(Editor’s Note: This cartoon and text by John Auchter got lost in my inbox and didn’t run a few weeks ago when it was intended to. It’s still pertinent, however, especially if you live in Flint, which still lives under a water emergency three shamelessly long years after it started. Ain’t government grand? — Andy)
Toon and text by John Auchter
Ideas for cartoons can come from the oddest places. This past Sunday, I was working on setting up our hammock in the backyard for the summer season and went down to the basement to collect the pieces. Of course instead of doing the sensible thing and taking multiple trips, I gathered as much as I could hold and made my way up the steps. As I emerged by banging through the basement door — burdened by metal weight and clanging chains — my startled wife turned to look at me. All I could say was, “I feel like Jacob Marley.”
(I know. A semi-obscure literary reference to A Christmas Carol on Father’s Day weekend — is there no end to the uproarious mirth at the Auchter household?)
But that triggered the idea. As I trudged out to the yard, I was literally thinking, “If Ebenezer Scrooge is the poster boy for a life (almost) lost to miserly greed, Mitch McConnell is surely the poster boy for a life lost to partisan politics. What could save him?” I didn’t think a Christmas-themed cartoon in June would work, so I substituted the citizens of Flint for the “Ghost of Christmas” role — past, present, and (unfortunately) future.
By the time you read this, McConnell is scheduled to have rolled out his Senate health care plan (Trumpcare 2.0, the Son of ACHA, the “Tax Cut for My Wealthiest Friends” Plan — whatever they are calling it). And the focus will of course turn to its contents.
But let’s not forget about how it was created: streamlined with limited input and almost no visibility. Clearly when this method was used for managing the water supply (and the lead poisoning/Legionnaire disease crisis that followed) it ended in disaster for the citizens of Flint. What are the chances of McConnell coming to his senses and repenting?
God bless us, every one.
John Auchter draws cartoons. Lots and lots of them. You can find them at his incredibly popular website auchtoon.com. You can also find his stuff on Michigan Public Radio’s website under Opinion.
The chances of McConnell changing are the same as Ted Cruz had of winning the presidency.
A life wasted is an apt description of him.
Now, we are a few more weeks into this thing. And, it looks as if the Repeal and Replace thing probably will not pass. Wow! Great! Obama Care will remain the law of the land. And, maybe this will show Americans that the big Republican leaders are no more than silly blowhards.
Please cherish your health care, Americans. We need it. We cannot afford to pay on our own. We need to pay together.
Andrew, my friend, what is this baloney about losing this in your inbox? Oy. It sounds like something Trump’s famously inept Press Secretary would say.
Another libtard flailing….
Anybody remember these tidbits?
“If you like your plan, you can keep it…. If you like your doctor, you can keep them…. You rates will go down by $XXXX….”
Repeal Obamacare and don’t replace it. Let’s get back to a free market system for health care. Allow plans to be purchased across all state lines.
Measure the success of the new health care direction in Democrat tears. The more they cry, the better.
It’s obviously time for more than sitting back and complaining. For the few people who bother to write letters and make phone calls to Washington, it is not working. it’s not enough.
Somehow, the message must come from powerful numbers of people.
Ditch the political party crap. We are all in this together, we are all being affected by the embarrassing words and actions out of Washington and we need to do something soon to clean this up and have the government work FOR US like it’s supposed to. How much longer do we wait? Till the pictures on TV of bombed-out cities, caravans of refugees, crying hungry children and dead bodies in the street are from cities right here in America? Do you really think it can’t happen here?
What Andrew, Judith Brooks, Tom along with John Auchter seem to have forgotten is Nancy Pelosi’s famous statement about the 2300 + page ACA
“We have to pass this bill in order to find out what is in it”. The democrats passed the aca without knowing what is in it.
The republican “version” is only about 160+ pages long.
If the aca is so good why did the democrats exempt themselves from it?
Is the republican bill 100% good? I do not think so.
I am a veteran. I have quite a few friends that depend on the VA for health care. After seeing what they have to go through and reading some of the horror stories that have been ongoing in other VA hospitals, i really do not want the federal government in the health care business for the general population.
Linda Ann is mostly correct we soon may very well have a severe problem in the United States like she has described. Only I think it will be a lot worse than what she suggests.
Rome and many other governments from the past have risen and fallen over the centuries. they also made the mistake of thinking that they could not fall into the dust bin of history.
Democrat Bernie Sanders is making statements claiming the GOP health care bill is worse than the terrorism and subsequent deaths resulting from the 9-11 attacks. This is the putrid reality of the hate mongering, lying, violent Democrats.
Be ready for Democrats to riot, loot and commit arson. That is their forte. Be ready to defend yourself and your family from the murderous attacks of the Democrat hordes. Carry a firearm daily.
Please let me comment on the current topic, Trump and Russia: There MUST be something of substance here.
