It is all about context, spanish grammar.
Tengo la nariz en un libro otra vez.
Since I am working on my spanish grammar (quit laughing) I found a wonderful little Spanish grammar (in spanish) of course.
There are two phrases in context,at the beginning of the chapter.
Mi amigo está en la calle en cuestiones de política.
Mi Papa está en la calle platicando con el vecino.
One phrase is in actuality a metaphor ,the other is not. I struggled for quite a while before discovering the meaning of the metaphor.
Do you know which is the metaphor,and its meaning?
The answers are in the last post of the thread. Please offer your comments
14 Answers
The answers are:
The second statement is clear and simple Mi Papa está en la calle platicando con el vecino. is just what it says." My father is on the street chatting with the neighbor".
The first statement is metaphoric in Méxican spanish. "Mi amigo está en la calle en cuestiones de política."
"Estar en la calle" can have several meanings, the most common is to be penniless or broke. But also can mean that a person has no clue,knowledge or enlightenment in a given subject.
In the context given, the meaning is, "My friend has no knowledge in political matters" or in other words he is ignorant about political matters.
This is in accordance with: "Entienda La Gramática Moderna" Arcadio Moreno Aguilar, ediciones Larousse, México, 1985.
Ok, paco, will you tell these good people the answer?
"Mi amigo está en la calle en cuestiones de politica."
My friend is partaking in a political rally?
Paco, I would say, from my knowledge of Spanish, that the first sentence is the metaphor, I am fairly certain of it 
However, I do not know what the metaphor means 
I will give it some thought and if I get any bright ideas I will post them 
My friend was fired because of police questions.
My dad is in the street talking to his neighbor.
The metaphor is the same in English.
(This has been a guess. If it had been real answer, you would know it. We now return to the regular SD posts.)
He supports policies that favor "the man on the street" or "the common people," as opposed to the elite?
Estoy en ascuas.
Another metaphor? 
Your friend is in the street and he is a "lightning rod"... or he is "attracting attention".
He is in the middle of the road with no particular interest in the left or right. Kind of like me.
He's on the street (homeless) because of his politics.
He's upset about his income not being fair?
He can't make up his mind?
My friend is in the street about the questions of politics? (What does this mean, Paco)?
He's on the fence?
The so called "revolutionaries" have signs with "Take to the streets" written on them in both languages as well, so maybe it means the opposite, like GET OFF THE FENCE or maybe there they were being literal, as in "stop studying for your exams next month and come outside for a walk with us"
