After Mitt Romney suggested that Barack Obama should take his campaign of "division, anger, and hate back to Chicago," the president wanted to clear the record about the tiny little misunderstandings caused by his campaign's claims that Romney and Ryan are serial killing slaveholders.
And so the president took time out from his busy fundraising and reputation-smearing schedule to answer tough, hard-hitting questions from a grizzled oldschool journalist from Entertainment Tonight.
Okay, the grizzled oldschool journalist was actually a ditzy blond piece of vapid eyecandy who cares more about Snooki's baby bump than politics, and her hard-hitting, deeply-layered question was an eyelash-fluttering, "So...how do you respond to that?"
And the answer is: by lying through his teeth.
Because in his best "aw shucks" manner, and with Michelle sitting at his side (apparently wearing a tablecloth from an Italian restaurant), Obama said "I don't think you or anybody who's been watching the campaign would say that in any way we have tried to divide the country. We've always tried to bring the country together."
Except when he's threatening to throw bankers to the people with pitchforks, clearing the legal path for Occupy Wall Street protesters to rail against capitalism, instructing the Justice Department not to prosecute New Black Panthers who threaten white voters, declaring that Republicans are waging a "war on women," calling people of faith "bitter clingers," having his Department of Homeland Security label veterans as potential terrorists, calling fiscal conservatives "hostage takers," creating "blacks only" programs to improve schooling, and on and on.
Seriously, Barack Obama is more enthusiastic about dividing people than Leatherface was in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. And he used power tools!
And so the 2012 election is coalescing into a clear battle between hate and ideas. Between America's future...and an America with no future whatsoever.
And importantly, a battle to elect a leader who is a better fit for the Whitehouse than he is for Entertainment Tonight.
--------
FRIDAY BONUS!
Here are the latest "Bark Obama" cartoons
that I've posted over on Facebook this week
Here are the latest "Bark Obama" cartoons
that I've posted over on Facebook this week
50 comments:
Now, Stilt, his claim was that he didn't believe that "you or anybody else would suggest" that he's been dividing the country, and he's right. No one is suggesting it. We're screaming it from the rooftops in very declarative statements all the while holding up exhibits A, B, C, all the way through Z and then Exhibits AA, BB, etc. to back up said statements.
That's not at all like the way he and his surrogates "suggested" that Romeny gave a woman cancer, wants to enslave blacks once again, how anyone who doesn't agree with him is a rabid racist, Republicans want dirty air and water...Oh, my fingers would ache from typing all the "suggestions" from the left at the behest of as well as on the behalf of Obama as to the just fate of evil white rich people who should be dragged to their knees in righteous inquisitions and confiscatory settlements. He's like Madame DeFarge and Robespierre rolled into one, a dictateur sanguinaire awash with the blood of the nation and cackling with glee as each drop of his guillotine lops off another sacred constitutional right.
Note to Obama: I am not suggesting anything, I'm coming right out and stating it. Other than that, I have no strong feelings on the matter.
BTW, great cartoons as always, brilliant!
I don't think it matters anymore if Turdboy believes the crap that spews from his pie hole or if he's just tossing crumbs to the media that they can cling to and parrot like good little minions. What matters is where we are (deep sh!t), where we know we ought to be (other than deep sh!t) and how do we get there from here...if possible.
Americans know this isn't right, but they aren't certain about where this or that decision will lead them. Over the next few weeks the reality of the either/or will solidify in their minds and they will make a choice. I'm stubborn and I still believe Obama is counting on that fear-induced paralysis to keep him in office. I still contend that he misjudged the level of anger out there but I think there's something more. The sheer weight of the burdens upon us compel us to do...something. Like a pebble in our shoe the discomfort nags at us and we can't ignore it. We must act. And the common reaction to that pebble is not to put a pebble in the other shoe to even it out. Remove the pebble. November 6, 2012: Pebble removal day.
That Mutt Romney looks like quite the dapper dog. He can sniff my butt anytime. Too bad my owner had me fixed.
@Angry Hoosier Dad - I agree that whole campaign is based on the theory that ~50% of the people are on some type of gov't assistance and/or not paying any tax, therefore they will vote for him to maintain their handouts or to keep from paying any income tax at all. Thus the fear mongering and racist demagoguery. It is straight out of the Alinsky playbook.