Four Trump people have lied about their contacts with Russia. First, General Flynn (National Security Adviser for about two weeks) falsely said he had not spoken with any Russians. Then, Attorney General Jeff Sessions falsely claimed in the US Senate that he never spoke to any Russians. Then, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner omitted his Russian contacts in his security papers. And, Donald Trump Jr. falsely claimed he never had met with any Russians. All deliberate, proven lies.
Why were they lying? There must be something they want to cover up. Stay tuned.
Today, The Wall Street Journal revealed that our intelligence agencies were aware of chatter from Russia in regards to helping trump win, before he even announced that he was running.
Now why would they even be discussing that if they didn’t know he was going to be running? The answer is simple and obvious, trump discussed it with Russia first, and they hatched a plan to ensure he won.
Russia and trump just pulled off the scam of the century, although it was mostly Russia. Sorry trump fans, I know you would like to give him full credit, but he’s just not that smart.
So what you stupid, lying liberals are trying to tell me is that somehow “The Russians” walked me into the voting booth and forced me to vote for Donald Trump, even though I have known Hillary Clinton is a criminal skank for decades, I still would have voted for her we’re it not for “The Russians”….. Yeah….. You’re a collection of geniuses for certain.
No, you are the exception. Your hatred for your fellow Americans, and the fact that you are an insecure and angry little man, is what led you to that poll booth to vote for the loudest angriest authoritarian bully this country has ever seen in the Oval Office. I imagine his lower intellical level and distain for women and minorities was an attractive feature, as it likely matches up nicely with your own personality and world view.
It’s amusing watching thin skinned right winger’s heads explode every time they read something they don’t like.
Fred, your delusional rants against working dad insinuating that he has hatred for his fellow Americans is pure bull droppings.
Our heads do not explode when he her and read things that we do not agree with.
It is usually you, Tom and other liberals who go off the deep end when people do not fall in line and believe what you write about.
If anyone dares to make remarks critical about your dear leaders you get upset. Go ahead and rant and rave against President Trump and his supposed collusion with the Russians.
We will just read them and carry on with life. As for Trump Jr.s meeting with the Russian
lawyer, some facts are starting to come out that the lawyer was first not allowed entry to the U.S. when the previous president was in power. Then all of a sudden Loretta Lynch gave her special permission to enter the United States. The democrats have been in bed more with the Russians than any republican has ever been.
I am certain that you will go into denial mode. No matter what is presented you will be the one who’s head will explode.
Amazingly my head is still perfectly intact. Don’t forget to take your medication, you are getting a bit unhinged again.
Mitch McConnell reads comment thread. Rubs hands gleefully as a Grinch-like smile breaks across his face, “Excellent! The citizens are again fully distracted!” Slithers off to create more legislation in secret.
I think he would do it in secret anyway, but don’t worry. The many trump controversies are hardly surprising enough to have anymore distracting effects. It has become pure entertainment, good for laughs.
We look to what McConnell and the rest of the republicans are trying to do with a seriousness. I for one am well aware that McConnell wants a vote on trumpcare next week, but some GOP Senators seem convinced the bill is going to die.
Let’s keep the pressure on.
I must come back and add that even though it is amusing, it is also very important to try to pay attention to the trump controversies with a seriousness, as they are not just distractions. If Russia continues meddling in our elections unchecked, or trump continues meddling with our voter data unchecked, think of how nicely that could work out in McConnell’s favor.
Democrat representative Scott Hamann has now made threats against President Trump’s life. This shows the violence of the Democrat party. There is no possibility of working constructively with these hate filled, violent Democrats.
Ignore all reaction or complaining from Democrats. Push forward on Republican backed legislation. To Hell with the violent Democrats.
Strengthening voter ID requirements will prevent the Russians from being able to influence our elections.
Get it done – The Democrats approve!
Now, it turns out there was a “retired Soviet KGB agent” at that meeting. Can anyone ever “retire” from the Russian spy agency? Can a hyena ever “retire” from hyena-ness?
Would you ever go to a meeting with a hyena? Even if the hyena claimed he had changed into a lovely, graceful antelope, or some such adorable animal?
These people who were at this meeting are not just people who happen to be Russian. They are high-level Putin-connected, formerly-Soviet Russian operatives. Why have Trump and his pals and family members been lying and covering up their meetings with Russians? More shoes are about to drop. What is the Russian word for shoes? Mukluks, maybe. More mukluks are about to drop.
God forbid more shoes drop, fox news is running out of ways to keep the conversation on Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sander’s wife.
Today, my beloved bride asked me, “Is Trump actually in trouble over this Russia scandal?” I tried to summarize the thing for her. After listening to me, she said, “This is as complicated as General Hospital.”
Do you know that General Hospital is a famous long-running soap opera? General Hospital has cops and foreigners and mobsters and fools and good-looking women and a few good guys, and it is extremely convoluted, and the story never ever gets resolved.
Our American government story has turned into a preposterous soap opera. Let us please find some sort of resolution or explanation, though, fairly soon. General Hospital has been running on TV for forty years. Please, let us solve Trump and his plot and his cast of characters now, and end his soap opera forever.