Last spring, as the local Tea Party gatherings were shouting hosannahs to the Constitution, they also advocated not answering the decennial census. I pointed out that the census is required by the Constitution, and got disinvited.
Unbridled and unquestioning support of what the “founders” did, instead of the laws they wrote, can lead one astray, as this cartoon shows:
Tea Party philosophy: 'If the founders did it, it's good.'
3 Comments | 
America's founding, Cartoons, Health care, History, Humor, Political cartoons, Politics, U.S. Constitution | Tagged: History, Humor, Medical Care, Politics, Tea Party, U.S. Constitution | 
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Posted by Ed Darrell
Pat Oliphant on health care legislation as Obama's Waterloo, March 23, 2010 - Washington Post
How’s that “make health care Obama’s Waterloo” working out for you, Sen. Demint?
Didn’t expect Obama to be Wellington at Waterloo, eh?
See Steve Benson’s take, below the fold.
33 Comments | Cartoons, Health care, History, Political cartoons, Politics, Santayana's ghost | Tagged: Cartoons, Health Care Reform, History, Pat Oliphant, Political cartoons, Politics, Santayana's ghost, Steve Benson, Waterloo | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
When he interned for our office, he was such a clean-cut, return-missionary sort of guy. Steve Benson’s cartoons continually push the envelope for what is acceptable in an editorial cartoon, not exactly what I had come to expect from his early work with conservatives. A welcome surprise.
This one was probably quite controversial in Phoenix, don’t you think?
Steve Benson in the Arizona Republic, on the Affordable Care Act and President Obama, April 2, 2010
22 Comments | Barack Obama, Cartoons, Health care, Political cartoons, Politics | Tagged: Arizona Republic, Cartoons, Health Care Reform, Obama, Political cartoons, Politics, Steve Benson | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Pulitzer Prize-winner Tom Toles in the Washington Post, March 19, 2010
It’s pretty embarrassing when the State Board of Education’s actions leave Texas open to jokes about whether Texans remember the Alamo. Remembering the Alamo is as much a Texas monument or icon as anything else — maybe moreso.
Tom Toles demonstrates why Texas should be embarrassed by the Texas State Board of Education’s work on social studies standards.
1 Comment | Cartoons, Education, Education assessment, History, Political cartoons, Politics, State school boards, TAKS, TEKS, Texas | Tagged: Cartoons, Education, History, Political cartoons, Politics, Social Studies, state board of education, Texas, Tom Toles | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Clay Bennett in the Chattanooga Times Free Press:
Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times-Free Press, March 16, 2010
Bennett remains one of my favorite cartoonists today. His work is incisive, intelligent, and persuasive to the side of reason and light almost all of the time. Why hasn’t he won a Pulitzer yet?
Bennett is generally a powerful supporter of U.S. education; see the two other recent cartoons, below the fold.
3 Comments | Cartoons, Economics, Education, Education reform, History, Political cartoons, Social Studies, State school boards, Texas | Tagged: Chattanooga Times-Free Press, Clay Bennett, Economics, Education, History, Social Studies, state board of education, Texas | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Cartoon by Mario Piperni on the Texas State Board of Education, on any number of subjects
Have never seen this guy’s work before. Does he publish in a newspaper that is lucky to have him?
1 Comment | Cartoons, History, Political cartoons, Social Studies, State school boards, Texas, Texas history | Tagged: Cartoons, History, Political cartoons, Social Studies, Texas, Texas State Board of Education | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Nick Anderson of the Houston Chronicle on Texas SBOE social studies standards, in 2009
2 Comments | Accuracy, Cartoons, Economics, Education, Education quality, History, Political cartoons, Politics, Separation of church and state, Social Studies, State school boards, TEKS, Texas | Tagged: Accuracy, Cartoons, Education, education standards, History, Houston Chronicle, Nick Anderson, Political cartoons, Politics, Social Studies, state board of education, Texas | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Ben Sargent, Austin American-Statesman (GoComics) March 17, 2010
(I first saw a Ben Sargent cartoon published in the Daily Utah Chronicle in about 1974. 35 years of great stuff from that guy. He officially retired from the Austin American-Statesman in 2009, running one cartoon a week now.)
