Mickie Winkler

Irreverent Writer of Short Humor

Mickie Winkler, the former mayor of a small city, suggests that if you want to write humor, politics is inspirational.

Winkler's stint in politics forecast trouble from the moment of her swearing in ceremony. She giggled when asked to pledge allegiance to the California Constitution—the world’s longest—cause she knew no one had read it—and unfortunately she giggled while her mic was on.

She earned police opposition when she voted against a precipitous police raise and was awarded with lots of tickets, even on her bike. “Usually,” the officer had said, “I just give bikers a lecture, but I will make an exception for the Mayor.”

Environmentalists accused her of "loving people more than trees,” That’s because she protected the right of a new property owner to cut down some trees so she could build on her tree-covered lot—while protecting the city from a lawsuit.

The dog owners disowned when she warned that if they turned the little league park into a dog park when it was not being used, it would become known as Poop Park. And so it went.

But despite fierce community opposition, she did get bathrooms built in the city’s largest park--and for that she was honored at her retirement.