Cartoons: What about no more federal government?

On December 22, Congress will again address a government shutdown. Forbes reports on the last near miss in Congress Has Narrowly Averted a Government Shutdown, for Now. With the way Trump's version of government is going, I'm thinking a shutdown wouldn't be such a bad thing.

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Steve Kelley, The Week

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It's looking like Putin is a man for all seasons, but without the principles (or at least the same principles).

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Pat Bagley, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: branding

Wells Fargo wants us to identify them as rugged, wholesome examples of the American West. So much for branding. With recent revelations about the way the company does business, sneaky two-timing bandits come to mind. Steve Sack captures it well.

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Steve Sack, The Week

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When I was trying to get an idea of what North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un is like, he was described as having the same traits as Hitler and Saddam Hussein in the Scientific American article, "The Psychology of Dictatorship," 2011. Cartoonist David Fitzsimmons calls him and Trump megalomaniacs.

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David Fitzsimmons, The Week

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I can really identify with branding nuclear war as the unthinkable.

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Steve Kelley, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: above all corporations must PROFIT

Now that we're in full bow-to-the-billionaires mode; and corporations have finally taken over the U.S. government, bending it to their wills, what's the punchline? I keep thinking of Max Headroom's dystopia. But for a taste of the full scope of dystopian societies in fiction, take a look at Wikipedia's lists.

So much for Trump's promises of more jobs. According to the New York Times, the Coal Mining Jobs Trump Would Bring Back No Longer Exist.

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David Horsey, The Week

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I don't think this is the 50 shades of gray that people wanted to see.

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David Fitzsimmons, The Week

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Don't forget that corporate image is very important, even when the public doesn't know certain legging-wearing people are associated with the company (until the stewards draw attention to them). And what about that leg room?

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Steve Kelley, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoon: And what a swamp Washington is

With all the accusations and counter-accusations, news from Washington has a foul smell to it. Add to that all the recent decisions that favor big companies, and Trump's promise to "drain the swamp" has the look of a will-o'-the-wisp.

Steve's cartoon sums it up well.

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Steve Kelley, The Week

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Donald, there is a difference between exceptionalism and exceptionism.

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Adam Zyglis, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: beltway leaks

It took me a minute to 'catch' this first cartoon, but when I did there was a loud guffaw and continued chuckling.

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Steve Kelley, The Week

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Trump and his staff's connections with Russia clearly need investigating, but it's unlikely an almost all Republican congress will do it. Here's what the Bloomberg Editorial Board has to say about it: Investigate Trump's Russia Ties. The Editorial Board of the New York Times is a little more subdued: Time for Congress to Investigate Mr. Trump’s Ties to Russia. Somewhere behind their gated walls billionaires that are Democrats must be fuming.

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David Fitzsimmons, The Week

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Meanwhile, back at Trump's other mansion...

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Walt Handelsman, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoon: bless me, Lord, I'm a liberal elite

Since the war on D. Trump still wages on, just one cartoon today. The term 'liberal elite' is being bandied about with abandon lately, so I checked into it and found this really interesting video of Kurt Anderson, a writer who has been watching Trump and Hillary for a long time. Kurt Andersen and E. Graydon Carter founded and edited Spy, a somewhat political, mostly satirical magazine that "specialized in intelligent, thoroughly researched, irreverent pieces targeting the American media, entertainment industries and making fun of high society." You might find look at its covers interesting, too.

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Steve Kelley, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: time to vote Libertarian?

It's looking more and more like the contest for president will be between Donald and Hillary.

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Steve Kelley, The Week

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But you don't have to vote either-or; Don't fall for 'lesser of two evils' argument. That is, if you're willing to vote Libertarian. W. James Antle III explains Why the Libertarian ticket is an invaluable experiment for the GOP. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul calls himself a libertarian Republican. While the Tea Party has been described as like the Libertarian Party, Libertarians insist they're not the Tea Party.


-- Marge

Cartoons: what is normal?

Today the talk is about Cuba and U.S. relations.

Glass houses often beg a stone.

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Drew Sheneman, The Week

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Quantanamo is one of the U.S.'s not-so-secret sins.

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Tom Toles, The Week

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My definition of normalize: make manageable. Question is--for whom.

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Steve Kelley, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: sharp pencils

Today's mix includes comments on Donald Trump v. Carly Fiorina; the Pope v. Republicans; County Clerk Kim Davis v. all not in agreement; and Apple v. the common pencil.

In the second GOP presidential debate Trump met his match: Carly Fiorina.

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Steve Benson, The Week

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The Syrian refugees are posing intense problems for Europe and the U.S. is being asked to step up and help. Here's are some excuses the U.S. is presenting: Why the U.S. Can't Immediately Resettle Syrian Refugees. Pope Francis wants us to give them shelter.

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Steve Kelley, The Week

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Published in the Louisville Courier-Journal, Clergy weighs Kim Davis' legal, moral rights.

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Mike Luckovich, The Week

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And last, but not least, Apple announces the Apple Pencil for iPad Pro.

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Nate Beeler, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: mixed messages

Today's mix of cartoons includes a comment on Jon Stewart's departure from TV, one on mindless violence in theaters, and a perspective on the recent Republican debates.

Follow this link for a video of Jon Stewart’s final sign off for The Daily Show. He was one of the best for holding Fox News at bay. I'll miss that.

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Steve Sack, The Week

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CBS in Washington, DC, asks readers in a poll: Amid Recent Attacks, Do Movie Theaters Need More Security? Not many have answered yet so there's still time to have your say.

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Steve Kelley, The Week

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USA Today reports, "Thursday's Republican primary debate nabbed a huge 24 million viewers Thursday, ranking as the most-watched primary debate ever." I'm guessing Donald Trump was the reason.

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Bill Day, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: How the tune changes

Time passes, things happen and the tune changes. Then it changes again. As the philosophers say: the only constant is change.

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Mike Luckovich, The Week

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Last year it was the 'pollen vortex', this year it's the 'pollen tsunami'. Call it what you will pollen counts have been rising yearly. or so the reporters say (unable to find numbers to support that). GlobalChange.gov has a good graph on observed CO₂  emissions vs. Temperature.

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Tom Toles, The Week

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Last week it was Deflategate, this week it's FIFA corruption charges.

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Bob Gorrell, The Week

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This cartoon is, for me, self-evident.

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Steve Kelley, The Week

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-- Marge