I have a different viewpoint about this.

I grew up with a family that doesn't talk politics at family gatherings. We are experts at small talk. Weather, pets, I'm great at talking about all that stuff.

I regret very much that I was not encouraged to discuss political issues growing up.

What I found was that this upbringing left me at a disadvantage in engaging in college classroom discussions, and in living and working in DC, a highly educated community where people are well informed about politics. Like it or not, this IS what people talk about at dinner parties here. It took years for me to become comfortable engaging with my in-laws in substantive discussions about political issues. These are IMPORTANT issues.

Politics are important. Elections are important. They affect our lives and our futures.

If you are just talking about people spewing uninformed, mindless, or disrespectful views, that is one thing. But I think a flat "no-politics" rule is wrong and shortsighted.

So if they agreed with your politics, would have the same ban in place? Seems kinda unfair to me.

My ILs are Jehovah's Witnesses so we don't hear anything from them. I don't debate w/ my parents or extended family. It's impolite to bring up politics at family events I think.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The crap started for us yesterday and I put a stop to it immediately. It would be one thing if my parents could discuss politics calmly and rationally but they can't. Fox News has filled them with such fear and false information that any discussion is impossible.

That is exactly how I feel about my MSNBC family. Irritating as hell, isn't it?

Extremely irritating. I have no respect for anyone who doesn't read.

Too much. We allow 5-10 minutes of it (and do not respond) when they are just bursting to tell us. So, OK, blah blah blah happened. next topic.

Anonymous wrote:I will NOT go through another election year with my In-Laws! We do not agree with them politically and they will not stop giving us their views. In the past we have tried everything known to man including simply forbidding any political discussion, POV or reference. Nothing has worked. My FIL has already started in with sharing his views of the 2016 candidates.

I will not go through it again. DH and I told them last night that ANY mention of politics will get them banned from seeing us or the grandchildren. I think they thought we were kidding - I am not kidding.

Not letting them see their grandchildren = overkill.

Children have nothing to do with politics and, if the ILs in question are good grandparents, contact between them and their grandchildren is a good thing *especially* for the children.

Stick to your guns for yourself, but don't drag your children into it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The crap started for us yesterday and I put a stop to it immediately. It would be one thing if my parents could discuss politics calmly and rationally but they can't. Fox News has filled them with such fear and false information that any discussion is impossible.

That is exactly how I feel about my MSNBC family. Irritating as hell, isn't it?

Anyone spending most of the day watching the 24 hour news cycle is being brain washed. My father watches CNN all day now that he is retired, we are on the same wave length politically and it still drives me bonkers!

I mean, I know you were trying to be snarky, but you tipped on to a larger point- that if you are so unbending on where you get your information then your level of being informed drops pretty quickly, whether it is all fox, msnbc or cnn...If you swallow what the 24 hour news media has to offer unquestioningly, then you are probably no fun at parties..just sayin...

Anonymous wrote:The crap started for us yesterday and I put a stop to it immediately. It would be one thing if my parents could discuss politics calmly and rationally but they can't. Fox News has filled them with such fear and false information that any discussion is impossible.

That is exactly how I feel about my MSNBC family. Irritating as hell, isn't it?

Anonymous wrote:

Poster is trying to put family first, instead of living political fight club until Nov '16.

Yes, exactly. I don't care which side people come down on, if we're opposite sides of an issue and neither of us is going to change, let's just please talk about something else. I'm up for lively debate. I'm not interested in going in circles forever.

Anonymous wrote:OP, politics is more important to you than family? You're nuts. Turn off the TV for the sake of your kids.

You completely misread her post... try again

OP, politics is more important to you than family? You're nuts. Turn off the TV for the sake of your kids.

Anonymous wrote:The crap started for us yesterday and I put a stop to it immediately. It would be one thing if my parents could discuss politics calmly and rationally but they can't. Fox News has filled them with such fear and false information that any discussion is impossible.

+1 Exact same situation with my In-Laws. My MIL told me that Obama reduced her SS because she was rich. She heard it on Fox News. So not only is Fox News giving false information, they are preying on people who have no clue how our government works. Obama could NOT have done what she claims he did even if he wanted to.

There is no discussing with people like that.

The crap started for us yesterday and I put a stop to it immediately. It would be one thing if my parents could discuss politics calmly and rationally but they can't. Fox News has filled them with such fear and false information that any discussion is impossible.

I think this is a good idea, OP. My grandparents had vastly different political views than my parents and it was always a source of contention. We--the kids--definitely noticed it and found it disturbing. I wish my parents would have enforced a rule like this when we were growing up because it was so annoying to have to listen to them go back and forth every time my grandparents visited.

Anonymous wrote:Your way or the highway, right?

Ugh.

Put family first.

Poster is trying to put family first, instead of living political fight club until Nov '16.