Tip of the old scrub brush, again, to Steven Schafersman and What Would Jack Do.
Also note this January cartoon from Sargent:
Texas State Board of Education social studies curricula - Ben Sargent, Austin American-Statesman, January 24, 2010
Leave a Comment » | Education, Education quality, History, History Revisionism, Political cartoons, Politics, Separation of church and state, Social Studies, State school boards, Texas | Tagged: Ben Sargent, Education, education standards, Political cartoons, Social Studies, state board of education, Texas | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
2nd place cartoon in the 2009 Ranan Lurie/UN Awards -- by Silvan Wegmann, Sonntag (Switzerland)
What if Obama can’t live up to the hopes Europe has for him? This cartoon won 2nd place, $5000, for Swiss cartoonist Silvan Wegmann in the Ranan Lurie/UN Cartoon competition.
2 Comments | Barack Obama, Cartoons, Europe, foreign affairs, Political cartoons, Politics, President Obama, Presidents | Tagged: 2009, Barack Obama, Cartoons, Europe, Lurie/UN Awards, Political cartoons, Politics, Silvan Wegmann | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
The first Republican Party nominee to the presidency, Gen. John C. Fremont, has stumbled and is spread out on the floor. Former Whig, now American Native Party (Know-Nothings) candidate Millard Fillmore carries a lantern, but is blindfolded. James Buchanan takes the pot of soup, victory in the 1856 presidential race.
From the Library of Congress American Memory Collection, published by Currier and Ives in 1856:
"Buck Takes the Pot, 1856 cartoon published by Currier and Ives - Library of Congress
Captions in the balloons, as read by the Library of Congress:
SUMMARY: A pro-Buchanan satire, critical of the divisive or sectionalist appeal of the other two presidential contenders in the 1856 race. “Buck” or Buchanan (left) has evidently won a card game over Fremont (fallen at right) and Millard Fillmore (at right, blindfolded).
Holding four aces and a large cauldron of “Union Soup” Buchanan vows, “I have fairly beaten them at their own game, and now that I have became possessed of this great “Reservoir” I will see that each and Every State of this great and glorious Union receives its proper Share of this sacred food.”
Fremont has tripped over a “Rock of Disunion” and fallen to the ground, still holding his large spoon “Abolition.” He laments, “Oh, that I had been born a dog!–This is too much for mortal man to bear. Had I not stumbled over that “Blasted” rock I might have reached the fount of my ambition and with this good ladle ‘Deal’ to the North, and leave the South to ‘Shuffle & Cut’ off their mortal coil, by starvation, I shall have to ‘Pass’!”
Behind Fremont, Fillmore wanders blindfolded, holding a Know Nothing lantern (reflecting his party’s nativist affiliation) and a spoon. He despairs, “I regret to say that ‘Going It Blind’ is a loosing Game, I did hope that I would be able to dip my spoon in the Pot without much difficulty.–My Hand is played out–‘Buck’ wins, and I am satisfied–Four aces can’t be beat! and Buck holds them.”
One severe handicap of these 19th century cartoons: They are much too wordy!
Leave a Comment » | Campaigns, Cartoons, Millard Fillmore, Political cartoons, Politics | Tagged: 1856 Elections, Campaigns, James Buchanan, John C. Fremont, Millard Fillmore, Political cartoons, Politics | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Four years out of the presidency, some voters thought Millard Fillmore might be a good candidate again. His old Whig Party was dead, but he won the nomination of the Know-Nothings, or the Native American Party (“Native American” not meaning “American Indian” at the time).
In this race, he was portrayed in a number of editorial cartoons.
