If I was elected! I’ve thought about this probably more than I should. But hey — when you’re a kid you imagine you’re the star quarterback or the point guard. As an adult, maybe it’s not that strange to imagine you’re the President or a senator… right? (Okay, maybe a little strange. But stick with me.)
So if I was elected, what would be one of the first things I’d do?
Invite people to dinner.
Yup. Dinner or maybe lunch, depending on how the schedule looks. I’d make it a regular thing once a week, or at least once a month. A dinner with representatives from both sides of the aisle, Republicans, Democrats, and yes, the independents too.
Not a huge group. Ten people max. Not a state dinner. No press. No tuxedos. Just good food, good conversation, and a chance to actually know each other a little.
There’d be two rules:
No politics. No phones or cameras.
This would be an “off the clock” event. Take off the ties, the heels, pour a drink, grab a plate, and just… be normal for a couple hours.
If you know my wife, she’d love this. Cooking for people is her love language. (And honestly, it’s how a lot of us show love.) So why couldn’t it work at the top levels of American politics?
Can you imagine Bernie Sanders asking Marjorie Taylor Greene to pass the salt? AOC chatting with Jim Jordan about dog breeds? (“Wait, you’re a doodle fan too?”) The visual alone makes me smile.
Here’s the bigger point: One of the biggest problems in our politics right now is that we don’t talk to each other. We only talk at or around each other.
The current government shutdown? It’s not moving because no one’s actually communicating. Not really. And how can you build trust or find compromise when you never even share a meal?
Breaking bread has always been how humans connect. Sharing food leads to sharing stories and maybe, just maybe, to sharing a little bit of understanding.
Because maybe, over sambusas (peach ones…yum!) and laughter, we’d all start to remember that we’re a lot closer in our thinking than political discourse makes us believe.
So yeah, if I was elected we’d start with dinner. No grand speeches. No executive orders. Just food, conversation, and maybe a refill or two.
And who knows – maybe that’s how real progress starts:
“Let me fill your glass up.”
“Can you pass those sambusas?”
“Wait, The Lion King is your favorite movie too?”
Small talk might just lead to big change.
Quote of the Day:
“There is something profoundly civilizing about sharing a meal.” – Michelle Obama
One Win:
Realizing that most big problems might just need smaller tables and warmer meals.
One Question:
Who would you invite to dinner if your goal was to make the world a little less divided?
MattMunnell.com 