Please Read This
Attribution: Andy Singer, Politicalcartoons.com
This week, and somewhat unusual for me, I wrote most of my commentary in the last section of the diary just above the diary poll in Part 1. I paid tributes to Pulitzer-Prize-winning editorial cartoonist David Horsey and the subject of one of his cartoons, Mikhail Gorbachev.
That particular cartoon — which also featured Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush — was part of a book that Horsey put together, one which included his best cartoons from the 1980s. He discussed his approach to drawing Trump cartoons in a wide-ranging interview, admitting that it was difficult for him to effectively draw Biden. That interview video, by the way, has another 20-25 cartoons that Horsey drew during the four disastrous years of Donald Trump from 2017-2021. In response to one of the cartoons on his Twitter site, a fan made a comment on how she was affected following Horsey’s cartoons and the role it played in shaping her ideological beliefs as an adult. Following the lead to her website resulted in my remarks on labor unions. It’s funny how research sometimes uncovers items you never even had on your radar.
I’d particularly draw your attention to a 1956 Labor Day poster I found for it touts support of labor unions by the Republican Party in, of all places, Washington, DC. Yes, you read that correctly! The same city where I live and the one that voted for Biden 92%-5% over Trump in the 2020 Presidential Election. That group of moderate, even liberal Northeast Republicans did exist decades ago but if any do now, they’ve sold their soul to Trump.
Part 1 — has almost 30 editorial cartoons and images and I’ll post another 10-15 I have already posted about 25 additional cartoons in the comments section. The diary deals with Republican voting obstructionism, MAGA morons, and their equally clueless leader, Trump, the antics of Ron DeSantis, and a tribute to Editorial Cartoonist David Horsey, Mikhail Gorbachev, and labor unions. Remember to take the diary poll.
Part 2 — It will have around 25 editorial cartoons, more will be posted in the comments section. It deals with the turmoil in Iran, women’s rights, Italian elections, and Russian hopes being dashed in Ukraine. I expect to post it on Sun 10/2 between 9:00-11:00 am ET. (sorry for the delay)
I hope you enjoy reading the diary. Thank you.
Attribution for above Biden cartoon: David Cohen @cohencidents
Voting and Republican Obstructionism
Do your civic duty.
Please Vote in the November Elections
Remember to Register and Vote in the November 2022 Elections. If you can, help a friend, neighbor, co-worker, or acquaintance along the way. See this Michael Moore video — I Have Never Felt This Optimistic. In it, Moore say that the best way to ensure victory is “everyone needs to show up and you need to bring 5-10 people with you on election day. That is critical!”
It’s time to play offense and work toward a return to sanity and normalcy.
Don’t #@*% With Women
As You Sow, So Shall You Reap
What is at Stake in the November Elections
It’s been true almost every time in recent election cycles that the larger the turnout, the better the Democratic prospects. The solution is straightforward: this election in November is your opportunity to participate and make a difference.
This recent article gives a good summary of what is at stake, the issues in play, and races to watch — What's at stake in the 2022 midterm elections?
The Mullahs Republicans Have to Go
Is There Any Difference?
Wonderful Must-See Chevron Ad
Trump and His Ilk
He’s #1
Do You Know Where You’re Going to?
The Decree from Aileen Cannon
Leader of the Pack
The Hoarder
All That Glitters is Gold
Can He Evade it?
Trash Talk
MAGA Nuts and Floriduh
Will You Refuse This Federal Aid, Ron?
As a freshman congressman in 2013, Ron DeSantis was unambiguous: A federal bailout for the New York region after Hurricane Sandy was an irresponsible boondoggle, a symbol of the “put it on the credit card mentality” he had come to Washington to oppose.
“I sympathize with the victims,” he said. But his answer was no.
Nearly a decade later, as his state confronts the devastation and costly destruction wrought by Hurricane Ian, Mr. DeSantis is appealing to the nation’s better angels — and betting on its short memory.
In Times of Need, Who You Gonna Call?
A Category 5 Threat to the Country
The One-Two Punch
I am Who I am
You Gotta Act Like a Pro
Best. Deal. Ever.
Know Your Roots
All You Need to Know
Finally… a Tribute to Editorial Cartoonist David Horsey, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Labor Unions
In this section, I usually look back into the past to find either unique items of interest or ones that have relevance to our modern-day politics.
