Kevin McCarthy ‘House Speaker’ Political Cartoons

The Taliban 20 are still at work undermining the Republican Party and preventing the forwarding ability for the House of Representatives to function. This is precisely why the Donald Trump factor in our politics has been destructive and warrants our full disdain. Any Republican who thinks this is a winning formula as the nation watches, as independents and moderates across the land expect the government to work, and see who is thwarting the will of the House to even organize sends a clarion call about the dangers to the GOP moving forward.

Kevin McCarthy deserves to be undermined and never elected speaker due to his absolute sellout to Donald Trump and dangerous illiberal moves aimed at the heart of democracy, all in an effort to be the speaker. But, it is also true that the absurdity of the thumb-draggers and bizarre anti-government zealots must be treated to some harsh political realities, as they are nothing more than terrorists in nice suits. There is no better example as to why total revulsion can be and must be unleashed on this group, which includes a child sex predator (Matt Gaetz) election deniers, or the wingnut who sends out Christmas cards promoting assault weapons (Lauren Boebert).

Editorial cartoonists, meanwhile, are finding no shortage of material to use as they draw for the Op-Ed pages of newspapers nationwide. The wretched among the GOP seem intent on giving the nation pure excrement.

Editorial Cartoons Decry Overreach Of Conservatives On Supreme Court In Removing Abortion Rights

The growing outrage in every state regarding the ideological ruling by the conservative members of the Supreme Court, after stripping away the ability of women to make their own choice about abortion, is absolutely papabile this weekend. Taking note of the syndicated editorial cartoons it is obvious they match up with the national disgust with the massive overstep by the right-wingers who never saw a line they did not think they had the right to cross.

Note the number of the harshest members of this Court who were appointed by presidents who lost the popular vote. This court ruling does not reflect the 21st century any more than if they ruled out the postal service in favor of the pony express.

A political Rubicon was crossed with this Court decision, and it is fair to say there will be a reckoning that will be long in duration, massively constructed, and of such a volume that every feeble-minded conservative under their rock will be unable to escape the din. There will be no end to the ways in which the messages of rebuke will be presented.

Texas Mass Shooting With Editorial Cartoons

Nothing can put forth a message like a well-crafted editorial cartoon. Here, then, are some of the ones regarding the Texas massacre of 19 school children and two adults that made an impression at this blogging desk.

Never Forget January 6th, Editorial Cartoons Of Donald Trump Insurrection On Nation’s Capitol

Today, January 6th, is the anniversary of the violent rioting and deadly outcome on our nation’s Capitol caused by Donald Trump and his supporters. Over 140 law enforcement officers were injured. We must grasp that event was not a solitary one that is now over and done. Instead, the 6th was akin to the first shots fired at Fort Sumter in 1861. The roadmap for further violence and an even more dire stab at the heart of democracy is outlined by Republicans who have simply made up their minds to steal the 2024 presidential election.

Republicans have argued, out loud and in the light of day, for a crazy upside-down theory where, for instance, a state legislature could undo the will of the state voter. For example, if more people in a state voted for a Democratic nominee a legislature would still have the power to pick a slate for the Republican nominee to be counted at the Electoral College.

Editorial cartoonists have placed the madness and danger to our democracy into some powerful drawings that have been published in newspapers around the country. I offer a broad sampling.

Editorial Cartoons About Kyle Rittenhouse Verdict

The power of these editorial cartoons is obvious. The messages are correctly drawn and presented.

Kyle Rittenhouse Editorial Cartoons

Over the past year since Kyle Rittenhouse killed two people and injured a third in Kenosha a number of editorial cartoons have been published in newspapers across the nation. As we await the jury verdict I post some of the drawings which make the best statements about this killer and the partisan culture that has embraced his crimes.

I lead off the following with an editorial cartoon from the Capital Times, which best underscores the national narrative playing out on right-wing media about their new hero. It insults our intelligence to have conservatives attempt to justify the actions of a killer roaming the streets with a deadly gun.

Aaron Rodgers COVID-19 Editorial Cartoons

This week Wisconsin has had more than its fair share of the truly absurd.

Aaron Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 and then the press reported the bombshell news that he refused to be vaccinated. In a radio interview, Rodgers stated that while not taking the scientific vaccines he does ingest a horse deworming agent. He also launched into the “woke mob” and said they were trying to “cancel” him. What galled this blogger the most was his attempt to use the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. to confirm why he should not be more conscientious towards the larger community when it comes to stopping the spread of the virus. My jaw surely dropped at my desk when that nugget came through my speakers.

Rodgers actually said the slain civil rights leader would have agreed that he had a “moral obligation to object to unjust rules and rules that make no sense.”

To liken King’s fight for justice and civil rights from housing to voting with a mere mandate from the NFL regarding vaccines and mask-wearing underscores the lack of depth Rodgers has for history, his selfish nature, and lack of character.

Clearly, Rodgers and his PR team missed their much-needed meeting prior to the radio chat. One has to wonder what consultant will need to construct a way to clean up his image after that all-out fiasco. Maybe wrapping Christmas presents for an afternoon at the local Salvation Army. Plus a very generous personal check.

The Rodgers episode has opened conversations about the virus in a loud and determined way across the state, and nation. My husband, James, and I remarked that it has been almost two years since we were at a restaurant. We have not traveled other than short afternoon jaunts for apples or fall produce. We have not rented our second-floor Victorian ($2,000 a month) for two years due to concerns about the virus. We have cousins, a niece in Central Wisconsin, and friends who are nurses and fully understand they have been stressed and over-worked for at least 20 months. We have not undertaken larger projects, nor spent the money to help stir the economy, due to not wanting to interact with others who very well may have the same mindset as Rodgers.

So when the state gets verbally exercised over the Rodgers matter it is based on the fact, that with the vaccines we should have already won this battle. We have the means to do so. All that is lacking is the willpower to achieve the end result. So when the top story in the state is a guy who has a large platform from which to do good and chooses to do exactly the opposite….yes, folks are properly ticked off.

Here then is an offering of how newspaper editorial pages view the Rodgers affair. Please note that Phil Hands, the creative cartoonist at the Wisconsin State Journal and always a favorite here, makes the point with perfect clarity.

How COVID Is Viewed In Editorial Cartoons

If one from another galaxy were to land in the United States and wanted to get a quick and well-rounded understanding of the pressing issues of the day there would be one fast way to get the task completed. Thumb through the nation’s newspapers and look at the editorial cartoons. With pithy drawings and pointed words there is no way to miss the tone and flavor of what our nation (sadly) is dealing with. Such cartoons often provide a better frank assessment of an issue than a long well-written column.

The case can be made with the current batch of editorial cartoons regarding the COVID pandemic.