Toon & text by John Auchter
Sorry. I tried to come up with a positive, hopeful holiday message. But as was often the case in 2017, cold, harsh reality won out. It’s a shame, because truly, this is the one time of year where a cynical editorial cartoonist gets a pass at being openly optimistic. Not so much after this week, this month, this year…
But you know, now that I think about it, maybe I am being hopeful. The messaging in Christmas stories would seem to be pretty straightforward: good prevails over evil, kindness over meanness, love over hate. Thus, the Grinch heart grows two sizes that day. Scrooge keeps Christmas in his heart all year long. The Peanuts gang rallies around good ol’ Charlie Brown and his poor little tree. I mean, I’m not making this up, right? These are arguably the intended lessons to be learned.
And yet, in this new bizarro world, the lessons are clearly not learned. All that time and energy spent trying to teach people to be good, kind, decent — well, that’s out the window. It doesn’t seem to matter. It’s all about self-interest and winning and doubling-down regardless.
So maybe, maybe drawing the opposite of what we should be striving for will help to get us back on track. Or maybe it’s the end of the year, and I’m just very, very tired.
John Auchter draws cartoons. Lots and lots of them, each one better than the last. You can find them at auchtoon.com. You can also find his stuff on Michigan Public Radio’s website under Opinion.
Excellent! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Sadly, John, you pretty much nailed it and you’ve given me my war cry for 2018 (my personal mission is to turn Congress blue, starting with Fred Upton). I’m gonna DOUBLE DOWN.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, and looking forward to new ‘toons throughout the New Year.
They can’t grow their hearts two times the size if they don’t have one. I am with you tired of all of it especially the thing they call a president. It’s a shame what this country has become. It will take decades to undo what these idiots have done in one short year. Can’t wait for forced resignation or 2020.
I am hearing that Pence has changed his religion. He now worships Trump. It’s just more convenient for him to do that, as the die hard Christian act only gets you so far.
Fred, you come off as a very bitter person, and I feel sorry for you. You cannot have a dialogue without insulting and berating someone. To pick on Pence’s religion is hitting very low. It’s none of your business if he has Christian principles. If that’s the only argument you can have about an issue, then you don’t have one. Grow up!
You are lecturing me about growing up when you know who is in the White House? Seriously?
Wow! Liberal heads are still exploding! I, and the vast majority of the country, are, and will be celebrating for many years to come. But still, Merry Christmas all.
Then why are you so defensive?
Defensive? Not me! As I said, I’m loving this! Don’t know how you could even come up with that. Ho, ho, ho!
Are you trying to convince me of that? Or, are you trying to convince yourself?
Sorry, I thought I was commenting with a real, intelligent person.
Are you feeling stumped now?
Sorry, I thought I was commenting with a live, real, intelligent person. Remember, most of the country wonders about liberal thought process. Anyone that knows me know what I’m about.
We know you lost the moral high ground when you voted Trump.
Why don’t you tell us what you are all about, besides the obvious support for rwcism and taking pleasure in keeping America divided.
Fred, go back in the comments and read again what ann b wrote to you. She is so right. Please try to have a Merry Christmas.
What’s wrong? Don’t want to tell us what you are all about, so you back pedal and try to be friendly?
Good by, Fred, you obviously are not worth my time. I really do hope you and any family you have left will have a Merry Christmas.
Aren’t you the same Ernie who never misses an opportunity to go on gleefully about liberal heads exploding? Does this mean you are going to go away?
Am I supposed to hold myself to a higher standard than what you expect of the person you helped put into the most powerful position in the world? Can you explain that logic?
Stop comparing everything to Trump. The biggest reason Trump was elected is Obama. When you realize that Obama constantly apologized for America with all other countries. He promoted and increased all kinds of immigration which have turned out to be not for America’s benefit. He drew red lines in the sand and did nothing about it. He weakened our military and tried to micro-manage it – – against America’s best interests. No one is saying Trump is a perfect person, but we lived through 8 years of wishy-washy and now the pendulum has swung to the opposite end. So you have the media and supporters of Obama (who did not press him for answers on any issue) to blame for the mood of the people who had had enough. Like it or not – Trump was saying what the people were thinking.
You felt that you lived through eight years of “wishy washy”, so you decided that voting for a billionaire school yard bully who hasn’t the faintest idea of what it means to be working class and who promotes the worst values America has to offer was the responsible thing to do?
And you want to lecture me about manners? Didn’t you seriously lower your standards in that department when you voted Trump?
The racism and division that you are the one that supports racism and division.
It was the republican party under Lincoln that fought a war to end slavery in America.
The democratic party is the party that promotes racism.
You may spout off with a lot of words about how non-racist you are, but it is you and other liberals that keep on pushing the race factor.
But you support racism and division, Jim III. Are you Democratic?
Oh, you guys! Please put some Christmas music on, and take a break for a couple days. That said, these Republicans have gotten away with a whole lot of good-old-fashion half-truths and bait-and-switch lies and old-timey political horsefrockey.
1. They killed Universal Health Care with their tax law, and nobody seems to care. It is just a side-issue. Lord, save us!
2. Does anybody other than I in the USA do his or her own income taxes? I guess not, because, if you did, you would have been able to understand for yourselves. The media commentators were far from the mark in their comments, because they did not even know what they were talking about.
I can give lots of specifics and examples, but this post already is too long.
I listen to all these socialists and liberals go on and on on how bad President Trump is.
I have a suggestion, why stay in America, please move to Venezuela.
They have have had a socialist/liberal government for a few years now.
You can go and enjoy a good life down in that country. They might welcome you with open arms.
If you do not like America please go there and leave alone in the Republic of America.
Yes, America was founded on republican ideas. NOT democratic ideas. If you disagree go reread the Constitution again. It states republic not a democracy.
I had a very Merry Christmas.
John Auchter’s crybaby posting had zero impact on my Christmas celebration just like he has zero impact in everyday life.
This next 7 years is going to be so hard on you John with your heart so full of hatred. If I could offer some advice….
Hillary lost – Get over it.
My New Years resolution is that I will resolve to not comment or respond to the trolls that befoul Andy’s Columns with their hateful rhetoric. These people are an anchor to the good things in life and they bring nothing positive to our lives. So, I will no longer feed the trolls like Working Dad, Jim III and all the other haters. Good luck to you all in the coming year. You are going to need it.
If my 2018 401k performs like my 2017 401k, I will be beyond happy. This Trump economy is making millions upon millions upon millions of American taxpayers happy!
But, but … the trolls need us, Tommy. They have needs. BTW, I love this story. And these are the people that call us “snowflakes.” Gosh, we must protect them from having their sensibilities damaged. Poor babies. https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2017/12/28/colts-fans-offended-anthem-kneeling-could-receive-reindiana-lawmaker-pushes-legislation-refund-sport/986895001/
Your link doesn’t work snowflake.
Lol
I’ll show you a snowflake Andy Heller. Here is a video of a Democrat a$$hole at Disney world, screaming his lungs out at the Donald Trump robot during the Presidents show. This putrid, hate filled, vile, wretched, uncivilized Democrat starts screaming at about 1:51. He is ruining the show for children and families because he is a butthurt Democrat that won’t get over the fact Hillary lost. (kinda like yourself and John Auchter) This loser is a typical, average Democrat.
https://youtu.be/THiatzpyLKU
That must had really hurt your feelings, huh?
Gosh! Those poor trolls do need us don’t they? Maybe I’ll reconsider.