>> . . . . and bashing of other political figures when there is no direct relation to railroading. That doesn't belong here.


While I tend to agree (I often countered such bashing in the past); that standard, as you state it, still isn't as black and white as you might think. For instance:

Railroad re-regulation, public funding of privately owned trackage, public trains on private trackage, outright public ownership, a railroad's impact in its neighbors, etc; all obviously have a direct relation to railroading.

But what about stuff like how National security vs foaming, foamer etiquette, a political decision's economic effect, local political pandering running costs up, or a hundred other issues, not directly related to railroading. Yet they will affect railroading sooner or later - though not directly. Railroading, like any other business or citizen, is impacted by all sorts of civics issues. This is no easy line to draw.



That said - A politician's native intelligence, hat size, religion, race, party affiliation, or the relative political merits of this or that war, plainly have no bearing on railroading at all.

Moreover, someone's arrogant supposition of someone else's place on the political spectrum, or hatred of such, or any other exaggerated defamation; obviously do not relate to railroading, and just as obviously have no place here. In fact - it has no righteous place anywhere at all - whatsoever. Not even on the floors on Congress! Such conduct is rank and offensive no matter where it happens. But is is rampant in the media anyway - just listen to any news broadcast on any channel - and you get your fill of it within five minutes.

When civics issues do affect railroads, even indirectly, it would be nice to avoid such ill tempered and anti-social conduct here on this "non-political" forum. After-all, we here have a common interest, and should thus be friends. Even when we dis-agree, nothing really stops us from being respectful to each other.

OPB