As noted in Amateur, Obama is basically a drone controlled by Jarrett, Axlerod, and Mooch, a 'Manchurian Candidate' of a different stripe. That book should open some eyes, and Obama's America, 2016 should also help open the eyes of those who really want to see, unfortunately there are still too many 'Mama's For Obama' (a 2008 Campaign sticker I saw when I was in North Carolina) that will follow the KoolAid Trail.
Gen X seems to be swinging away from Obama, but the Romney/Ryan team needs to get their local volunteers to educate and involve the seniors - going to church groups, retirement communities, and assisted living centers. We also need to support the downstream candidates in order to overturn this mess the Democratic Party has become. My wife and one of my friends were true yellow dog Democrats, but both are voting for Tea Party backed candidates (my wife swearing that her mother is rolling in her grave), but they have said that THIS Democrat Party is not the party that they were raised up to support.
Guy I know is all into posting / linking things like that (cease / desist order) on FB, trying to make the case that Mitt is unworthy / bad candidate. Finally had to corral him, and point out that the ABO would have me voting for Jim Bakker if he were the only one running, and that was a truly despicable man. Almost as bad as the Current Occupant.
Sea Dog, you missed Sauron / er Soros...
The phrase he uses that REALLY hacks me off is "the failed policies of the past that got us into this mess" - Surely he's not talking Reagan or W's tax cut driven booms, or Clinton's balanced budget (foisted on him by Newt st al, but hey, he DID sign it) happiness? No, apparently he's talking about Nancy's crazy spending...????
Why the HELL does NO ONE call him on this? Yeesh.
It's an unfortunate fact that a substantial number of the votes he will need to win come from people who's window on the world comes exclusively from Entertainment Tonight or similar forms of vapid and shallow programming. (The MSM alphabets are just too high-falootin and boring for these folk) These people actually are more concerned about Snooki, the "Housewives" and other worthless issues than they are about the actual state of the nation. It's just another sign that when America ultimately fails, it will be almost entirely of our own doing.
@Pete (Detroit) - No, I didn't miss Soros, but he puts all his money into the campaign chests, the PACs, the media - he exerts control through those and therefore on Jarret and Axlerod, et al. I think they are smart enough to keep Soros from being directly linked to Obama, considering that he was found guilty of money manipulation charges. 'Course, that didn't seem to hurt Corizone, but then that was the Injustice Dept. weighing in.
The phrase that really ranks me (and there are many) is the 'Saving of the Auto Industry' - GM is heading towards a second bankruptcy, and deservedly so, with a huge (and growing) loss to the taxpayer. Chrysler was bought out by a foreign company, Fiat, after Daimler Benz found it couldn't get the assembly quality needed for their VW vans out of Detroit. What O saved was the Unions and their beloved contracts at the expense of the dealer networks and the stock holders - an act that is criminal under US law - but when was that ever considered? And let us not forget 'Cash For Clunkers', a program so successful, it cratered the used car market, causing used car dealers to fold (some would say - no loss there), and purchasing an affordable used car was almost impossible, and the program did nothing to improve emissions/air quality as many of the vehicles I saw being 'junked' were perfectly good vehicles, while the mosquito patrol smokers continued down the road.
@John the Econ - Yes many, many will be absorbed in their I-phones and I-pads and will let the world pass them by - many will not watch the debates, preferring to tune into their favorite 'reality' show (but, given the MSM set-up of the moderators - meh). The only good side of this is that these same people are in the Adult or Registered voter category of the polls, and will probably never make it to actually vote. I guess it has never occurred to them that the real 'reality' show is right in front of them, and that the future of this country, the country that gave them the I-phones, I-pads, and the reality entertainment, hangs on this election.
Fortunately for America, the average Entertainment Tonight viewer isn't all that likely to actually get their ass off the couch and vote.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2012/aug/15/non-voters-prefer-obama-poll-finds/
Taking the time and trouble to actually register and then find their own polling place takes too much time away from their adoration of Snooki, Bradjolina and Paris Hilton.
So there is reason to be optimistic. This is why I discourage people who don't care from voting.
@John the Econ - great link, just reinforces my opinion that poll results using 'adults' and 'registered voters' are corrupted and should not be taken seriously (except by those in the MSM, who continuously pontificate on the inevitability of OBama's victory).
