"Aren't political discussions not allowed here precisely because they inevitably turn into this peanut gallery foodfight nonsense?"
Here's how I interpret the "no politics" rule. If a post is strongly promoting or denigrating a political figure or party, then it's out of bounds. Observations about biased news reporting, or complaints about government administrative actions, that's OK, in my opinion. So I'm inclined to let this thread continue. If it turns into an anti-government rant, then it's time to close it down.
PM me if you see things differently.