Meanwhile, on the Left Coast...

With all of the nonsense emanating from Chaos Central at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, we haven't heard nearly enough about the latest cold-blooded murder of yet another black man by the police. The officers of Sacramento's finest who murdered him, first claimed that Stephon Clark had a gun, then they said he had some sort of tool, until they finally admitted that all he was just carrying his iPhone. And that admission came how many days after they shot him dead, firing more than 20 bullets at him while he was trying to take shelter in his grandmother's backyard?

The more I read about police and policing in this country's history, the more I am ashamed to realize what I never understood to be true. The systematic murder of black people in particular and people of color in general has been no accident. It is intentional and baked into the institutional design of our police forces, which were set up with the explicit purpose of safeguarding slaveowners' "property." They were charged with tracking down runaway slaves and snuffing out any attempt at rebellion. They killed first and asked questions later. The only difference, 150 years later, is that now they occasionally have to answer for their actions when questions are asked of them.

Still, real accountability is probably generations away from eve becoming a reality. With few exceptions, most police officers who have killed children, youth and adults of color continue their careers if not in the same police force than another one somewhere else with little or no punishment. The families and friends of victims may or may not receive damages for their loss, and how can that amount ever be enough to replace the loss of a loved one? This is impunity, pure and simple, which in this country is just another way of saying white privilege.

Today children of all races and ethnicities are protesting against gun violence in the "March for Our Lives," ostensibly against domestic terrorists and other criminals who commit mass murder. But where is the protest and outcry against the terrorists and criminals who wear a uniform and are protected by the "legitimacy" of state-sanctioned violence? We'll certainly hear nothing from the Trump Administration, from President Donald "Orange Menace" Trump or his lackey, Attorney General Jeff "Deputy Dog" Sessions. Both have made it their mission to roll back whatever attempts at police reform the Obama administration initiated. I guess, as with many social issues in America, one small step forward has been buried by several leaps backward.

Hello, Donald

Another gloomy day in Charm City, and yet I'm somewhat encouraged by recent developments in the political scene. Conor Lamb, who is probably far too right-wing for my tastes, eked out a victory over the Trumpista schlub, Rick Saccone, in a special election in a southwestern Pennsylvanian House district that had gone for Trump by more than 20 points in the 2016 general election. This despite the Republicans pouring in in excess of $10 million to win what should have been a gimme. Saccone tried every trick in the GOP book - from insisting that Lamb would be a bag-holder for Nancy Pelosi to more generally smearing all "liberals," claiming that they hated G-d.

Ah, the sweet rank stench of the flop sweat. I love its smell in the morning.

So, here's the thing. I'm not sure if Trump is necessarily focused on the significance of this loss - the fragility of his so-called appeal to white working class voters - because he's too dad gum busy dispensing little turd love packages, like so many landmines, in his own political backyard. The downside of distracting his political opponents and the general public with daily rhetorical jaw-droppers and genuine ethical and legal lapses is that they will eventually catch up with him. It's not as if he's a just a failed private sector real estate developer and celebrity anymore. His actions, as the President of the United States, have very real consequences that go well beyond whatever is left of his tattered two-bit business empire.

Funny thing about trying to pull those stunts in the public sector. You can't just buy off or bully people or institutions into submission. There are actually those checks and balances, multiple layers of them, too, and even if there are ethics-free enabling politicians allies who try to gum up the works, they will eventually grind and groan into action. And that is why I'm looking forward to seeing whether the timing of the midterm election defeat of the Republicans in at least one house of Congress will coincide with the grand conjoining of these turdy love packages into a big, hot steamy fecal mess.

Stick that on your fork and eat it, Donald.

Foreign Policy by Looney Tunes

I owe a great debt to David Ignatius for his recent op-ed in the Washington Post in which he quoted a former CIA officer who described Trump as Wile E. Coyote to Kim Jong Un's roadrunner. In other words, Trump, who cannot stop crowing about his super-genius in agreeing to meet directly with North Korea's supreme leader, is about to get suckered. In other words, we're all about to get suckered...again.

All of which is to say, this cartoon idea didn't just fall into my lap; it practically inked itself.

Lord knows that previous administrations, which claimed to balance America's democratic values with America's national  interests, certainly did unspeakable harm to both. But here's the difference: whatever one might think of the rightness of their actions, it's safe to say that none of them ever knowingly tried to denigrate and work against both at the same time. Now that's something Trump can hang his hat on; in the destruction of our global standing and our foreign policy, he's a real overachiever.

At this point, I really don't know if I can muster any more outrage at the Republican Party, which has stood by and done absolutely nothing as Trump goes on his merry way. Clearly, the national security of the United States means nothing to them when they can use the next 10 months before the next Congress takes office to continue to confirm judicial appointments of right-wing Neanderthals, wage jihad against common sense regulations and enrich their plutocratic masters at the expense of the poor, working and middle classes. I'm sure they're not losing even a wink of sleep at night as they and the orange menace realize their savage vision of a nation guided by self-seeking insularity, white supremacy and social Darwinism.

Job-ba the Trump - Keep Hope Alive!

Turns out ol' Donald threw a hissy fit (no news), and in the process of throwing his toys from the crib (still no news), he decided to start a trade war (this is news). And what prompted his latest tantrum? Hope Hicks, his imminently unqualified...what was her job?...broke down and in a moment of weakness and told the truth to a Congressional committee, investigating the Trump campaign's collusion with Russia. Evidently, that was an unforgivable sin, so after getting a good dressing down, Hope was given the ol' pink slip and shown the door.