A little off topic, but how come the LGBT volunteer who shot a security guard at the Family Research Council in WDC (where, notably, it remains pretty damned difficult for law-abiding citizens to legally get guns - Huh! How did gun control fail us in this case?! Boggles the liberal mind, it do...) isn't getting the same treatment in the press that, for instance, George Zimmerman got for, in self defense, shooting a doped-up kid in a hoodie who was bent on bashing his brains out? Oh, wait. Never mind. It doesn't fit their talking points to have an armed assailant using a gun to make his or her liberal political or ideological point. He must have been from the left wing of the Tea Party! That, and the security guard was sober, not wearing a hoodie, and not threatening anyone else at the time. Oh, and I also forget that a LGBT volunteer is similar to to a New Black Panther, and is protected under Holder's DOJ. A department tasked by Øbama to ensure there is no division over race, religion, ideology, or sexuality in the country by whatever means are necessary. And wouldn't you expect that task to be to garner harmonious tolerance among all? No, no, no, silly! That method wouldn't justify the purchase of millions of rounds of hollow-point, tons of riot gear, and all those other thing used to accessorize the stylish jack boots they intend to be wearing in a second, more permanent instantiation of the Great Øbamanation...
(And it's funny how, in the coverage, the media insists on pointing out that the CEO of Chik-Fil-A made comments against same sex marriage when, in fact, he did no such thing. He merely stated his support of traditional marriage. But, hey - I'm not imbued with the great psychic powers enjoyed by liberals and journalists - you know: the power to discern what you're really thinking, rather than what you allow into the public record...)
Ugh. That's about all I can manage. Ugh. Can't wait to vote.
@John the Econ: Your point brings me back to one of my ideologically guiding movies: Idiocracy. You're describing the ancestry of a future population who can blithely sit and watch "Ow, My Balls!" while not noticing the wall behind them being breached by a collapsing garbage heap...
@John the Econ again: That is one of the reasons why the libs want to ensure no ID is required to vote. These people are too lazy to avail themselves of even free ID, and probably wouldn't bother to vote if they could do it at their corner 7-Eleven. Voting needs to be as mindless as possible - wander into any precinct (or two...) and cast your vote(s) for the democrat. Being mindless, too, helps all those good democrat dead voters get 'er done.
Remember the in-home, electronic voting discussions from a decade or so ago? That whole premise was tailored around getting more people to vote - ie, getting those rooted to their couches to cast their vote for the nearest democrat. As great as that would be for those of us who respect our right to vote, have functioning brains, and would welcome the added convenience in doing so, thank God that never found support or we'd already be going around by names like "Frito" and being greeted at the mega-store with "Welcome to Costco. I love you."...
(I think I'm done now...)
" Michelle sitting at his side (apparently wearing a tablecloth from an Italian restaurant),"
That wasn't a dress, that was her napkin. The First Wookie say, "Clean yo plates (or I'll do it for ya)!" Silly Chewie.
This new "Bark Obama" addition is just great! I've always loved sharing your work, and now I'm really fired up!
BarbaCat
@RandyS- Great and very enjoyable comment! Shouting from the rooftops is exactly what a lot of us are doing these days!
@Angry Hoosier Dad- Good analysis and one I agree with. I think Obama does want to scare voters into paralysis, but even the dimmest of them is starting to realize that Obama can't actually fix any of our problems, and those problems won't go away on their own. A lot of people will still vote for Obama because all they care about is getting their next financial fix from the government. But it's hard to picture Barry actually generating enthusiasm in any voter with an IQ higher than that of a cumquat.
@My Dog Brewski- I think "He Can Sniff My Butt Anytime" was once used as a bumpersticker by Barney Frank.
@SeaDog- I need to get my hands on a copy of Amateur because I've heard good (and frightening) things about it. Likewise America 2016. (Side note: Dinesh D'Souza, the author behind "America 2016" recently gave $1000 to Obama's brother George in Africa so that the impoverished man could afford medical treatment for his son. George Obama said he had "no one else to turn to.")
I think more young voters are getting the message that Obama is spending money like no president before, and is going to force them to pay the eventual bills. They also don't seem to care for an economy that doesn't produce jobs.
