Saying Grace and Saving Face

Thanksgiving is the time of year we gather together to argue with relatives we seldom see but love dearly so long as they are not across the table from us in our own home spouting crap.
This year, it will be especially difficult to avoid the dreaded politics, and the ensuing mashed potato uproar.
Most of us are not easily swayed in our basic opinions, and we all need to protect our egos as much as we do our wallets. Saying "I'm sorry" is hard enough, but if you are like many of the people in the USA this year, you FEEL sorry and want to see things change.
How do you do that without 'losing face' and appearing to be stupid, thoughtless, or have to suffer the slings and arrows of indignities your relations will heap on you with that extra helping of pie?
Maybe it's as simple as saying "You know, I do not think I was wrong in the past, and I still believe in my traditional values, but lately, I am not seeing that from my choices in politics".
"I am not hearing what I really believe from any of the candidates/ The President/my congressmen/congresswomen and so I am planning on voting differently".
"I am firmly and forever a true patriot, but like the Republicans when they changed their name to Democrats (or the Bull Moose Party when they changed their name to Republicans), I see the GOP/Democrats reflecting more of what I have traditionally believed in and want to see more discussion".
"I am not wrong, and my beliefs are firm, but my party has wandered off the path".
"I am open to listening to you without debate- could you pour me some coffee?"


Happy Thanksgiving.