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: reboots

This seems to be the season of déjà vu--Marvel comics, healthcare in America, and Russian connections.

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Clay Jones, The Week

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It must be confusing for the Republicans, too.

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Walt Handelsman, The Week

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If only this dream would work...

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Tom Toles, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: A golf cart run amuck

It looks to me like Trump has little respect for America, considering his merchandising and mixing of profit with presidential functions. Consider his hotels and golf courses.

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Milt Priggee, The Week

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The new rule for White House briefings is NO CAMERAS; the Washington Post reports, No cameras, no live audio and no Sean Spicer: The latest White House press briefing, annotated (June 22, 2017).

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Nate Beeler, The Week

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I dearly love shopping at Amazon, but you have to admit that with all their acquisitions, they're beginning to look a little like Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors.

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Tom Stiglich, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: voices of America

Mostly having avoided showing comments about Trump, because enough is already being said, I couldn't resist this one.

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Drew Sheneman, The Week

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This one made me laugh; haven't done that at a cartoon in quite a while. However, the subject matter is NOT laughable. Recently I've been receiving emails from Service Employees International Union (SEIU) urging me to call my Alaska representative in the Senate Lisa Murkowski. I've tried that before--she's not listening. [edited 4:54p AKDT]

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Tom Toles, The Week

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My friend Scott, a normally sensible person, quotes this guy and nothing will change Scott's mind. My take is--the less people feel that they have control of their lives. the more they turn to conspiracy theories.

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David Horsey, The Week

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--Marge

Cartoons: But who will protect the citizens?

Given Wednesday's attack at the baseball field, it was just a matter of time until lawmakers requested more protection from gun violence: Rattled by shooting, lawmakers want more personal protection. Again the Second Amendment didn't work right:

“A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

Here are 10 arguments each, for and against gun control.

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Clay Jones, The Week

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Maybe I'm being cold-blooded. In my eyes Congress has been coldblooded for years.

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Tom Toles, The Week

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No, I don't have a gun, but someone out there does and enough anger to act out.

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Pat Bagley, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: riding the coal train

Of last week's news, the plan to privatize of air traffic control looked the most scary. The Atlantic asks: Is Trump’s Plan to Privatize Air-Traffic Control a Good Idea?

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Chan Lowe, The Week

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Quitting the Paris Climate Accord is probably the more scary. Reuters reported in April that U.S. coal companies ask Trump to stick with Paris climate deal. The companies' reason was to advocate for coal in a global market.

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Steve Sack, The Week

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And here's a little vocabulary lesson from cartoonist Adam Zyglis.

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Adam Zyglis, The Week

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My apologies for not posting last week--couldn't find anything that spoke to me.

-- Marge

Cartoons: American politics as seen today

If the constant barrage of Trumpisms and Trump-tropes is getting you down, take a look at Paste Magazine's "How to Survive Trump: A 7-step Guide for Those Who Can't Move to Canada." You could also try taping the cartoon below to your wall. However, it would work better as an affirmation when stated, "This circus closes soon."

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Gary Varvel, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: Trump vs. the Media

Tom Stiglich, The Week

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According to the Washington Post "Trump’s media coverage has been 4-to-1 negative — but that isn’t really the point (May 19)." Comedian John Oliver on Last Week Tonight talked about Trump vs. Truth, available on YouTube. I say Trump is a provocateur and he will say whatever gets him the biggest bang for his buck. Sad.

--Marge

Cartoons: news-worthy news

Trump's firing Comey was the move that broke my inaction. If you think Trump should go, sign up at Impeach Trump Now.

During the ascension of Trump we've learned a number of things. Such as anyone, including the Democrats, can have a white whale in her/his life.

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Nate Beeler, The Week

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The short view (vs. the long view) will eventually bite you in the a**.

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Gary Varvel, The Week

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Trump bears no resemblance to what a good president is/was.

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Steve Benson, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: no cartoons this week

Current governmental and social affairs are just too overwhelming. Don't want to do this anymore.

-- Marge

Cartoon: Trump's first 100 days

This post is late because I'm so tired from watching the news to see if Trump does something truly stupid and I should prepare to flee. Actually this statement is an alternative fact, but I figure if the POTUS can do it, so can I.