As you've pointed out, senior citizens need special hands-on attention to understand that Romney/Ryan are looking out for them and trying to protect their benefits, while Obama/Biden has actually charted out when those benefits will fail- completely and finally. Odds are good that this isn't the Democrat party older folks thought they knew.
@Pete(Detroit)- Clearly there have been failed policies in the past, but none of them failed as badly as the policies of the present. And I think Romney/Ryan are finally calling Obama on it.
@John the Econ- Sadly, Barry belongs on Entertainment Tonight because he is our first entirely vacuous celebrity president. Rush and others have called him "President Kardashian," and there's a painful degree of truth to it. Which would be bad enough, but Barry used his highly polished facade to sneak his anti-American beliefs into power.
The argument exists that your polling place should be across town from where you live - if you're not willing to make the effort, the heck w/ ya
@SeaDog- In a recent speech, Joe Biden declared that the bumpersticker which encapsulates Obama's success is "Bin Laden is Dead and GM is Alive."
Only I don't believe Barry Hussein deserves any credit for Osama's death: by entirely believable reports, he tried to stop the mission repeatedly. And as you say, Forbes magazine currently has a very interesting article about GM heading for bankruptcy again, and the $26 billion in losses the taxpayers are already on the hook for. And Barry now says he wants to do the same for every industry in America. And I don't doubt it for a second.
@SeaDog- I was politically ignorant (actually, let's use the more accurate word "stupid") in my youth, so I understand why these young muttonheads aren't paying attention and don't realize that their lives and futures are being determined by the boring speeches of grumpy old men. Still, I hope that the Romney/Ryan campaign gets smart about their youth outreach...and perhaps runs an ad or two telling twenty-somethings that if Obama is reelected, "four more years" is how long these unemployed young adults will have to continue living in their parents' basements.
@John the Econ- I agree that people who don't care about the vote should be actively encouraged to stay home on election day and watch their favorite TV show.
@SeaDog- I'm ignoring polls until further notice. They can only demoralize us or make us overly complacent - and neither is acceptable.
@Emmentaler- The LGBT shooter story certainly disappeared in a hurry, didn't it? This guy shows up and declares that he's there to make a political statement and whips his gun out. And when the wounded guard subdued him and took his gun, he begged not to be shot because "this wasn't personal." In fairness, I'm not going to blame a larger group for an unhinged individual. But the MSM is going way beyond not blaming a larger group: they're covering up the story because, in their heart of hearts, they suspect that the hate-filled rhetoric of the left just might be to blame.
@Emmentaler- We're too much in synch! Before reading your comment I posted a link to "Ow, My Balls" when I said that certain people should stay home and watch TV on election day!
@Red- Before seeing my commentary for today, Mrs. Jarlsberg had seen Michelle's dress and observed "she looks like a picnic table."
@Barbacat- When I did a trial "Bark Obama" strip on Facebook, I immediately heard from some lamebrains declaring that it was racist. Now that I've depicted three white men as dogs, hopefully even the Lefties will realize that I'm not racist in any way. I just don't like leg-humping presidents who lick themselves.
I agree with @Pete about voting. I strongly object to things like mail-in ballots because if you're not willing to make the minimal effort to go out to your polling place to do the most important thing you can do every four years, I DON'T WANT YOU TO VOTE AT ALL!!
I'm reminded of the old guy from Florida who was whining about the "butterfly" ballot in 2000--in front of the entire country--when he said something like "The Democrat has always been #1 and the Republican has always been #2 and I just voted for #1." I say, the single most important thing you do in four years is vote for President of the country and you can't be bothered to actually READ the ballot?? I'm GLAD you didn't get the president you wanted!!
@Stilton - Yes, Amateur is frightening. I've also got Obama's America on order - that should be equally enlightening.
