Cartoons: It's Trump's Republican Party Now

At the beginning of the GOP convention it may have been this:

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Chan Lowe, The Week

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Now it's this: (Nice play on Grant Wood's "American Gothic," RJ.)

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RJ Matson, The Week

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Somewhere along the way dissenting Republicans got booted:

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Dana Summers, The Week

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A-n-d It’s Donald Trump’s Republican Party Now. Don't you just love the butt heart?

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Michael Ramirez, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: is there a mystery candidate?

Batten down the hatches, the GOP convention starts Monday in Cleveland. It should be quite a show.

In 2012 the Onion published a video, GOP Introduces New "Mystery Candidate" With Paper Bag Over Head. The text of the article reads "Republicans will reveal the identity of the Mystery Candidate only after he, or she, wins the election." Cartoonist Bob Gorrell remembers.

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Bob Gorrell, The Week

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Trump will go into the convention with his new running mate Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. (Be aware, Hillary's campaign ads are posted smack dab in the middle of the article.)

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Gary Varvel, The Week

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So, is the GOP deceased?

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Tom Toles, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: who you gonna turn to?

It's beginning to look like all systems everywhere are rigged. Is that paranoia? If so, I got it.

If Trump lived on Jupiter, this is what he'd say.

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David Fitzsimmons, The Week

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Even if the Republicans lose the presidential election, there's still their jerry-rigged, uhm gerrymandered, systems that falsely represent the voters. BTW, the symbol on the table in front of Trump is an altered one for the KKK according to Forbidden Symbols.

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Bob Englehart, The Week

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So, who's winning in the presidential race? Does it really matter?

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Chan Lowe, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: putting Benghazi to rest

We have two topics today--the House Benghazi Report of 2016 and Brexit.

In the case of the report: House Benghazi Report Finds No New Evidence of Wrongdoing by Hillary Clinton. According to this reference, expenses to produce the report over a period greater than 2 years are estimated to be more than $7 million. Here's how some cartoonists view it.

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Pat Bagley, The Week

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John Darkow, The Week

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Drew Sheneman, The Week

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At least 62% of Scots want to remain in the European Union; The Guardian asks, Can Scotland remain in the EU after Brexit?  The Telegraph reports on where the EU referendum won and lost, saying Northern Ireland, Scotland and London only areas not to vote for Brexit. Here's some humor to go along with the news.

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David Horsey, The Week

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Marian Kamensky, The Week

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--Marge

Cartoons: thwip, thwack and ping

Today I'm riffing on the US's do-nothing Congress, the NRA, the GOP's victimhood (they earned it), and internet trolls.

Nate Beeler at the Columbus Dispatch makes a subtle comment on U.S. gun control. A copy is available for sale at Cagle's Political Cartoons.

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Nate Beeler, The Week

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Steve Sack at the Star Tribune makes it clear that the NRA is a carrion-eating buzzard feeding the Congressional pigeons. A copy is available for sale at Cagle's Political Cartoons.

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Steve Sack, The Week

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Independent cartoonist Chan Lowe at Tribune Content Agency brings up a good point about the GOP.

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Chan Lowe, The Week

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David Horsey at the Los Angeles Times defines troll for us. He can also be found at Tribune Content Agency.

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David Horsey, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: Taming Trump

Looks to me like we're trapped as a nation between Trump and the NRA. Then there are the conspiracy wackos. Is there peace in Canada?

Republicans may think they can tame Trump once he's been nominated, but it looks like he's already lost his voter base. Take a look at the video in Favorability of Trump’s GOP Lowest in Bloomberg Poll’s History.

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John Darkow, The Week

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The Washington Post reports, In wake of Orlando shootings, gun control getting a fresh look from GOP

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Pat Bagley, The Week

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Bernie Sanders fights on, offering No Concession in Address to Supporters.

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David Horsey, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: two candidates are left, the third is a maybe

Today's mix looks at where Hilary, Donald and Bernie are in their campaigns.

Hilary has clinched the Democratic presidential nomination. To make it final there's the convention. When, where is the 2016 Democratic National Convention?

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Tom Stiglich, The Week

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A week ago Joe Klein at Time Magazine said Donald still rules the airwaves, saying "He excels at “winning the news cycle”." This week it's a different story; the difference is Hilary found her voice.

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Walt Handelsman, The Week

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Bernie's not gonna quit...At least not until the fat lady sings.

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John Darkow, 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: open carry

Today's collection looks at our response to the Zika virus threat; VA health-care lines compared to standing in line at Disney World; and Wall Street crime.

It's open carry against mosquitoes now. Consumer Report asks Does 'Natural' Mosquito Repellent Work?

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Nate Beeler, The Week

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VA Secretary McDonald recently compared health-care lines to Disney.

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Gary Varvel, The Week

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News just in: Wall Street Crime: 7 Years, 156 Cases and Few Convictions

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David Horsey, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: cots, bathrooms, and beer

This week's cartoons talk about the TSA (US Transportation Security Administration); "perverts" in public bathrooms; and Budweiser's new name.

According to the Business Insider, The TSA is in a full-blown crisis. More than 450 American Airlines passengers stranded in the terminal overnight due to long lines is not good. And what does the TSA have against mother's milk?

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John Darkow, The Week

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So who are the "perverts"--the transgenders or those pretending to be transgender in your local bathroom? Time Magazine discusses the issues in Everything You Need to Know About the Debate Over Transgender People and Bathrooms.