The Great Presidential Race of 1856, political cartoon featuring Millard Fillmore, and some of the ugly biases of the day. Library of Congress, Alfred Whital Stern Lincolnia Collection - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,attributed to J. L. Magee
* Update: Links to the cartoon are working badly, or not at all; check image at this thumbnail:
Millard Fillmore in the 1856 presidential race (warning - some images may be offensive for racial portrayals)
Remember, this was two years before Sen. Stephen Douglas and former Rep. Abraham Lincoln squared off for the Illinois U.S. Senate seat in a series of debates. This was four years prior to Lincoln’s election as president, and five years to the Civil War.
2 Comments | Campaigns, Cartoons, Millard Fillmore, Political cartoons, Politics, Presidents | Tagged: 1856 Election, Millard Fillmore, Political cartoons | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
My apologies for not being more timely.
The United Nations Correspondents Association and the UN Society of Writers and Artists announced the winners of the 2009 Ranan Lurie/UN Cartoon Awards earlier this month. First place, and $10,000, went to Robert Ariail, cartooning in The State.
Ariail’s winner is a clever depiction of a commuter making the most of advertising for $4.00/gallon gasoline, becoming a bicycle commuter in the process.
Robert Ariail's First Place cartoon, 2009 Ranan Lurie UN Cartoon Award competition ($10,000)
Ariail's self-portrait -- he is without portfolio at the moment
Sad news, too typical for cartoonists these days — Ariail was laid off from The State before the award announcements. You can see Ariail’s work at his website. (This may be a better copy of his award-winning cartoon.)
Hey! Mr. Murdoch! Want to do some public service and promote your news organizations? Hire Ariail, and some of the other laid-off cartoonists whose visual opinions we sorely need in these complex and too-somber times. (Anyone else who owns a newspaper, or edits one, should consider doing a favor for cartooning and the public, too.)
Go check out the other cartoons, all the way through honorable mention. There are some spectactular, funny, and stinging works there. I’ll post a few of them as we near 2010, but you can look now.
Top three:
Citations for excellence:
Share these cartoons — keep cartoonists employed:
2 Comments | Cartoons, Economics, Energy, Environmental protection, Political cartoons, Politics, United Nations | Tagged: Cartoons, Political cartoons, Politics, Ranan Lurie, Robert Ariail, UN Correspondents Association, United Nations | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Sometimes the only bastion of sanity on the editorial pages is the editorial cartoon. David Horsey at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has good one’s all the time, and especially over the past few weeks of the Congressional recess.
But, did the P-I actually print* this one?
Cartoon by David Horsey, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, copyright 2009; August 22, 2009
Cartoon by David Horsey, August 22, 2009, Seattle Post-Intelligencer (on-line); Copyright to Seattle P-I and David Horsey.
* Well, of course they didn’t actually print it . . . publish? post? release?
Special tip of the old scrub brush to Blue Ollie, who reposted this cartoon and thereby preserved the image.
1 Comment | Cartoons, Journalism, Newspapers, Political cartoons, Politics, Second Amendment, U.S. Constitution | Tagged: David Horsey, Guns, Political cartoons, Politics, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Second Amendment, Town Meetings | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
First, go here, and look at this painting by Cindy Procious. Never heard of her? She has some nice work, though, don’t you think?
Now, go here, and look at the cartoons, and here. (Recognize the guy?)
You now have most of the whole, artistically wonderful story.
5 Comments | A Good Story, Art, Cartoons, Journalism, Newspapers, Political cartoons | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
Cartoon from Lisa Benson at the Washington Post Writers Group, via the Orange County Register:
From the Washington Post Writers Group via Orange County Register
Wouldn’t that same caption work for Rush Limbaugh? How about for Newt Gingrich? Mitch McConnell?
I also note that, for a display in the U.S., the U.S. flag is on the wrong side.
Leave a Comment » | Barack Obama, Cartoons, Flag etiquette, Political cartoons, Politics | Tagged: Barack Obama, Cartoon, Lisa Benson, Osama bin Laden, Political Cartoon, U.S. Flag | Permalink
Posted by Ed Darrell
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Ed Darrell on Texas's Colorado River
Come on in, the water's fine. Come often: Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 