A year ago, Andrew Wahl addressed the economic issue that confronts every American. A lack of income causes the average American great angst. Today, just as a year later, citizens of this country clamor. Money is tight. Some may say, "The more things change the more they stay the same." Perchance, economically, the situation is worse. As people are laid off, jobs are shipped overseas, and businesses here at home go bankrupt, we collect coins. In a desire to pay our mounting bills, the people of this prosperous nation ask for change that amounts to dollars and sense.
Andrew extends his apology for a delayed return to novel toons.
Hand Injury Delays Toon Return Till Next Week
Hey, all:
A quick note to let you know my editorial cartoons won't be returning from hiatus until next week. During the first week of my vacation, I slipped and landed on a barnacle-encrusted rock, resulting in several cuts on my drawing hand and a trip to the ER. It's all healing remarkably well, but I'm still finding it tough to do brushwork. So I'm going to have to pass on the Democratic National Convention, but should be back in the saddle for next week's GOP brouhaha.
Till then,
Andrew toon@offthewahl.com
Until then, please enjoy the Labor Day holiday and a thought on the subject of work, wages, and survival in America.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
What does one say when, by acclamation, a man whose background and experience may be more American than most who have been nominated to be the Presidential candidate , is chosen to represent the his Party? How might one find words for this moment? Overwhelmed with feelings, does an individual shout, Hooray? Through the tears of happiness, might we exclaim, "This is incredible!" Can we communicate the sensation. The possibilities are phenomenal. This historic moment is fascinating. Oh joy; oh bliss. Perchance we can believe not only in change, but also in the beauty of people dedicated to a cause. Possibly each of us can have faith in unity. We can perchance, begin anew. Hope is alive. The dream survives. The impossible is probable.
It is important to express a deep, sincere, and special gratitude to Hillary Rodham Clinton. Every one of us might acknowledge our earnest appreciation for those Clinton supporters who cast a delegate ballot for Barack Obama.
Let us each wish upon the stars in the skies and those in our eyes. Democrats, Independents, Republicans who remember the intent of our forefathers, let us do what we must to ensure government is again, of, by, and for the people.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
Tonight Hillary Clinton, I thank you. Your speech was sensational. The words were welcome. A call for unity could not be more needed. I believe only you could make this plea in a meaningful manner. As grateful as I am, and indeed, I am truly pleased that you spoke as you did. I wonder if this pronouncement, as presented, will solve what some see as the dilemma of the disaffected. Will your words alleviate the concern too often expressed about the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama?
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
I had the incredible privilege of hearing, seeing, and being with the glorious Michele Obama a few weeks ago. Near a month earlier, I listened intently to the speech she shared in Miami. It was in the twilight of the day when Michelle Obama presented just a bit of the story she told the nation this evening. Although, at that event, the entirety of her narrative was yet to be revealed, I knew then, that this woman was, is wondrous. I said so when given the chance.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
What is black and white and read all over? Associated Press reports written by the "respectable" albeit some would say disreputable Ron Fournier. Few Journalists foment interest in this Presidential election in the way this whimsical writer does. His prose is not dry. Detachment does not define the Washington Bureau Chief. Conventional standards, set by the information industry, might label this laudable lackey as less than logical. For logic is rarely found in flaming rhetoric. Fournier describes his approach as "accountability journalism" and "liberating . . . the truth," as well it should be.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
I saw them. I heard them. The undecided voters were no longer in the shadows. The seven, eleven, or fourteen percent, the unpersuadables who either decline to state a preference, or have not yet determined whether they could or would support the presumptive nominees, Barack Obama or John McCain, were there. They stood at the door of the Arena. It was a Thursday afternoon, in Boca Raton, Florida. Hundreds, myself among them, stood in wait as the storms overhead threatened. Rain clouds did not deter us. What some thought oppressive heat did not dissuade the many who wished to hear the former First Lady. As we stood outside and discussed when the doors might open, many shared their deeply held conviction. Obama could not possibly beat Senator McCain without Clinton, and her supporters. If Hillary was at the top of the Democratic ticket, several speculated, we could crush John McCain.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
My cartoons have been drawing heat lately in the letters section of my home newspaper, The Wenatchee World. One writer accused me of "defeatism," while another wrote that my cartoons "embolden our enemies." "Despicable" was the word from another letter writer, along with "hateful," "insulting" and "reprehensible."
Working where I do, it's really not a surprise that no one has written in to mount a public defense of my cartoons. The Wenatchee Valley is red territory - really red; for perspective, 63 percent of voters in North Central Washington's Chelan County and 67 in Douglas County voted for Bush in 2004, compared to 66 percent of voters in the president's home county of McLennan in Texas. So I thought I'd go ahead and defend myself with this week's toon, ."Shhh" [Archive No. 0721]
The result? Another "fan" letter - along with a subscription cancellation - within hours of the paper coming off the press.