Kinda OT, but since we're dealing with lies - US Ethanol is from a food crop (corn - be it food for humans or cattle or dogs - it's a food crop), all Brazilian Ethanol is from sugar crops (sugar beet, sugar cane), and therefore does not impact the cost of food. Yesterday there was a blurb about wanting to lift the addition of ethanol because of the drought. I say lift it because it is not efficient - when I lived in Pitt County,NC, the EPA mandated ethanol in the gasoline, going a few miles east into Beaufort County, you could get real gasoline (and it was advertised that way at the stations). If I ran on 10% Ethanol, I got an average of 22mpg. If I ran on pure gasoline, I got 33 mpg (and this was with a Saturn Hybrid), so the addition of ethanol reduced my mileage 14% and thus increased the number of gallons of gas necessary to travel the same mileage by 14%. Now, many years ago I was in CA when LA had the bad smog problem, and the air was actually brown. You could see the brown clouds rolling over the top of the mountains into the high desert. I do not advocate going back to those standards, but today's gas is also infused with either oxygen or nitrogen to naturally burn cleaner.
I say we do away with this EPA standards completely or at least suspend them until we convert to a sugar based ethanol.
From Drudge, they've found Ted Kennedy "Prehistoric human brain found pickled in bog..."
Sorry - couldn't resist.
@Sea Dog,
I still remember during the last presidential campaigns when this lady I knew excitedly asked, "Did you see American Idol last night?!" I just gave her a puzzled look and said, "No, I was a little busy watching the debate between two guys, one of which will be our next President." She looked at me like I was from Mars. "You actually watch that crap?" she says. "That's what I was going to ask." I say....
I paid $4.03 per gallon this morning to fill my old DIESEL Jetta. I think I paid around $3.60 last week. As much as I hate paying these prices, I sort of hope gas hits 5-6 bucks a gallon or more before November 6.
@Stilton, I can't wait to see your canine version of San Fran Nan. The Hairy one is a scream! I don't Facebook, so I very much appreciate you putting them in your blog.
@Colby/Stilton - I think a Shar Pei would be perfect - SanFranNan w/o botox.
@Stilton: I guess we're just two cheeses of a feather. Like Emmentaler is to Jarlsberg...
(And, who was the comedian back in the 80s who, when talking about his dog, coined the phrase "If I could lick myself, I'd never leave home"? Too bad Bark didn't subscribe to that philosophy. Had he, we wouldn't be having this conversation...)
@Seadog: I would like to simplify your call to do away with the EPA ethanol/gasoline standard as follows: "Why don't we just do away with the EPA." This extra-constitutional bureaucracy, something the father of US bureaucracy (Wilson) whould have been simply orgasmic over, was created by the last president who though fiat was the best road to exercising his "duties" and controlling all of our great unwashed non-intellectual lives: Jimmy Cahtah.
@Emmentaler Limburger - I tend to agree this EPA needs to go, however, without the original agency, an agency that followed it's constitutional charge, I think the situation that I described in CA would have continued. No one today believes me when I say the air was actually brown, like a brown sea fog. I think all federal agencies should go through a sunset review process that is more than a rubber stamp, and delete them when they no longer serve their purpose, otherwise, like any bureaucracy, they will find mischief to get into to justify their continued existence.
Sea Dog,
I was thinking she more closely resembles a cat or maybe a chihuahua. Either way, a fun toy for Mutt.
Emmantaler,
Get rid of the EPA? I suppose they no longer serve a purpose as there are no industries left to belch smoke into the air. This is all being done in China now.
@Sea Dog, Colby: I'm a firm believer that, in a free market, public pressure would have exacted the same change at much less cost. You'll note that the EPA hasn't had a similar effect over the Gummint's own Nellis Air Force base in Las Vegas - the air there is just as brown as the 70s Cah-lee-phone-ya air was. The difference is your rights vs. their (the Gummint's) privilege...
And, I'm sorry, but there is no "constitutional charge" for any such agencies as the EPA, Department of Energy, Department of Education, on ad infinitum. Each and every one is extra-constitutional; not one even mildly fits within the enumerated powers without some stretch or another. And their functions and "benefits"? Their functions should belong to each of the states - if the states chose to enact them.
The EPA was put in place by Richard Nixon, not Jimmuh. foolishly, he must have thought the EPA would limit itself to its charter.......when was the last time a government bureaucracy stuck to its defined limits?
NEVER!!!!!!
@SJ - 'Joe Bitem' - Awesome!
How about 'Hairily Clinton'?
@Emmentaler Limburger, the only mystery in the Family Research Council shooting is how a sensitive, caring liberal managed to shoot a gun accurately enough to hit anything. The media isn't interested in any of that.
And "Ow, My Balls!" is hardly worse programming that most of what one finds in prime-time these days.
