In other advanced countries, politics is openly discussed as much as any other subject and has been since, forever. It's not frowned upon and merits one jumping up on the table and raising their skirts shreeking, "mouse!"
The topic of politics and religion became verboten back when movement conservatism (in it's nascent form) made it a cultural meme so as to keep people ignorant of what and how they were being hoodwinked.
It took William F. Buckley to finalize it and broadcast it out via the leading medium of it's time, TV, on Firing Line. The rest, they say, is history.
All the best,
Nonoise