After a long absence, I've revived my weekly series chronicling the exploits of the nation's most ridiculous cartoon commentators. (Cross-posted at my "Web-Log".)
Political cartooning, like most creative fields, is dominated by artists from the liberal side of the political spectrum. However, there do exist exceptions that prove the rule: from small towns to big cities, in the pages of magazines and newspapers, that rare creature — the right-wing political cartoonist — lurks among us. What follows is the continuation of a weekly series from my old blog chronicling the latest in right-wing cartoon hackery, a brief glimpse into the alternate-reality fantasy world conservatives have constructed to protect their fragile political psyches.
This week, we tackle the reactionary scribblings of Michael Ramirez, Gary McCoy, Chuck Asay, and Eric Allie.
Michael Ramirez, Investors Business Daily, 12/28/09
First Look: As usual, Ramirez's brilliant and intricate penwork is wasted on shameless hackery. Not only does he trot out the easily-debunked claim that Health Reform Will Bankrupt Us All (the CBO reports that both the House health reform bill and the Senate bill would reduce the deficit and lower costs compared to the status quo, with a public option providing the greatest amount of savings), but also employs the same racist witch doctor imagery that has been circulating among Teabaggers to do so.
Look Closer: In case the hat on the bedside table wasn't enough to tip you off, Ramirez has helpfully placed a big blue star on Uncle Sam's hospital bedding. Presumably Sam brought the sheet from home, as he is afraid to touch fabric an uninsured patient may have died on the day before.
Closer Still: Look in the lower right corner... Is this what passes for food in cartoon hospitals these days? No wonder Sam needs such enormously expensive medical devices; having to choke down what appears to be a charred, unpeeled potato with a side of unidentifiable orange giblets would sap anyone's will to live.
Gary McCoy, Cagle Cartoons, 12/31/09
First Look: As you will see as this series goes on, Gary McCoy is one of the vilest and most despicable right-wing knuckledraggers to ever put pen to paper. Here, not only does he make reference to "Obama's death panels" (which is of course complete and utter nonsense that only a simpering moron would believe in), but he does so months after even twits like Glenn Beck stopped talking about them lest they be permanently branded as idiotic douchebags (too late?).
Look Closer: If Michael Ramirez' wharrgarbl can be partially absolved by his mastery of the artist's pen, the opposite end of that spectrum is occupied by Gary McCoy, whose drawings resemble the fevered scribblings of a meth-addled gibbon, earning him well-deserved scorn regardless of their political content.
Closer Still: It looks like Unidentified Old Man and Baby 2010 should look into getting transplants themselves — the sickly grey-blue pallor they're sporting is surely indicative of the failure of one or more major organs.
Chuck Asay, Creators Syndicate, 12/30/09
First Look: Chuck Asay, whom I've previously described as a 102 year-old man who never leaves his house, is the undisputed master of both the Tortuously Strained Metaphor and the Overly Cluttered Panel in the world of editorial cartoons. True to form, Asay presents us with a version of Little Red Riding Hood who strangely has opinions on racial profiling, which ultimately meanders toward a feeble attack on Janet Napolitano for not rounding up brown people and denying them legal counsel. Classic Chuck!
Look Closer: The third panel is more evidence for my "Chuck Asay is a centenarian shut-in" theory, wherein Asay invokes tired, pathetic 60s-era conservative stawmen like Left Wing College Professors ("Why America Is Always Wrong"? Really, Chuck?). Stay tuned next week for how that crumbum Abbie Hoffman and his "Yippies" are recruiting our children into ACORN, probably.
Closer Still: Is Chuck Asay implying that Janet Napolitano's grandmother was eaten alive by a wolf? These are the dangers of using the Brothers Grimm as a basis for metaphors.
Eric Allie, Cagle Cartoons, 12/21/09
First Look: This is fairly typical juvenile schlock from Allie, whose reliance on scatalogical humor is well-attested.
Look Closer: Allie is really gilding the lily here — I mean, I think this joke would have worked just the same without the green stink waves, gathering flies, and beads of strained perspiration on Senator Reid's forehead... TMI, Eric. TMI.
Closer Still: Frankly, any further examination of this cartoon could only properly be done by Allie's psychiatrist, whose questions may include, "were you potty-trained by your mother or your father?" or "why does it say 'FURIOUS DIAPER' underneath your signature on this cartoon?"
That's all for this week's edition. If you have the misfortune of coming across any particularly hack-tastic right-wing cartoons this week, be sure to send them my way at mikeramsey3 at gmail dot com and I'll include them in next week's roundup!