And for the Progressives, voting doesn't only need to be mindless, but mandatory. I've always held the contrarian view that if you do not have the intellect and motivation to get off your ass, get yourself registered, and show up at your voting location on your own, then you clearly do not have what it takes to make intelligent decisions regarding the fate of your community, state, or nation. I always encourage people who are disinterested to not vote.
@JustaJeepGuy makes a great point; just think: If the average Democrat in Florida was smart enough just to punch the right hole, Al Gore might have been President.
These are the people who are sealing our fate.
Re the scam that is Ethanol:
E10 reduced fuel economy by as much as 3%. The EPA is now touting the deployment of E15.
Picture an America in some parallel universe: The oil industry announces that it is mixing 10% or more of Ethanol into the gasoline supply. Immediately, America's already most hated industry is attacked from all quarters for literally attempting to “water down” American's fuel to rip off consumers. Ralph Nader would be filing class action lawsuits on behalf of all consumers for the losses in lower mileage and damage to engines, and Al Gore would go on a rampage about the increased net carbon footprint and other environmental damage because of the resource intensive nature of producing Ethanol. There'd be food riots in the 3rd world, because of the diversion of food crops to produce Ethanol, and vast amounts of rain forest would be cut down for crop land needed to make up the difference.
Oh wait. The last part actually did happen in our universe too.
At least the America in that universe retains some degree of sanity. Ours clearly does not. Ethanol is a complete scam. The idea that “ethanol is low carbon” is a flat-out lie, especially considering that it takes a gallon of oil-based products (gasoline, diesel, and fertilizer) to produce a gallon of Ethanol, which actually has lower heat content than the fuel it's replacing. Getting lower mileage these days? That's probably why. Never mind the damage that may be happening to your engine. But now that the US government is also an automaker, they're okay with the idea that your older car is going to die a premature death. Just consider it your sacrifice for keeping the UAW in business.
Just as the dems have discovered new racist code words we use such as -founding fathers, constitution, entitlements, the, and, it's, thank you, rain, hello, how are you? And other secret racist code words they have a few of their own. In this case when obumbler says 'anybody' - it is code word for those who support him. If he meant to say that we would not argue about this he would have used his code word for us - 'nobody'
I am working on this and hope to have a secret decoder ring out soon as I can figure out what sort of box tops I wish to collect.
The Kenyan lying dog, Mit tin tin, the Delaware sewer water retriever and the rare but viscous neveda back biter terrier, a fine lot, keep up the great work
@JustaJeepGuy- The infamous Florida "Butterfly Ballot" also baffled a lot of homeless people who'd been dragged to the polls to vote Democrat for a few bucks - and because of the confusing layout and instructions of their Acorn-type handlers, voted Republican instead.
And I recently read a story about some state enabling voter registration via a Facebook app, which appalls me. Voting should be made harder, not easier.
@SeaDog- I completely agree about Ethanol. It's expensive, it's inefficient, and it's bad for the environment. All it is good for is enabling politicians to buy votes (by handing out taxpayer money) or allow them to make preening speeches about the environment.
@Colby- There's no need to turn on the television to see "Americans Idled." Obama has made it the ultimate reality show.
Regarding a canine version of Nancy Pelosi, I haven't created one yet but it's probably only a matter of time.
@SeaDog- Actually a wrinkled Shar Pei makes me think of Helen Thomas, the woman who was a fixture in the Whitehouse news room for so long.
@Emmentaler- I forget which comedian that was, but remember the line. Here's a more recent treatment of the same idea.
@SeaDog- I agree that the powers and responsibilities of the EPA should be scaled back to sane levels. Which means scaled way, way, way back.
@Coon Tasty- That's a pretty good moniker for Hillary, though it remains to be seen whether she's going to be enough of a player in this election to merit an appearance in "Bark Obama."
@John the Econ- Excellent summary on Ethanol... and why its subsidies and mandated use should disappear as quickly as conservatives can make it happen.
@REM1875- The whole concept of racial codewords and "dogwhistle racism" drive me nuts. You know what offends me? A liberal on CNN saying that Romney is engaged in the "niggerization" of Barack Obama. Or the president of the United States saying black Americans have rotten employment numbers because of how they look.
