Naughten played his poor hand unwisely

One of the great gifts social media seemed to offer in its more innocent days was that various platforms might become new homes for political discourse and commentary. It is a great sadness that this opportunity to engage, to debate and better understand has been squandered. Social media has stratified political conversation in a dangerous and corrosive way.

All too often, the overriding atmosphere is one of contempt, almost uncontrolled anger, and alternative-free dismissals. This incessant, toxic barrage is one of the reasons many talented people interested in participative politics shy away from elected office. What a price we and our democracy pay.