Cartoons: Brass pork

When it comes to cutting defense spending in the U.S., nobody's happy.  Least of all the generals.  And the number of generals has been growing -- "Today's Military: The Most Top-Heavy Force in U.S. History." To get an idea of how the defense budget stacks up, take a look at this:  "America’s staggering defense budget, in charts."

Meanwhile, here's how some leading editorial cartoonists see the budget and the military.

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Jack Ohman, US News

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Dana Summers, US News

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Matt Davies, US News

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Scott Stantis, US News

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As you were...

-- Marge

Cartoons: rabid Republicans

Recently I heard that President Obama may be impeached over the Benghazi "coverup."  I also heard that Congress passed a piece of legislation overnight to free up flights for home (CNN report).  Quoting Federal News Radio --

 The bill passed late Thursday without even a roll call vote, and House officials indicated it likely would be brought up for quick approval there.

Under the legislation, the Federal Aviation Administration would gain authority to transfer up to $253 million from accounts that are flush into other programs, to "prevent reduced operations and staffing" through the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year.

In addition to restoring full staffing by controllers, Senate officials said the available funds should be ample enough to prevent the closure of small airport towers around the country. The FAA has said it will shut the facilities as it makes its share of $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts - known as the sequester - that took effect last month at numerous government agencies.

The Senate acted as the FAA said there had been at least 863 flights delayed on Wednesday "attributable to staffing reductions resulting from the furlough."

There's information on "Why the GOP Might Impeach Obama..." in this Bloomberg article; note that they've called for his impeachment 14 times now (Salon).   An opinion piece by Brad Bannon notes that Republicans Are Losing the American Culture War. 

Although contributing to the partisanship and vitriol rampant in Washington is not something I prefer to do, I definitely think some cartoons are in order.  All of the cartoons in today's post were found at U. S. News, the cartoon section.

-- Marge

Cartoons aimed at Congress

After starting, then rejecting the topics of budget sequestration (see "the sequester," fiscal cliff) and Obama's drone policies (too much vitriol), I finally settled on cartoons aimed at Congress.  This august body seems to want and need it.  All of the cartoons below are from U.S.News & World Report's site, the Congress cartoons category, and there are plenty more.

Drew Sheneman, "Where Agendas Go To Die"

Steve Breen, "According to a recent popularity poll (no joke)"

Chan Lowe, "Flu Season"

David Horsey, "The Road block"

Matt Davies, "Negotiating Table"

Jack Ohman, "We've avoided the fiscal cliff..."

What do you think it will take for Congress to get its act together?

-- Marge

[NOTE: finger-pointing icon from Free Icons, web design & web graphics]

Cartoons about climate change denial and more

There's a treasure trove of cartoons on climate change at the U.S. News and World Report site in their Energy Policy Cartoons section; so many good ones that I got greedy.  Here are eight of the forty about energy, the ones that I particularly like.  Warning: some of these are not really funny, just straight to the point.