And I like your descriptions of the cast of Bark Obama - you're giving it more thought than I am! By the way, your "Lion Dog" joke should get posted soon.
@JustAJeepGuy: You're right- forgive my slip. I didn't become "politically sentient" until near the end of Carter's term (for reference, I was in the eighth grade when he was elected...), and tend to blame him for everything bad that happened thereabouts... I can still blame him for the expansion of the EPA called "superfund", signed into law as he was being tossed out of office in 1980, but not for the EPA itself. Shoot.
I guess, if I espoused liberal ideology and tactics, I could continue to blame him for its existence despite his lack of culpability; however, since I truly despise all things liberal. I find myself needing to offer a genuine and heartfelt apology to our newly demoted second worst president in history!
Coffee out my nose, think I hurt myself -sharp pie for Helen thomas?
If she got a face lift there would be enough there for a couple sets of boots, a saddle rifle scabbard and the saddle to boot with some left over.
The sea hag? Maybe the kracken?
Pelosi is a really nasty looking wharf rat... But I have no idea what to characterize her as alongside Bark and crew.
@Emmentaler- In my youthful ignorance, I was a Carter supporter myself (no need to kick me, folks, I feel bad enough already). But while Jimmy was a godawful president, I always thought (and for the most part still do) that he was a good and well-intentioned man.
I haven't felt that about Barack Obama for a single moment.
Regarding Pelosi, I'm not sure what to do with her in "Bark" yet. But I know it will be something.
@REM1875- Actually, I think all I need to do to create a Helen Thomas dog character is give her a collar.
@Stilton, I have little optimism that the Ethanol insanity will go away anytime soon. The GOP has supported this nonsense just as much as the Democrats have simply because most of the corn states are "red".
Ethanol is near perfect example of the destruction that subsidies do on every level; political, economic and environmental. Once bad policy is clearly recognized as bad policy, it is still impossible to get rid of because of the political "feedback loop" that subsidies create; subsidized interests feed a portion of the subsidy back to Washington to keep the subsidies coming. Over time, more and more people (nearly 100% of which will vote) get dependent upon the subsidy. Once established, these feedback loops are practically impossible to break. Even Al Gore now admits that Ethanol was a "mistake" he made just because he needed to buy the votes:
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/11/23/al-gore-mea-culpa-support-for-corn-based-ethanol-was-a-mistake/
Even though the current GOP house has allowed much of the Ethanol subsidy to expire, the federal government is maintaining its mandate that it be mixed with nearly all the gasoline we buy, and is currently pushing to increase the percentage from 10 to 15%, and is still trying to force distributors to sell E85, which more and more cars are capable of using, but nobody wants. These "mandates" are still subsidies to the industry; the only difference it that we will be paying for them directly at the pump instead of having that cost buried in the federal government. The only upside is at least the cost of this insanity will be more transparent.
I have every expectation that in 100 years when all cars are propelled by anything but oil, that we will still be subsidizing Ethanol.
As for Jimmy Carter, I do concur that he was fundamentally a decent man with naive liberal policies who was utterly unprepared for managing the realities the Federal government, much less his own staff.
It is unfortunate that in more recent years, his naivete combined with old age has allowed much of his post-presidential work to drift from highly good to unfortunate; such as the integrity of his formerly respected election monitoring apparatus being compromised to favor leftist thugs in the name of "preventing violence" and his drift into antisemitism.
At least when Ronald Reagan began to outwardly show the signs of dementia that was the result of Alzheimer's, Nancy Reagan skillfully kept it out of the spotlight. It's a shame that Rosalynn Carter isn't doing the same for Jimmy.
Great photo-dog-shoppin' there, Stilt. Laughing my ass off.
However you choose to portray Helen Thomas, if you do, I hope you'll consider including a tribute to the late great Tony Snow. All y'all will no doubt remember the time Snow summed up Thomas in one sentence, which he had the guts to say to her face, in public, on the record, at a press conference in response to one of her question/comments: "Thank you for giving us the Hezbollah perspective, Helen."
Now there was an honest man.
Speaking of which, I think that's the deepest thing that is bringing out the positive response to the Ryan pick. We are so relieved to see someone in politics who seems to be honest. Heck, compared to the madman in the White House, it's a relief to see someone who believes there *is* such a thing as the truth.