I know nastygrams are supposed to be a sign of a job well done in this field, but sheesh ...
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
Americans, addicted to oil and quick fixes, embrace a man and a mantra; yet, most are unwilling to envelop themselves in a cause. The public appreciates the need for clean energy. Accolades are bestowed upon the former Vice President, author, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and environmentalist Albert Gore for the work he has done to inform us of an inconvenient truth. Nonetheless, as knowledgeable as the public may be, nothing truly changes. Intellectually, nearly everyone accepts what a myriad of experts emphasize. The planet is in peril. However, emotionally, few internalize the urgency of what must be a global priority. There is a problem. We cannot wait to employ solutions.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
It is becoming more apparent with each passing day that the American lifestyle as it currently exists is unsustainable. For more than three decades, we have accepted the false narrative that we can live beyond our means and there will be no cost for the extravagance. Not only has our government accepted and promoted this falsehood, but we as a nation have accepted it as well. It has become so engrained into our national psyche that anyone who dares to point out its inherent flaws is immediately ridiculed by politicians, the media, and their fellow citizens.
You see rather than looking at the real culprits of our failed domestic and foreign policies we want to create these "bogeymen" who want to destroy our sacred way of life. The truth is that it is always easier to blame others for our shortsightedness and faults.??
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
Throughout the ages, life has been but an allegory for the Shakespearean drama Macbeth. When people observe the strength of a wedded woman, they wonder. Might she be the spouse behind the man? Couples whose passion for power burns brightly may be reminiscent of those who perform in the tragedy played out on many a theatre stage. A pair, married partners, in the present, may be as characters in a revival of the this best-known of William Shakespeare's tragic productions. The tale, written in centuries long past, often evokes reverie of today's truths. Only the characters differ.
If this dramatic piece, were to be performed today, possibly, Hillary and Bill Clinton would be cast as the main characters. The two are slightly more modern, and a bit less morose than the actors in years gone by.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
As Americans await the action in Denver, as the people look forward to the Democratic Convention, citizens are reminded of what was once thought inevitable. Hillary Clinton will be on center stage. The "juggernaut's" name will be placed into nomination. Barack Obama continues to run.
I ran into one of my co-workers in the break room at The Wenatchee World today, shortly after my latest cartoon came off the press.
"I don't understand your cartoon today," he said.
I asked him what he didn't understand. He wanted to know if I was trying to say Hillary is cold and emotionless - almost robotic - in her pursuit of the presidency, or was it that the Clinton campaign was an unstoppable juggernaut racing toward the nomination.
"Yes," I said.
"The Clinton Machine" has been a marvel to behold this primary season. And my co-worker understood this cartoon just fine.
What do you think?
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
MoveOn.org presents this production with a desire to seek donations. This self-proclaimed "Progressive" organization hopes to advance the Democratic candidate, and look for dollars to do so. In essence, MoveOn would wish the public to think that if we advocate for Barack Obama then the Party platform will be fulfilled. As one who does not necessarily see these two entities as equivalent, I offer this audio-visual presentation more as a tool to inform than a request for a contribution.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
It is ironic that with the ascension of the Barack Obama candidacy many people believe that it is ringing the death knell for the civil rights movement as we have known it. After 50 years of struggle, are we reaching the end of the movement that has defined the state of black America for decades? Has America or more importantly the black community outgrown the type of politics and confrontational style of the previous generation? Is black America better served by the rhetoric of reconciliation and personal responsibility being touted by Senator Obama. The answer largely depends on who you ask.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
Has there ever been a more politically tone-deaf administration than this one? I can understand Bush's need to score points with the base. But if you're going to veto legislation to take a stand against "big government," couldn't you pick something more palatable than quashing healthcare for poor children? And to say we can't afford $35 billion for sick kids, at the same time you're asking for around $190 billion - that's $190,000,000,000! - in additional war spending?
How did this numbskull ever get to be president? No, really.
As I was sitting down to tackle this week's toon, I was looking to do something with that notion of tone deafness. But as I brainstormed symbols that spoke to children paying the price for America's war machine, I kept coming back to the same image: Jules Feiffer's Munro.
For those not familiar with Feiffer, the guy is on the top rung in my pantheon of creative heroes. Pulitzer-winning editorial cartoonist. Obie-winning playwright. And, in 1961, he was the writer of an Academy-Award-winning animated short called "Munro."
