I have no idea and for all I know, dropping it wasn't a choice of the moderators but a mistake or an unforeseen outcome of some algorithm, but if they did drop

I have no idea and for all I know, dropping it wasn't a choice of the moderators but a mistake or an unforeseen outcome of some algorithm, but if they did drop it on purpose I support the decision. There are countless other websites to debate that stuff on, I would rather have fewer of the incendiary, purely political discussions make it to the front page of HN. Come to think of it, I do recall hearing something about how HN's algorithm nukes topics with tons of commenting but not very many votes, so it is probably that.