As the United States ramps up to election day 2016…social media has become the de-facto choice in getting the news, commentaries, opinions and the play by play actions of the candidates out there.

Sadly, politics are the fuel which excites the fires of hate against each other.

Almost every day someone is assaulted because of their beliefs or the political apparel they are wearing or even the bumper stickers they display on their cars.

And on social media friends get unfollowed, deleted and blocked because their comments on a particular candidate took on an offensive manner or was counter to their friends post which resulted in a verbal brawl.

Oh, and lets not forgot those who block traffic in hopes of preventing people from going to the polls. I just never understood the motivation there. A few dozen to maybe a hundred people become human shields and walk into a busy highway in hopes of preventing vehicles from passing. Is politics really worth losing a life?

And to say anyone has experience being POTUS before they are even in office is an unwarranted comment. The job of the POTUS is as much a learning experience as anything and every single POTUS has done things a little differently.

Hillary and Donald are polar opposites – one is smooth and one isn’t. One is a business person and the other isn’t. One is great with politics and the other isn’t. Both have baggage. Both have been around the system for over 30 years. They know how to handle themselves, they both make mistakes, they both speak out of turn. And sadly the media jumps all over them. Neither one needs the position they are striving for…so it comes down to who is the better showman to the people.

And to say another is ignorant because of who they want to win is wrong. Everyone has a right to an opinion, and everyone can choose the person who best resonants with them. So stop the insulting and social bashing…it really doesn’t help.

Okay, maybe neither candidate is worthy of your vote. But that certainly doesn’t mean you should turn violent against someone else.

When you see a post on social media you have a choice…engage and deal with the backlash later or ignore it. Sometimes friendships are worth more than your political opinion. So think before you reply. If it’s a friend of a friend of a friend (you know those friends you accept because you have so many other friends in common) and you don’t care if you lose them, then by all means comment. But if its a real friend who you’ve known for a long time, ignoring their political post to keep your friendship intact is the best recourse.

Rob Anspach

Rob is affectionately known as “Mr. Sarcasm” to his friends - to everyone else he’s a Certified Digital Marketing Strategist, a Foremost Expert On Specialized SEO, a Best Selling Author, Podcaster, Speaker and Authority Broadcaster who can help amplify YOU to your audience.

Rob has authored, coauthored or produced over 36 books covering social media, search engine optimization, podcasting, copywriting, personal injury law, weight loss, military law, life lessons, scams, sarcasm, customer service and more. His book clients include lawyers, speakers, doctors, real estate professionals and more.

Rob is also host of The E-Heroes Interview Series available on Apple, Amazon, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify & many other podcast channels. Rob works inside corporations across the globe, helping companies generate new revenue and capture online business.

Rob is also available to share talks and give interviews. To learn more and to get started visit www.AnspachMedia.com or call Anspach Media at (412)267-7224 today.