Bored and annoyed,

Early on in life, I found it best to avoid discussions of a political nature. It’s a rare occasion to be able to hold a civil conversation regarding politics, especially if the person you’re talking to has a differing opinion.

The complication is that these are issues that people hold dear to their identity. To many it’s the core of their being and any disagreement attacks their sense of self. Another and similar topic would be religion. It’s not as simple as a Coke™ vs Pepsi™ debate. That being said, your question goes further than that of the recent topics with your in-laws.

The thing about family is that, save one’s partner, you don’t get to choose them. An unfortunate circumstance of that is that one might not necessarily get along with their or their partner’s family. It can be tough. The trick is, though, to avoid what it is that sparks disagreeable situations. Steer the conversation to more pleasant topics. Don’t strictly discuss what’s pleasing to you, though. That would just perpetuate the cycle. Even if they persist, take the higher road.

The next time you’re visiting with them, try not to dread the visit before you even get there—you may end up creating a self-fulfilling prophecy if you do. Take a breath, observe, and listen. Something may come up, mundane as it might possibly be, that you all agree upon. It could be as simple as a sport or a television show or what have you. Take the opportunity to focus on that and share a common ground. You’ll find that mundane pleasantries are much better than bitter arguments.

Just my $0.02
Julius Pleasar