Does anyone know a good place to actually discuss politics?

I do but you're not invited.

All I want to know is why do people let pundits influence the way they think.

To the Times:

The November elections are upon us, and as we citizens look for sound information on potential candidates, we must sift through the constant stream of news sound bites and political commercials. The task can be daunting, but our diligence in research is more important now than ever.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are a record number of people living in poverty, the largest number in the past 51 years, 43.6 million to be exact. Ironically, Forbes magazine recently reported the combined net worth of the 400 richest Americans climbed 8 percent during the last year, while the rest of America has gotten poorer.

Yet, where do we turn for the facts and observations that are so important in informing our decisions on election day? According to recent Neilson television viewer ratings it seems as though many Americans are turning to cable news.

One of the most popular personalities, Fox News’ Glenn Beck, has more than 2.25 million viewers daily (almost 1.75 million more than other hosts in the same time slot). So, one might ask, what does Beck have that others do not? One thing is his charismatic persona, which is tempered by his obvious confidence in his stance.

However, I ask, is that enough? As a graduate student at Villanova University, I come across hundreds of charismatic and confident professors who are the main reason Villanova has enjoyed a long reputation as a prominent educational institution. Yet, there is something these brilliant professors have that television darlings such as Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin do not, credentials.

While Glenn Beck speaks to millions with nothing more than a high school diploma, Dr. Eugene McCarraher speaks to 10 graduate students with a Ph.D. in U.S. Cultural and Intellectual History and more than 30 written works.

While Sarah Palin convinces thousands to uphold the Constitution and oppose the Ground Zero mosque in the same speech, Dr. Catherine Warrick convinces 17 students to think more deeply about human rights for all people.

Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin and new tea party celebrity Christine O’Donnell are sound bites for a reason. While Beck and his supporters held a rally on the Washington Mall, he proclaimed they were exerting their democratic duty. However, as a liberal celebrity plans a similar rally, Beck labels the rally on his website as “Commies on the Mall.”

Beck and his fellow Fox constituents play on the economic and political fears of hard working citizens who are suffering daily trying to find work, support their families and have their voices heard. Improperly using political “hot button” terms such as communism and socialism, Beck has also likened President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler.

With that, I turn to the question which spurned this article, why do we listen to those people? Why, with all of their experience, dedication and research, do we ignore the scholars of our society? Why do we accept an entire political position after a five-minute news segment or a 30-second commercial? Why do we take the words of television and radio personalities who incite fear rather than understanding? Why do we listen to those people?

I own a quiet little store in the country. Each day we have several patrons that come in just for coffee and chat. Even in this setting political questions are a difficult topic.

If you are an informed person, chances are the person you are talking with is not. It would take days and hundreds of examples to persuade him to your view. Even in the quiet setting of my country store there is not enough time for this. As a result we are reduced to sound bites and headlines. No real exchange of ideas.

This is why education must start in grade school. Unfortunately, the progressive movement is doing the best job of this at this time.

There will be random psycho's who are incapable of independent thought on any website. They will all just do as their told and think what they are told and be equally incapable of genuinely discussing the issues.

As someone else said... find a pub or a meeting place off the web. The web provides too much anonymity to lead to a true discussion.

i do no longer think of so. Q&A boards purely works if if there's a right away answer - no longer a place to blast one and yet another. With each and all of the money Yahoo is pouring into advertising the solutions internet site, it would in simple terms end the politics section till now its venom spreads to the different categories.

Ireland

A quiet, comfortable pub with willing people of varying backgrounds and philosophies.

I agree but haven't found anything else. There is nothing here but lies and hatred. So many of these people are truly sick and need help.

Amen.

Just look at some of the questions and answers here on last night's Memorial Service............

Sickos abound.

Sure. But if you want to have people agree with you and not debate you, I'd suggest the liberal, left-wing blogs.

You won't find any opposing thoughts there.

Make your own site,

tell me when you make it.

I want to join