I think what irks many people is that there is considerable support for a separate Politics forum, but we are continually told that it isn’t going to happen because the SDMB is a lumper not a splitter {as per Dex’s post above], only to have Ed simply handwave one into existence for one city, and then wish it into the cornfield again when it’s not working, apparently without even telling his own senior staff.
I have a great deal of respect for Ed based on how reasonable he’s been in a few recent decisions, but I could wish that he’d decide whether to be hands-on or hands-off or not in the daily running of this board: and if his hands are to be on then making decisions, however well-intentioned, by simple fiat is not an ideal management policy. For the record, I don’t particularly care if there is a Politics forum or not.