Some time back, the best political discussions were not on television or Facebook but at the local neighborhood barbershop. As a youngster, I found the discussions intense but also insightful. Imagine a scenario today with an old traditional barbershop featuring Joe the Barber, and three of his faithful clients, Tom, Dick, and Harry, who all pop in at the same time, just a day after the Pennsylvania primary.

Tom quickly sits down on the barber chair before his two friends get a chance and asks Joe as he is putting on the apron, “So, Joe, who did you vote for yesterday?”

“I voted for a bunch of people; which one do you mean?”

“Senate, you know, Trump’s Wizard of Oz vs. everyone else.”

Joe picked up the clippers and smiled, “If Oz was good enough for Trump, he was good enough for me.”

While picking up the newspaper from his chair, Dick gave a quick comeback, “I like Trump, but he doesn’t tell me how to vote. I liked McCormick. The man knew how to get things done.”

Harry was trying to get his large frame in Joe’s small chairs while commenting, “Where have you guys been? That black lady, Barnette, she was the most conservative of all of them.”

“And made up her resume,” countered Joe.

Tom jumped in, “Yeah, funny about that, it was only when she got up to second place in the polls that all that crap about her came out. I don’t believe it.”

Joe was enjoying the discussion. It allowed him to take his time while cutting hair. He decided to keep the fire going, “Who did you guys vote for governor?”

Tom decided he wanted the first word rather than the last one, “Barletta! The man has done it all; businessman, mayor, congressman. We know what we were getting with him.”

Dick shook his head, “Tom, if he were so great, Trump would have endorsed him. Mastriano was Trump’s guy, and that made him my guy.”

Harry saw Tom was done and quickly bounced up to get his hair cut next. As he got in the chair, he commented, “I was surprised that Jamie Flick won the local race for state house, weren’t you guys?”

Joe wrapped the apron around Harry as he responded, “The man knew how to run a race. Even came in here to talk to the folks. He made a good impression.”

Dick shook his head again, “Ann Kaufman worked for Congressman Marino and Keller, and those guys had Trump on speed dial! I think she lost because she was a woman.”

Harry quickly countered, “Oh come on, Dick, you got to be kidding. It was a really, really close race, almost 50/50. Kaufman had more experience, but it seemed Flick had a better campaign. Simple as that.”

Tom put on his ball cap and started toward the door. He turned to his friends and said, “Nothing in politics is simple, guys. We all know that.”