"Munro" started life as a short story in Feiffer's 1957 cartoon collection, "Passionella." The story revolves around a four-year-old boy named Munro who is drafted into the U.S. Army and can't seem to convince anyone that there's been a mistake. It's a brilliant piece of work, one that still has wonderful resonance today. (If you haven't seen the animated version, treat yourself on YouTube.)
Feiffer retired from editorial cartooning on a regular basis in 2000.
With our young again being victimized by a misguided military effort, it seemed a good time to pay homage to one of my greatest influences. "Munro, 2007," below, is the result. I think it works fine with no knowledge of the "Munro" back-story, and offers deeper meaning for those in the know (which now includes everyone reading this). I'm pretty tickled with this one.
"We knew him when." These are the words countless in cyberspace will offer in January 2009. As Congressman Jerry Northington, a Democrat from Delaware, is sworn into office, Citizen Journalists throughout numerous net neighborhoods will chortle. Each of us who recalls when possum was but a blur in the blogosphere will reflect on when we first met the Vietnam veteran, small businessman, family fellow, and sage.
For me, it was so long ago, I do not recall the date exactly. Jerry, whose real-life name I did not know for months, and I had our first encounter online. We connected and communed at Daily Kos. I know not when the Neurological Veterinarian first joined the forum. However, I did search for his first comment on what some lovingly refer to as DKos. While the signature is now globally changed, and thus provides a clue to who this marvelous man might be, then, in June 2006, Tuesday the 20th to be exact, the future Congressman Northington was known only as possum.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
For me, it all began near a week ago. There was no word of it on the Nightly News.Nightline offered no interviews. Articles did not appear in popular, or prized periodicals. Even the National Enquirer had no exclusive accounts. Bloggers did not blast me with rumors of what might have been. The story, while sensational, did warrant banner headlines. After all, neither person was as widely known as former Presidential aspirant John Edwards is. The woman may or may not have had a history that would titillate many a reader. I know not whether this thirty or forty-ish female was the mother of what the media would wish to label a "love child." I feel certain that her name is not Rielle Hunter or Lisa Druck. She is not the fictional character, Alison Poole. She was but a real person looking for love, as was he, in a parking lot.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
Someone once described courage as not never being afraid, but going on in spite of the fear. As a nation and as elected officials we seem to be running dangerously low on courage. Oh we have the tough talk down, we have the posturing, but do we really have true courage? Since 9/11 when at least 2,985 people died from the terrorists attacks I think that what has been lost in all the hype is some perspective. While this was surely a tragedy, the population of the United States in the year 2001 was somewhere around 290 million people. Based on those numbers the terrorist attacks killed less than .02% of the population, yet since the attack we have responded by invading sovereign nations, torturing our fellow human beings, and gutting our Constitutional protections.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
"America is one of three." Some might say the United States is one in a million. Surely, the superiority of this western nation is rarely questioned. The "land of milk and honey" is frequently referred to as a Superpower. Most think America might be considered truly supreme. Politically, economically, and militaristically the United States excels. This democratic nation has clout. America is able to control a situation, or a strategy. Citizens here consistently prove they are strong. This is the "home of the brave." It is well known, Americans are courageous enough to take a stand, and they have. The United States is one of three nations that, regardless of outcry, refuses to support a United Nations resolution which would abolish the manufacture and use of all nuclear weapons.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
For years now I have talked about power and how people may be attracted to power and the people who hold that power. It has been said
Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
In the aftermath of the tragic hurricane in Myanmar (Burma) a few short weeks ago I was reading a long ago speech about power and fear. In 1990 Aung Sang Suu Kyi gave a "Freedom From Fear" speech beginning with the following words:
It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
I have no problem with letting Hillary Clinton speak at the Denver convention - none at all. I was one of those people in 1992 chanting "Let Jerry Speak!" But Hillary's convention preview far past bordering on tenacity, it screams vanity.
"Because I know from just what I'm hearing that there's incredible pent-up desire, and I think that people want to feel like, 'OK, it's a catharsis, we're here, we did it, and then everybody get behind Sen. Obama.' That is what most people believe is the best way to go," she said.
The former first lady did not rule out having her name placed into nomination at the convention, which will be held Aug. 25-28 in Denver. But her advisors said that was unlikely.
Clinton, who suspended her White House bid on June 7 and endorsed Obama, is expected to deliver a prime-time address to delegates on the second night of the convention.
There is not a damn thing that resembles an act of unity if Clinton allows her name to fall into nomination. It is divisive, arrogant and belligerent - that is how I have seen her entire campaign.
Remember, Obama's delegates don't matter.
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BuzzIt bethink 'we know what we are, but know not what we may be.' ~
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