Cartoons: let's get this straight

Have our priorities been undermined by Twitter?

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Nate Beeler, The Week

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Or is it just the con man in the White House?

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Drew Sheneman, The Week

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Nine months in captivity for many of us.

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Jack Ohman, The Week

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Drugs--where democracy and wanting a better reality intersect for some. What is a drug czar anyway?

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Tom Toles, 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: let the TV cameras roll

This week we take a look at Trump's ever-more-closed empire; GOP senators as downed Confederate soldiers; and Trump's idea that he can pardon himself and his cronies, if worse comes to worse.

Felix Salmon at Salon says Scaramucci may be Trump’s most dangerous enabler yet.

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RJ Matson, The Week

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Scaramucci seems to have absorbed the Donald's approach to news.

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Jack Ohman, The Week

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And we're back to the semi-repeal of Obamacare, again.

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Milt Priggee, The Week

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According to Trump he can pardon himself and his cohorts if the need arises. Others disagree.

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Mike Luckovich, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: Lost in translation

Today I'm looking at Mitch McConnell's Health Care Folly; a reminder of what's on the GOP's plate (since they rule the U.S. government now, however ineffectively) and Trump's Russian connection(s).

This cartoon by David Horsey is, to me, priceless.

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David Horsey, The Week

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Do I see fear in the Senate and House leaders' faces? The one in the middle is clueless.

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Chip Bok, The Week

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From what I see here on the sidelines, Trump is doing everything he can to quell investigation of his alleged Russian connections.

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Tom Toles, The Week

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Especially since he sat talking privately with Putin for an hour, using a Russian translator.

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Clay Jones, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: finding truth and the sane alternative

Many of this week's cartoons are about Hillary and Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghazi. And Jeb. One or two are about Star Wars: the Force Awakens, due out in December.

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Dana Summers, The Week

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Pat Bagley, The Week

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Mike Luckovich, The Week

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Chan Lowe, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: have the bullies won?

Now the question is--how much sheer bedlam did Boehner keep down?

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David Horsey, The Week

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Will the GOP ever get itself under control?

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Drew Sheneman, The Week

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I love a good pun, even a near miss.

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John Deering, The Week

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Planned Parenthood got yelled at. This from Slate Magazine:

Watching Republicans repeatedly interrupt and yell at Planned Parenthood's Cecile Richards on Tuesday, one might get the impression that there's some kind of national uprising against the existence of affordable women's health care. Republicans repeatedly excoriated the organization for focusing on contraception and Pap smears instead of on mammograms, which are typically done at radiology centers. ... Viewers got a laundry list of things that Republicans felt should be funded instead of low-cost birth control and STI treatment at Planned Parenthood. Rep. Glenn Grothman even argued (bewilderingly) that since there's medical care he can get "as a guy," then Planned Parenthood—and by implication, its gynecological services (?!?)—is unnecessary. The message was clear: Taxpayer-funded gynecological care is an illegitimate use of government funding.

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Mike Lukovich, The Week

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OK, OK, there is/was water on Mars.

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RJ Matson, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: the Pope has landed

This week's mix looks at belief in its many forms.

The Pope has landed.

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Walt Handelsman, The Week

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Republicans are the new heretics.

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Drew Sheneman, The Week

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It looks like D. Trump's only God is himself.

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David Fitzsimmons, The Week

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VW disappoints. Wikipedia tells us that the Volkswagen, Beetle version, was originally "formulated by Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany, wishing for a cheap, simple car to be mass-produced for the new road network of his country." The simple, cheap part of his concept was discarded years ago. Did you know that Volkswagen installed "software known as "defeat devices" in many of its diesel cars to evade federal emission limits?"

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Bob Gorrell, 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: reap the whirlwind

This week there are rumors and dire predictions (of course) about Russian military activity in Syria; pleas for financial help with wildfire expenses; and Donald Trump.

The BBC asks and partially answers Who are these Russian fighters posting pics of themselves in Syria?

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Scott Stantis, The Week

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The Seattle Times tells us Ten things to know about the Washington wildfires, including how to help with fire-relief efforts. Meanwhile Congress returned from recess on Tuesday. Provocateur Ted Cruz promises another shutdown.

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David Horsey, The Week

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And D.Trump just keeps on doing his thing.

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John Darkow, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: McKinley (again), Republicans, and Trump

Today we have some reactions to renaming Mount McKinley Denali; an on-target observation about Republicans; and the (currently) obligatory jab at D. Trump, who says he's a Republican.

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Chan Lowe, The Week

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Drew Sheneman, The Week

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Mike Luckovich, The Week

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RJ Matson, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: walls real and conceptual

Today's cartoons are about walls, ones intended to separate people physically and ones that appear to separate. Wall Street is its own phenomenon.

China's economic woes (see The Great Fall of China) are causing quite a stir on Wall Street.

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Gary Varvel, The Week

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D. Trump wants to wall out Mexicans any way he can. Click this link for more of Trump's views on the issues this election.

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Steve Breen, The Week

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Many feel the NRA's stance (and lobby) on gun rights contributes to gun violence.

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Mike Luckovich, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: more truth than fiction

Honestly, I tried not to include a cartoon with Donald Trump in it...but failed.

This is what the GOP looks like these days.

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Bob Gorrell, The Week

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It occurs to me Trump is performing one very valuable service: he's sidestepping the Koch Brothers' influence on the election. Does he really expect to be elected or is he just playing the system?

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Pat Bagley, The Week

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Here's what the next GOP debate may look like.

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Nate Beeler, The Week

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This is interesting, sad but interesting: Camel kills American owner at wildlife park in Mexico resort. One theory is the camel did it for a Coke.

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Mike Luckovich, The Week

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Disturbing as this next image is...

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Adam Zyglis, 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