I try to keep my mouth shut

How about you?

I wish coworkers would stay away from political topics

Got an ugly, crazy, funny story to share?

it depends on the people if they can tolerate working with someone with different views. It really shouldnt be discussed, just for the simple fact that you dont want people disliking you based on political beliefs.
i dont have any really funny stories, but i can tell you that the man i work for is a republican, and we have a good relationship and sometimes i can poke fun at him with all of the things GW has done and vice versa. But if he or i was heavy hearted, it may cause friction in our relationship.

I avoid the political talk because as far as I can tell, only a handful even know the subject exists. One (third shift bus driver) is a die-hard left winger who would probably kill me if he had the chance since I own a car not built by union workers, and my manager is an ignorant right-wing wacko who thinks she knows everything about anything but has the memory and attention span of a goldfish. I gave up any non-essential communication with her when she was trying to tell me that gay marriage puts my parents life at risk.

It depends largely on who. I work in a small office. One of the guys there--- We can talk for hours about politics. We don't always agree, but who ever does? It constantly stays fresh, and I would even say that it borders on energizing.

A couple of the other guys--- I can take them or leave them.

But there's one that I would avoid as strenuously as a game of Naked Twister with the Golden Girls. He could be outsmarted by a box of hair, and listening to his Draconian ideas (Taking children away from welfare moms and putting them up for adoption, involuntary sterilization of welfare Moms) would make even the nicest, most patient guy in the world lose his temper to the point of violence.

And I have never been accused of being the nicest, most patient guy in the world.

I do sometimes. Just had a good discussion today ranging over everything from economics to foreign policy.

In the pharmacy it is a no-go...

At the library, we've had some good discussions...mostly agreeing with each other, though. Even then, that's during the night shift, not the day one...

Since there is little possible upside, and a virtually limitless downside, discussing politics or religion at work is to be avoided.

That said, I can't tell you how many arrogant idiots insist on doing it. We had some people in from a company to discuss a strategic alliance with $ 5 million annually, and the COO and CFO from the other company insisted on talking politics all through dinner in a manner that simply assumed our agreement. Perhaps it was a political litmus test but, regardless, it was such boorish behavior that we walked away from the deal without completing the scheduled meetings the following day. I have only one life, and I don't intend to spend any of it being in business with social retards.

oc

I am on this forum because I think having political discussions at work is very risky, unless of course politics is your business.

I suppose it would depend on where you work and the people you work with. My coworkers and I talk about politics all the time, and it frequently gets heated. But at the end of the day, we all leave as friends, knowing that our opinions are our own and nobody is likely to change them, just as we are not likely to change anybody else's. But it is good to at least hear what the other side has to say. If you don't know what they stand for, how can you prove them wrong?

There are too many ways it can offend people. It simply shouldn't be an issue unless you run a political campaign. I'm sure everyone has worked at a place where the boss lets fly his or her pet political or religious beliefs and if you don't agree with those then you must be a moron type thing. Entirely inappropriate. It's even a dangerous thing away from work but if you address it carefully and respect the other person, disagreement shouldn't get in the way of friendship.