So...I'm not saying that free trade is fair trade, not by a long shot. Nor am I in any way endorsing what had traditionally been a bipartisan effort to allow American multinational corporations to do pretty much whatever they wanted, regardless of the social impact on the American workers. Both Democrats and Republicans have been super eloquent about the great benefits of globalization to the American consumer, conveniently forgetting that these same consumers are also American workers. Let me break it down: if you've lost collective bargaining rights, if automation has sped by and left your skill set sucking its fumes, and if government at all levels fails to lift a finger to retool you for this brave new world of unfettered globalization, then I got news for you, pal. You're screwed.

So do I believe that the Donald is now suddenly a champion of the working man? Hardly. There's an angle here somewhere. We just haven't discovered it...yet. So, let the temper tantrum trade (ti-rade?) wars begin, and be careful that this big fat, slimy, skeezy slug doesn't swallow you up, too. Your livelihood? Chomp! Your retirement savings? Gulp! Your hope that your children have some sort of future and a chance to do as well if not better than you? Well, all I can say is keep hope a-BELCH!

Muellerotchka

With the 30-odd new indictments against Paul Manafort and however many against his sidekick, Rick Gates, it looks like special counsel Robert Mueller is slowly working his way to finally draw the noose around the Big Orange One. It's really no surprise that all of his hissy fits and blustery cries of "No collusion!" and "Fake News" are increasingly sounding more and more desperate. 

Good.

I'm looking forward to the day, if it ever comes, when no amount of lying, misdirection or bombast will be of any further use. On that day, it will be as plain as day for all, even for Trump's gun clinging knucklehead genetic miscreants stewing in their bunkers, trailer parks and tiki torch marches, that Trump has (a) obstructed justice and (b) colluded with the Russian government in its efforts to delegitimize the 2016 elections. 

On that day, we'll finally...well, we'll probably just be disappointed again by the utter failure of the Republican-led Congress to assume its role responsibilities. Since they've yet to lift a finger to protect whatever is left of the institutional integrity of the U.S. government I doubt they'll bother to do so this time around, even when there'll be incontrovertible evidence that would otherwise compel them. Paul "If I'm Lyin', I've always been Lyin'" Ryan and Mitch "Triple Chinned, Twice as Smooth" McConnell will look the other way and sweep some more swamp scum under the rug. Nothing to see here, folks!

Oh well, it'll still be worth the wait to watch Trump's head explode. Mind the hair plugs. 

New Normal

I recently re-posted a couple of cartoons that I had inked following the Sandy Hook mass shooting. It was the quickest response I could muster, because I was just too upset and furious to sit down, reflect and put brush to paper. Oh what a difference a day makes. Now, I'm fired up and ready to go.

Donald Trump and his enabling minions in the Republican (and all too often, Democratic) Party have no soul. Or to be more precise, they are all self-centered and self-seeking with not a single whit of interest in promoting the common good, never mind protecting our children, our society's most vulnerable. Instead, they are much more focused on gobbling up as much money as they can from the NRA and the arms industry.

Protect the Second Amendment? What-EVER. As long as the campaign contributions keep rolling in, they're not going to lose any sleep if a few more dozen children are slaughtered. It's a small price to pay to be able to hold onto power and use it to further their immoral, twisted vision of a militarized, re-segregated white supremacist America.

And let's please dispense with all of these bogus self-righteous offers of thoughts and prayers. They don't mean jack. The only thing these heartless criminals are thinking and praying about is that we'll all just go back to our couches, stream our favorite videos and forget all about the 17 children who lost their lives in Parkland, Florida.

And while we're at it, let's tell all of those anti-intellectual, anti-reality blowhards to stick all of their cockamamie theories of why children are routinely massacred in the United States. Social science research is clear: 8 million AR-15 semiautomatic assault rifles and 300 million total guns in this country are the only reason why the United States has more gun deaths than any other comparable country by multiple factors of 10. If you hear a politician or pundit looking to convince anyone to the contrary, just put a cork in it and accept responsibility for being a big fat liar spreading more self-serving lies.

Enough politician bashing. What about us? What are we willing to do? When are we willing to say "enough is enough"? Sure, those in power have the power to resist our demands, but let us not forget Fredrick Douglas' timeless reminder: "Power never cedes anything without a demand. Never has. Never will."

It's time to start demanding an end to unregulated, unrestrained supply and commerce in deadly weapons. Get out there and write to your local, state and national representatives. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Protest in front of gun shops in your community. Work with allies in the faith and law enforcement communities to give you some moral and street creds, respectively. Don't stop even when you're turned back. Keep at it. It's hard work, and it's the only thing that is going to produce an end to this insanity.

Why Support Trump? Beats the Heck Out of Me...

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy...It just gets better and better with the Donald weighing in and inveighing against the entire MeToo# movement and any person who has ever survived sexual, physical and/or emotional abuse. I'd say that the Republican Party leaders have all collectively bit their lip but I'm not sure they have much lip left to bite after they've kept silent for any number of his other vile utterances. Actually, they haven't kept silent. They've defended him and the indefensible.

Of course, this the same GOP that has gone along with Trump in his or rather their collective (policy) assault against women, eliminating and de-funding major programs that would otherwise be considered a civil right in most other civilized countries. But with the Right Wahhabi Wing firmly in control of the GOP, it's doubtful we'll see anything besides this continued rollback of any of the recent efforts to ensure women enjoyed equal access to justice. Oh well, but I'm not giving up hope.

I'm putting my money on those women who have decided to get mad AND get even and are now running for office. And I hope they do hit back, figuratively speaking of course, at the GOP's decades' long policy assault against women and equal rights. And for those who actually support the GOP's misogyny, well, go on ahead, I say. Stand by your men. Take that left hook to the jaw, and show the whole world just how much you love 'em.