Did you see that picture of the coal miners lining up to see Romney/Ryan? linked at instapundit today. Great photo, and the story has some great quotes.
I haven't felt this optimistic since the first teaparty rally in 2009. I don't think the American people are anywhere near as stupid as President Obama thinks we are.
Tomorrow, I'll be at the Comeback Team rally in Manchester, NH! I'm excited! First political rally I've ever attended, except for teaparty events. I wish my yard signs would hurry up and get here. I ordered them the day after the Ryan announcement.
On the topic of making voting more, not less, difficult, I agree!
In my small New England town there is a reminder of how it used to be--at the Town Hall they have on display the original texts used for the voting test. To be eligible to vote, you had to demonstrate that you could read and understand the information in the sample text (which is, delightfully, from the Constitution). When did that go out of style?!
@John the Econ- Frankly, I'm surprised by Al Gore's candor about Ethanol. Granted, the facts don't support any conclusion other than that the subsidies are a terrible idea, but Big Al hasn't always considered facts to be deterrents.
As for Jimmy Carter, clearly his mind is drifting to an unfortunate place these days, but he did do quite a bit of good work after his presidency. I predict with absolute confidence that we'll never see Barack Obama do anything like that.
@Sarah Rolph- When I work on my cartoons, I use a program which displays a library of art I have readily available - and Tony Snow's smiling face is there every day. Not because I expect to be doing more Tony Snow cartoons, but to remind me of the decency, intelligence, and optimism that he shared with us. I really miss him.
And since I mentioned Tony's optimism, let me applaud yours and agree that Paul Ryan has done much to increase optimism among likeminded folks (including me) who've had a real challenge trying to stay positive during these past few years.
For anyone who wants a treat, check out this link to see what the ever-wonderful Bill Whittle has to say about Paul Ryan.
Stilton - Please, I don't want to think about Helen Thomas, especially on a full stomach.
@Stilton - how 'bout a Chinese Crested (breed most continuously voted ugliest) for Thomas or Pelosi? I know this isn't a dog, but a ferret for either Jay Carney or 'Baghdad Bob' Gibbs?
@SeaDog- I appreciate the suggestions, but don't know that I'll have either the need or energy to turn every political player into a critter for "Bark Obama." Although since you mentioned it, as long as the main players are dogs I could pretty much open up the rest of the animal kingdom for other characters. HMmmm...
OK my wife has the tranquilizers and I have heavily medicated -I was on the DMZ in Korea when Carter tried to buy a nobel peace prize with our asses!!! OK I got to go back to my room - quick!
Mrs. Jarlsberg is right ;-)
Stilt, the comedian was George Carliln. "Oh, look, the dog's giving himself a bath! I dunno marge, looks like a pretty specific bath to me..."
Stilton, I think you should win a Pulitzer for the "Bark Obama" cartoons!
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!
But they you didn't make them....somebody else helped you do that!
Thanks for the kind words. Yes, I'm an optimist--although I do have a wide pessimistic streak! As far as I'm concerned the glass is obviously both half full and half empty. And I may guzzle the rest at any moment....
Thanks also for the Tony Snow link! A very nice tribute. (I didn't know about you back then. Glad I finally found the site! That's thanks to Don Surber.)
I seriously considered flying to DC for Snow's funeral. I thought it was lovely and fitting that it was open to all.
When Tim Blair got bowel cancer, he was pleasantly surprised that Tony Snow wrote him an encouraging note. Thanks to the wonder of Google, I can provide it here.
Snow wrote: "Keep your spirits up, your attitude aggressive and positive. We live in an age of miracles, and researchers are finding new treatments every day.
"At any rate, I'm one of many thinking of and praying for you. If you need to bounce things off a fellow cancer patient, don't be shy. But in any event, fight - and enjoy every moment!"
Blair is okay now.
Snow lives on in our hearts.
@drjim- Thank you, sir. It's an honor just to be nominated for a Pulitzer. Uh, you are on the nominating committee, right...?
@Sarah Rolph- Optimism and pessimism can certainly coexist (in fact, it's the very essence of my "Johnny Optimism" cartoon. And, oh yeah, my worldview.)
I got a little misty reading that quote from Tony Snow; I swear I heard it in his own voice and it's a voice I really miss.
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