Politics and Facebook

I have learned more about friends' personal politics from being on Facebook than I ever have from conversation.  The views from high school friends have surprised me the most.  I've known then for half of my life.  We became friends before we ever really understood politics and understood our own points of view.  I'm surprised how conservative the views tend to be (and that's isn't a slam--just an observation).  This shouldn't surprise me at all, but it does.  It makes perfect sense.  We were all raised Catholic.  Catholics tend to be more on the conservative side.  We tend (for the most part) to share the views of our parents.  It's the transitive property from geometry.  For some reason, I assumed others my age are more liberal.  Must be left over from my college experiences.  (And, what exactly does it mean to be either conservative or liberal?  Is there a checklist somewhere?)

Political discourse in this country has degenerated into a shouting match, where the loudest crackpot is heard.  A whole generation will believe this is the way it's done.  It isn't!!!  I can't wait for the election season to be over.  I want attack ads banned.  Don't the politicians see the logical fallacies created by attack ads?  I want to see this: 
               Hi!  I'm Joe Schmoe.  I believe this way on this issue and this way on this other issue.     
               I believe x, y, and z need to be banned.  Let's implement q.
Sadly, my dream will never come to fruition.  We say we want honest politicians (ha!), but we don't really mean it.  Being honest won't get you elected.

I plan on attending Jon Stewart's Rally to Restore Sanity.  I'm tired of extremists establishing policy.  (So, if I understand correctly, taking taxpayer money and giving it to the rich is a wonderful thing, but giving taxpayer money to people who need it is socialism?  Do you not see the disconnect?)  Let's bring logic back to the debate.