I like the politics thread because it forces me to analyse the world around me, and get my arguments straight for the pub . It also helps at the coffee shop , where I can dazzle my like minded companions with my erudition, over a cup of soy latte and a few rousing verses of the Internationale. Also as a confirmed lefty, being on these threads is a source of much amusement and a ready source of reinforcement of my innate sense of superiority. as I peruse the , usually semi-literate , rantings of the right, dressing up their insecurities and fears about a changing world, with various forms of nativism and faux patriotism.