The Political Satire/Meme Thread

[Dotini]

We're getting off topic here in the cartoon thread, so we shouldn't be getting too many likes. But Trump skillfully uses divisive and diversionary tactics to his apparent advantage. 82% percent of Republicans approve the job he is doing as president. By taking over the DOJ and flooding prosecutorial and judicial posts with his own picks, he will accelerate the slaughter and turmoil within the rudderless Democrat party while simultaneously scooping up support from the public by using fear tactics.

 

[UKMikey]

82% percent of Republicans approve the job he is doing as president.

How are the percentages looking amongst non-Republicans?

 

[Dotini]

How are the percentages looking amongst non-Republicans?

Likely terrible, but I don't know. But Trump likely won't run again and independents outnumber either Republicans or Democrats., 42/24/31. The only reason support numbers from Republicans to Trump are important is in the passage of legislation, confirmation of appointments and avoidance of impeachment. His tax bill was approved by maybe 29% of the people, yet it passed in congress. Go figure.

In the meantime, let's post some more cartoons!


click image for story

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

We're getting off topic here in the cartoon thread, so we shouldn't be getting too many likes. But Trump skillfully uses divisive and diversionary tactics to his apparent advantage. 82% percent of Republicans approve the job he is doing as president. By taking over the DOJ and flooding prosecutorial and judicial posts with his own picks, he will accelerate the slaughter and turmoil within the rudderless Democrat party while simultaneously scooping up support from the public by using fear tactics.

How is it off topic, unlike the funny picture thread, the point is to post pictures and if wanted have discussion or debate about the content of the cartoon.

 

[Dotini]

How is it off topic, unlike the funny picture thread, the point is to post pictures and if wanted have discussion or debate about the content of the cartoon.

Well, okay! I just thought it good to keep up a healthy ratio of cartoons to the jibber-jabber that could as easily take place in less image-oriented news and opinion threads.

 

[Johnnypenso]

They won't get many clicks and views behind a paywall. And given that the title of the article isn't "Trump is racist" but "Most Americans considered Trump’s ‘********’ comments racist" then a responsible reader would be able to differentiate between the messenger and the message.

Clicks and views or subscriptions...same difference. The MSM is bigger than just the WP. Good journalism would involve more than just reporting something even though it's inaccurate. Saying a country is a 🤬 doesn't make you a racist no matter what a poll might think it says. Good journalism would draw that distinction. Bad journalism wouldn't. Pretty simple.

 

[UKMikey]

Clicks and views or subscriptions...same difference. The MSM is bigger than just the WP. Good journalism would involve more than just reporting something even though it's inaccurate. Saying a country is a 🤬 doesn't make you a racist no matter what a poll might think it says. Good journalism would draw that distinction. Bad journalism wouldn't. Pretty simple.

I disagree and think you're expecting the WP to editorialise with comments supportive of Trump instead of presenting their documented findings and allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions. Once again, if you missed my quote, the article didn't say Trump was racist or that the poll suggested he was racist. It drew the conclusion that groups critical of Trump viewed his comments as racist while those supportive of Trump didn't. Those groups just happened to contain more people than the supportive ones.

It's interesting that your cartoon suggests that real Americans are bored with Trump related news while at the same time you're asserting that the MSM are reporting anti-Trump articles in order to gain readers. Seems to me to be a contradiction there.

 

[Dotini]

https://www.mercurynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/****toon09.jpg

The premise of this cartoon appears obsolete and archaic to me.

Back in the good old days when the statue of liberty was built and those nice, idealistic words encouraging immigration were unfortunately chiseled in stone, reality was very different from what it is today. Way back when our world was young, we had a real need for immigrants to work on farms, in mills, factories and mines. We needed people willing to work, procreate families and establish new communities. Today, conditions are very different and none of that any longer applies.

 

[UKMikey]

The premise of this cartoon appears obsolete and archaic to me.

Back in the good old days when the statue of liberty was built and those nice, idealistic words encouraging immigration were unfortunately chiseled in stone, reality was very different from what it is today.

I kind of suspect they were chiselled in stone for a reason.

If enough Americans disagree with the sentiments presented maybe they could give the statue the Charlottesville Robert E. Lee treatment and campaign to have it torn down or replaced with an updated version as per the cartoon.

