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Step 1
If you're just looking for any old debate board, there are plenty of sites out there. A quick search for "political debate board" will give you a lot of options. If you're looking for a more sophisticated site (most participants are well-read, rules of debate/logic are used, etc.) then America's Debate (resource #1) is the place for you! It's a closely-monitored, fairly-moderated site with topics ranging from Current Events & Headline News to International Issues to Policy Debate to Social Issues.
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Step 2
Familiarize yourself with the Constructive & Civil Debate post (resource #2), which will link you to the Terms of Service, Forum Rules, and Survival Guide (all must-reads).
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Step 3
Do your homework! The best way to start out on any political debate site is to make a good first impression! America's Debate is no different! Don't forget to proofread (at least when you first start out) and follow basic netiquette, such as avoiding ALL CAPS.
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Step 4
Post an introduction in the Casual Conversation forum so other users can get a sense of who you are. Some people use this as a statement of their political philosophies while others use it to introduce themselves more informally and some do both...it's up to you!
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Step 5
Listen to America's Debate Radio every Wednesday night at 9 p.m. EST. Hosts Mike & Jaime discuss current events, take user calls, and even have a segment about weird news. The America's Debate chat room tends to get lots of activity on these nights and it's nice to discuss the radio show with others in the chat room!
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Step 6
Have fun! Debate should be enjoyable! There will be people with whom you will disagree (and maybe even want to smack around...) - you can always ignore them. But there might also be people who'll open your mind to new ideas!