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Drew Sheneman, The Week

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And for frothier news, how about the fact that Budweiser Will Call Its Beer 'America' Through the Election.

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Steve Breen, The Week

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--Marge

Cartoons: an unusual dance

For the past year (or more) we've been living in a political world of constantly updated predictions. To me a prediction is not news, it's fairy dust that settles to the ground as soon as the reality kicks in. But I have to agree with John Boehner, former House Speaker, when he says 'Knuckleheads' in Both Parties Will Determine 2016 Election.

On that note, let's step back and take a look at what we've seen.

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Bob Gorrell, The Week

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David Horsey, The Week

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Walt Handelsman, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoon: RIP GOP

Just one cartoon today. Take a look at Time Magazine's How the GOP is Dealing With Donald Trump’s Nomination.

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Chan Lowe, The Week

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--Marge

Cartoons: Ted + Carly, no Ted + John, no Bernie?

Well, the 2016 presidential campaign rages on and possible election candidates are beginning to pick running partners -- at least on the Republican side. Bernie seems to be losing ground fast. And the homeless are just keepin' on, keepin' on.

For the latest polls, check out Real Clear Politics' ePolls. For election news, check out the NY Times Politics page. There's also Who Is Running for President?

Here's what some of the cartoonist have to say.

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Steve Sack, The Week

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Pat Bagley*, The Week

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Chan Lowe, The Week

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Pat Bagley*, The Week

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*Watch Pat Bagley draw a cartoon!


-- Marge

Cartoons: heart of darkness

Today's mix looks at Wall Street, currency, wrongdoing in office, and the Republicans' mid-July convention.

The central role of Wall Street is ...

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David Horsey, The Week

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The word 'contention' works better, in my view.

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Gary Varvel, The Week

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Those who covered up the problems with water in Flint, Michigan, may pay: ..Criminal charges against three state and city workers. Considering that they're white and good ol' boys, they may not.

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Joe Heller, The Week

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So, whose face will be on the new $20 bill? Here's everything to know about the new paper money: Q&A: Harriet Tubman, Alexander Hamilton and the Currency Redesign. No, the Republicans didn't refuse Harriet Tubman; it's Merrick Garland they're not willing to consider yet.

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Mike Luckovich, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: closing in on the last lap

Could be me, but it seems this presidential race is dragging on forever, ad infinitum, ad nauseam. And the closer we get to election day, the more desperate it looks.

Running scared, the GOP is trying to wrangle Paul Ryan into declaring for president. From the video in Paul Ryan Rules Out Run for President it looks to me like Speaker of the House Ryan is sure he not going to run and he's not being coy, either. This is Dana Summers' view on the topic:

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Dana Summers, The Week

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Cartoonist David Horsey shows us a clutch of chickens, likely related to Chicken Little.

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David Horsey, The Week

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And here's Tom Toles dark view of life under President Trump (looks a lot like life in China under Xi Jinping).

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Tom Toles, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: tax-free money for the 1%

Steve Sack, The Week

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The Panama papers are all the news lately. South German Newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, received the data that reveals the activities of Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. SZ reports this activity in Panama papers: the secrets of dirty money. The opening video is a must-see.

In the article SZ states

The data
The Panama Papers include approximately 11.5 million documents – more than the combined total of the Wikileaks Cablegate, Offshore Leaks, Lux Leaks, and Swiss Leaks. The data primarily comprises e-mails, pdf files, photo files, and excerpts of an internal Mossack Fonseca database. It covers a period spanning from the 1970s to the spring of 2016. 

According to the New York Times, Panama Papers Leak Casts Light on a Law Firm Founded on Secrecy.

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Walt Handelsman, The Week

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Many are particulary interested in Putin's secret cash stash. A highly cited article by The Guardian states: Revealed: the $2bn offshore trail that leads to Vladimir Putin.

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Steve Benson, The Week

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As cartoonist Pat Bagley points out, the 1% rides on our backs.

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Pat Bagley, The Week

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Angry yet?

-- Marge

Cartoons: Falling through the cracks

Just 2 cartoons today, because I've heard enough about Donald, and Ted, and Hillary, and Bernie. Let the GOP stew in its own juices.  So, today's cartoons are about the cracking of the San Bernardino iPhone and two levels of fracking--one to the earth and one to our economic system.

Recent news tells us the FBI figured out--with help--how to crack the iPhone they've been arguing with Apple about. Who helped them crack it is now classified: Government keeping its method to crack San Bernardino iPhone 'classified'. But here's an educated guess: This Stock ​Is​ Soaring Because the FBI Cracked the San Bernardino Shooter's iPhone. From a survey of the information being offered on the internet, it may have been hacked by a 10-year-old.

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Bob Englehart, The Week

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Fox News' current buzzwords are "political earthquake." Tom Toles' parallel with fracking is arresting and led me to a wealth of news on earthquakes due to fracking and wastewater disposal: Fracking Added to Govt Map of Earthquake Risks and Fracking—not wastewater disposal—linked to most induced earthquakes in Western Canada. This is the USGS's (U. S. Geological Survey) report that offers solid proof: 2016 One-Year Seismic Hazard Forecast for the Central and Eastern United States from Induced and Natural Earthquakes.

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Tom Toles, The Week

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-- Marge