A nationally-syndicated political cartoonist and two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, David Horsey is one of the bright lights of the world of editorial cartoons. He is currently affiliated with the Seattle Times. The below video is an interview that Horsey did last year. It also shows 20-30 excellent cartoons from his book covering the four tumultuous years of Donald Trump from 2017-2021. I hadn’t seen most of the cartoons as I wasn’t focused on writing this weekly diary during this period.
It may sound like “inside baseball” but of interest to me is the mid-interview section in which Horsey reveals when to use words and, importantly, when not to use words to convey his message to the reader. As the old adage goes, a picture can sometimes be worth a thousand words. The less said, the better.
Horsey also laments the fact the country is politically and culturally divided largely because a fairly large percentage of right-wing nuts deny reality and are easily persuaded by “alternative facts.” Gone are the days when most people received their news from local and national newspapers along with three major television networks. While there may have been disagreement over the interpretation of events in the past, there hardly was division over the facts.
There is no question that widespread usage of the internet over the past couple of decades has had a democratizing effect on daily life. Of that, I am convinced. We have access to local, national, and international events in an instant, with opinions galore. People seem to be better informed. There are many available forums to express one’s opinions and be heard by a large number of people. The media’s gatekeepers severely limited that role in the past.
That said, are we all wiser than in decades past? I wonder, sometimes.
George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Mikhail Gorbachev made peace even when both superpowers had thousands of lethal nuclear weapons with the capacity to destroy the planet many times over.
The 1990s Horsey cartoon on the right shows Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, and George H. W. Bush getting together to chart an end to the Cold War which lasted from 1946-1991. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 triggered events that would eventually culminate in the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
Gorbachev recently passed away. Historians will record that without his cooperation — whether it was willing or not — the Cold War could have as easily dragged on for a few more years or decades. Regardless of one’s ideological inclinations, it is obvious to me that Gorbachev’s contributions to the idea of world peace were enormous. Given the tense state of the world today — exacerbated by a global pandemic that isn’t quite over after almost three years — I bet many foreign policy analysts pine for the era when the “balance of terror” maintained relative peace between the United States and the USSR — however fragile it might have been during the Cold War.
There was a method to all that madness.
Rationality in the conduct of international relations isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Vladimir Putin’s erratic behavior in recent months shows what might happen when a leader overreaches and bites more than he can chew. It could potentially result in catastrophe and destruction on an unprecedented level.
The world could certainly use more leaders like Mikhail Gorbachev.
Attribution for Bush/Reagan/Gorbachev cartoon by David Horsey: Mary Radey @RadeyMary. She credits Horsey by saying, “I can add this to my collection of David Horsey books! My first one is Horsey's Greatest Hits of the ’80s with Boomers Song printed in 1990! You are the reason that I’m a liberal (your political cartoons influenced me when I was in my 20s).”
Attribution: MROnline.
Over a generation prior to Reagan and Bush, the 1950s labor union poster at the end of this section is a good example of the evolution of the Republican Party since the days of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
In the mid-1950s labor union members comprised almost 35% of the American workforce, but today that number is around 10%. However, support for unions remains quite strong in the Democratic Party, much less so in Republican ranks.
For most politicians in recent years, the word “labor” has become a four-letter word, never to be uttered let alone be discussed in the public realm. The public does not necessarily share that sentiment; in fact, the opposite is true. In fact, the majority does not see this decline in union membership as a welcome trend.
Around seven-in-ten Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents say the decline in the percentage of workers represented by unions in recent decades has been very or somewhat bad for the country (71%),
and a similar share say it has been bad for working people (76%).
Among Republicans and GOP leaners, 40% say the decline of organized labor has been bad for the country and 45% say it has been bad for working people…
About half of White Republicans (52%) say the decline of union membership has been at least somewhat good for working people. The sample size for Black and Hispanic Republicans is too small to analyze.
As David Horsey explained in the above video, the two political parties are far apart in more policy areas than one — a theme often reflected in his editorial cartoons.
Gone are the days when the Republican Party could endorse the existence of and support labor unions. The irony is that many of the GOP’s supporters would benefit greatly were unions at the same level of support as in the 1950s.
Attribution: Mary Radey — “I’d be a Republican if they still supported Labor. Yes, I know that President Eisenhower was a Republican and he’s the best Republican President in (almost) my lifetime.”
Remember to take the Diary Poll.
Here is the link to Part 2 — "Join the Resistance" — The Week in Editorial Cartoons, Women’s Rights Edition, Part 2.
