The Way Forward

I’ve been trying to envision a way out of the current political situation, in which Manchin and Sinema seem hell-bent on undermining the rest of the Democratic party (which to its credit, has achieved 96% agreement, uniting progressives with more traditional factions). The truth is, I am having trouble imagining a future in which the voting rights crisis gets resolved and the Big Lie contained enough that America can move forward and have normal elections run by responsible officials — not that there weren’t already voting injustices to begin with.

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The Goatmaster General

This brief video provides a good overview of the destruction DeJoy has wrought and why he needs to go. 

Also: YOU are invited to attend a special series of free online panels at the AAEC Zoomfest on Saturday Oct. 9. We’ve got some fantastic guests! Keith Knight will talk about the second season of his show “Woke” on Hulu. I’ll be interviewing Ruben Bolling, Lalo Alcaraz and Marty Two Bulls will discuss this year’s controversial Pulitzer results. And much more! Check out the details here: https://editorialcartoonists.com/aaec-zoomfest21/

Pandemic Weaklings

While both men and women have been irresponsible during the pandemic, gendered interpretations of mask-wearing and vaccines (and the bad barnyard alternatives) continue to plague us. My aim here is not to ridicule people who are getting sick, but to strip away some of the “tough guy” rhetoric.

Capital Offense

This Citizens for Ethics site breaks down exactly which companies are giving to anti-democratic politicians. 

One of the great mistaken ideas of the Cold War era is that privatization and capitalism go hand in hand with the flourishing of democracy. That “free markets” (a gross misnomer if there ever was one) necessarily lead to “free people.” In the 21st century, it has become abundantly clear that an amoral system of incentives designed to maximize shareholder profits is not going to save us from authoritarianism.

Cartoon: Vigilante Justice

That the Supreme Court would not intervene to stop this radical embrace of vigilante justice hearkening back to the Fugitive Slave Act should send chills down everyone’s spines. To be clear, I am not advocating for vigilantism against the Supreme Court in the cartoon, but rather imagining how they would feel if this sort of “justice” were applied to them, and showing the absurdity of bounty hunting everyone who “aided or abetted” them.

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Horse Sense for Pandemics

I don’t see how humanity can solve its problems with this degree of misplaced trust, bad-faith manipulation, and poor critical thinking skills. Also, what about the animals with parasites? I’ll bet there are some angry cows out there with four stomach chambers filled with worms, just waiting for pills that have been bought up by the stupid humans.

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Ironies of Afghanistan

I find it challenging to boil the whole Afghanistan situation down into a simple cartoon. When the war began, I thought it was overkill that would just inspire more terrorism. Bush, Cheney, and Rumsfeld were clearly not to be trusted. But I also felt a certain amount of ambivalence since there was, in theory, a human rights component of stopping the horrific treatment of women. One thing that seems clear is that the Trump administration pretty much gave away the store to the Taliban in the Doha negotiations — you can find that photo of Mike Pompeo with Taliban leader Mullah Beradar here. Now the Trumpers are acting like Biden didn’t follow the terms of their “peace deal.” 

“Virtue Signaling”

Simply put, “virtue signaling” is a noxious term that provides a false explanation for people’s motivations to do the right thing for themselves and others. Sure, there are a few corporations pretending to be socially conscious while supporting racist, anti-LGBTQ politicians. But framing all attempts at ethical behavior in this way is a kind of mental trick that benefits the bullies and fascists. It’s yet another way to demonize progressives and sound policies without engaging on specifics. 

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Rental Breakdown

Whenever I look at Airbnb listings, I’m amazed by how expensive some of them are. People are apparently paying big bucks these days for flashy, Instagram-friendly “experiences.” In many tourist areas, long-term renters are getting priced out. Part of this is due to the raging real estate market — though the money to be made these days from short-term rentals can quickly outpace income from traditional tenants. This isn’t exactly helping to stabilize things for working people who just need a home, not an experience.

Viral Spiral

So the Delta variant is surging across the US, with Florida actually breaking last year’s hospitalization records. While the vast majority of those hospitalized are unvaccinated, this variant does have the unfortunate effect of turning people into highly-explosive virus volcanoes. By ending preventive measures prematurely, we’re creating ideal conditions for ever more dangerous variants to evolve. 

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She’s so fined

Given the increased respect for women’s sports, it was especially absurd to hear that the Norwegian women’s beach handball team was being fined €1500 by the European Handball Federation for wearing spandex shorts instead of bikini bottoms. To be clear, the team wore shorts at the European championships in Bulgaria, not at the Olympics.

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