As much as I liked the political threads, whatever Don says goes since its his website and HE paid for it.
I'd like to see them comebcak someday, but I know that could be a long time. But as far as hot-headed debates go, political threads weren't the only one's which started it. Let me start a "Kirk would have like Marines thread" and we'll see how many well thought out posts we'll get.
And as far as people leaving because of political threads; in my eyes that was silly. Not to insult any of them, but leaving because of political threads in the general discussion forum is ridiculous. If you do not want to see them, don't click on them.
But that's just my opinion...
"The misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all."
-Joan Robinson, economist