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David Horsey, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: White House anomalies

So far we've seen a number of events and actions coming from and related to the White House that just don't make sense and/or look fishy.

Trump's trips to Mar-a-Lago and their estimated cost are still an unknown, but they look pretty pricey. The sheriff of the local police department says his department has accrued $1.5 million in overtime costs and he thinks the Feds will reimburse him.

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Bill Day, The Week

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Cartoonist Tom Toles suggests that Trump's infrastruction plan includes privatizing national monuments. Seems plausible to me.

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Tom Toles, The Week

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Meanwhile the U.S.S. Carl Vinson may have made an illegal left turn, maybe not.

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Nate Beeler, The Week

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For sure, many Trump products for sale were not manufactured in the U.S.

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Chan Lowe, The Week

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In closing, here are some basic truths about the U.S. vs. Korea matter.

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Drew Sheneman, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: brutality in the aisle

Just to be clear, United Flight 3411--the one where Dr. David Dao was ejected--was not overbooked (money.cnn.com, usatoday.com, inc.com, and forbes.com). Christine Negroni in the Forbes article says:

On Tuesday, United appeared to acknowledge that this was not technically an overbooked flight. And the reason for that equivocation is also clear. The four airline employees who needed the seats, presented themselves to the gate agent after the flight was boarded. Further, they were not fare-paying passengers, therefore not "booked."

Some argue this parsing of words is irrelevant and that the airline's contract of carriage is meant to be applied more broadly. Not true. Airlines are required to present bumped passengers with the written document explaining their rights. I would not bet on the success of a legal argument that begins, "what the document intended to express."

 So much for legalities, here are some cartoonists' takes on the incident.

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Nate Beeler, The Week

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Drew Sheneman, The Week

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Jack Ohman, The Week

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And, if only...

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Gary Varvel, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: Trump's privacy is more important than mine or yours

Twitter-King Trump's claim that Obama wiretapped him lingers on. In the meantime he has repealed the internet privacy rules passed last year using the

Congressional Review Act (CRA) that allows Congress and the president to overturn recently passed agency regulations. A successful CRA bill also prevents the agency from implementing similar rules in the future. (The Hill) 

There's a timeline of Trump's "false wiretapping charge" at Politifact.

Here's a visual aid.

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Glenn McCoy, The Week

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And who really knows the current state of the Republicans' "new" health care plan?

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Steve Sack, 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: Say good-bye to Big Bird

If the federal budget as currently proposed passes, Big Bird, National Public Radio (NPR), and support for local art projects may go away: Trump's Budget Plan Cuts Funding For Arts, Humanities And Public Media. These aren't the only proposed cuts, but the ones that strike me hardest.

"Millions of Americans depend on their local public radio station for the fact-based, objective, public service journalism they need to stay informed about the world and about the news in their own communities. Public media serves the public interest with essential educational, news and cultural programming not found anywhere else, as well as vital information during local and regional emergencies. Federal funding is an essential ingredient to making this possible." -- NPR COO Loren Mayor 

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Gary Varvel, The Week 

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Speaking of strikes, Trump's hit a lot closer to home than Obama's did.

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Tom Toles, The Week

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So who's running the White House: Trump or Bannon?

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Drew Sheneman, The Week

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Am I being paranoid or is the aim of Trump's billionaire cabinet to take total and absolute control?

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Bill Day, The Week

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-- Marge

Cartoons: for many the doctor is out

After 7 years of trying to repeal Obamacare, the House Republicans have come up with its replacement-- the  American Health Care Act (AHCA).  The Atlantic reports in The People Helped by the Republican Health-Care Bill stating:

Though most old and sick people will be worse off under the GOP bill, it might be a boon—real or perceived—for people earning just above the Obamacare subsidy cutoff.

If it doesn't help sick people, what's it for? They could have spent the time working to make Obamacare better. Wikipedia gives a history of the GOP's efforts to repeal Obamacare (ACA).

Here are some of the editorial cartoonists' comments.

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Steve Sack, The Week

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RJ Matson, The Week

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Adam Zyglis, The Week

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Meanwhile President Trump lives in a conspiracy theorist's world.

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Jack Ohman, The Week

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-- Marge