty clear: **Elections** For discussion of elections and electoral politics, including strategy and tactics, political parties, individual races, political news, and politicians and public figures. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/17 "2016-11-14T15:29:14Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I disagree. Many of these threads have to do with people’s personal feelings in the wake of the election, and how we’re dealing with these feelings … not appropriate for “Elections.” And while I don’t believe that everything is political, not everything political is directly relevant to a particular election. I’ll second this thought. > [@PastTense](#): > > Let’s rename the Elections forum Politics. Have to disagree for another reason as well. Elections are more something we can have more factual lively debates over than Politics in general - that one usually ends up just bashing one Party or the other. For the most part, more general threads that would/could be covered under than umbrella deserve more a position in GD; the touchy-feely ones in IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/18 "2016-11-14T16:34:28Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I disagree. Many of these threads have to do with people’s personal feelings in the wake of the election, and how we’re dealing with these feelings … not appropriate for “Elections.” And while I don’t believe that everything is political, not everything political is directly relevant to a particular election. > [@kopek](#): > > I’ll second this thought. I’ll third this. I have feelings. And everyone on the Internet needs to know about them. Or else you are denying me my Human Rights. And that is against the UN. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/19 "2016-11-14T17:24:12Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > I have feelings. Blue? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2016, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870/20 "2016-11-14T19:13:49Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > I’ll second this thought. > > Have to disagree for another reason as well. Elections are more something we can have more factual lively debates over than Politics in general - that one usually ends up just bashing one Party or the other. For the most part, more general threads that would/could be covered under than umbrella deserve more a position in GD; the touchy-feely ones in IMHO. But aren’t the touchy-feely ones basically just another excuse to bash the other side and/or get more sympathy from those on your side? So why can’t you do that where the people are going to be more supportive of you…in the Elections thread? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-keep-politics-out-of-imho-and-mpsims/771870.md?page=2)