The Diseased Body Politic

 As I read about and watch the latest news about the upcoming presidential elections, all I do is hear in my head the great Rolling Stones lyric from the great late 70s song: "What a mess -- this town's in tatters."

I try to keep away from politics on my FaceBook (tm) posts, and it works best. Just last night, Wifey's friend Karen, a new mah jonng friend, was at our house, and told me I am " a great FB poster." She said she enjoys my humor, and friend and family pix. I explained I am a frustrated "Onion" writer, and FB is my outlet for silly creativity. She had zero idea what "The Onion" was, so Wifey explained.

But a few days ago, the FB "Memory" section came up with my post from 2016 in July, where I quoted HL Mencken and predicted Trump would defeat Hillary, even though the majority of my friends, educated and mostly Democrats, said the guy was a buffoon and the "most qualified presidential candidate in history" would win. I said I feared we would see a reprise of Trump winning -- Kamala is, to me, less likeable and less qualified than Hillary, and boy did that unleash a torrent.

Most of the responses were "I hope you're wrong," and I agree that I hope I'm wrong, but my friend Sandy from PA, a "lifelong Democrat," played the Israel card -- how can a Zionist like me support the Dems anymore? Funny enough, another UM friend, Pete, an old school Irish Democrat from Queens who worked on anti gun legislation for much of his reporter career, went after Sandy -- saying Kamala's snub of Bibi, visiting from Israel, was not unique -- many Jewish members of Congress can't stand the guy, either. Personally, I dig him -- I know he's corrupt, but think he's been a fine wartime consiglieri for the Jewish State.

Anyway, I had also mentioned that many of my Cuban friends see Trump as a dictator to be. I should have qualified that as "educated and smart Cuban friends." One who is neither responded with a LONG diatribe about how great Trump is, and how her late husband adored him, even though Trump's policies would have turned back her late husband's balsa before it made it to Miami in the 90s.

So I need to listen to my Ds, who implore me to stop posting provocative stuff -- well -- D2, anyway, as D1 is wisely off FaceBook (tm).

I got in one final nugget in my last political post. A pundit refers to JD Vance, who created himself and changed his name several times, and originally despised Trump before realizing he needed to kiss the ring if he was to succeed as a Republican, as "Shillbilly." Now THAT'S creative.

Closer to home, I immediately delete ANY political texts I get -- mostly Democratic, since that's my party, but a few from the GOP since I gave money to Ileana Ros Lehtinen a few years back. They ain't makin' Republicans like her no more.

I don't even read the flyers I get in the mail -- they get a quick trip to the recycle bin.

I told Wifey I had been telling people she was now a Trump supporter. 

She grew silent and angry. "I would divorce you if you did that!" So now I know that, if need be, I have a relatively simple escape route.

In the mean time -- let the chips fall. I refuse to devote any, to use a cool term I just learned, mental real estate to politics. 

But I hope the woman with the Jewish husband who unfortunately has a self hating, anti-semitic mishkeit daughter, wins. I guess we'll find out in a bit over three months.