 

[Dotini]

I kind of suspect they were chiselled in stone for a reason.

If enough Americans disagree with the sentiments presented maybe they could give the statue the Charlottesville Robert E. Lee treatment and campaign to have it torn down or replaced with an updated version as per the cartoon.

Apt points. But I suspect that we will nostalgically keep it as a cherished symbol of vanishing idealism.

Now - as then - the chief executive is responsible for setting immigration policy in accordance with current national needs and requirements. We continue to need immigrants to keep wages low in certain sectors, to maintain skills in others, and of course for an abundant supply of police and soldiers. But our growth rate is not what it once was, and too many immigrants could cause social, cultural and economic problems. Both Democrats and Republicans are on board with this, and differ only in degree.

 

[UKMikey]

But our growth rate is not what it once was, and too many immigrants could cause social, cultural and economic problems. Both Democrats and Republicans are on board with this, and differ only in degree.

If only the C-in-C's comments addressed this in such equitable terms. However, if I'm reading them right, he seems to be concerned not with the quantity of immigrants but rather with their point of origin.

 

[Johnnypenso]

I kind of suspect they were chiselled in stone for a reason.

If enough Americans disagree with the sentiments presented maybe they could give the statue the Charlottesville Robert E. Lee treatment and campaign to have it torn down or replaced with an updated version as per the cartoon.

When the statue was erected 130 years ago, the world and the U.S. in particular, was a very different place. There was a huge demand for any kind of cheap, unskilled labour to man the factories and work the fields that drove the economy at that time. There was no worry about them not finding work because work was plentiful, and, if they didn't, they were on their own with no expectation of subsidized public house, free money in the mail every month, free healthcare etc. Now we have robots and huge combines to do the work of the poor, the sick and the huddled masses and it's very expensive to take care of the poor and sick and huddled masses who haven't lived here and payed taxes during their working, healthy lives. There are better solutions nowadays.

 

[Dotini]

However, if I'm reading them right, he seems to be concerned not with the quantity of immigrants but rather with their point of origin.

Quantity, yes, but just as importantly, quality.
Here in western civilization our fundamental paradigm is scientific materialism, and to a slightly lesser extent, secular humanism. Not to mention capitalism. If anything comes along with the capacity to threaten the paradigm, it needs to be suppressed and carefully controlled. This includes, but is not limited to, influxes of immigrants coming from competing world views.

 

[Dennisch]

With stuff like this, it actually makes sense not having a European model healthcare.

 

[UKMikey]

Quantity, yes, but just as importantly, quality.
Here in western civilization our fundamental paradigm is scientific materialism, and to a slightly lesser extent, secular humanism. Not to mention capitalism. If anything comes along with the capacity to threaten the paradigm, it needs to be suppressed and carefully controlled. This includes, but is not limited to, influxes of immigrants coming from competing world views.

Does this mean that if you happen to be born in a ******** country then you have no chance to emigrate to a country with a better way of life and contribute to the economy of that country simply because times have changed? That by accident of birth you are automatically classed as inferior quality? I guess if this is one of your ugly truths then the Trump administration should make this clear as this appears to me to be at the heart of the controversy. In the meantime perhaps it's time to dismantle that outdated statue and return it to France if enough folks feel that way about it.

With stuff like this, it actually makes sense not having a European model healthcare.

How typical are the detergent capsule eaters of American healthcare users? Are we talking a significant enough amount to make a European model system not worth it? Because they seemed like a tiny but highly visible minority to me. This article reports 53 cases last year and 39 so far this year - a drop in the ocean when considering the numbers of people who would be affected one way or another by a change in the healthcare model.

 

[Dennisch]

Does this mean that if you happen to be born in a ******** country then you have no chance to emigrate to a country with a better way of life and contribute to the economy of that country simply because times have changed? That by accident of birth you are automatically classed as inferior quality? I guess if this is one of your ugly truths then the Trump administration should make this clear as this appears to me to be at the heart of the controversy. In the meantime perhaps it's time to dismantle that outdated statue and return it to France if enough folks feel that way about it.

It means that you need to better regulate the influx of immigrants.

If you throw enough **** into a waterhole it becomes a sewage pit.

 

[UKMikey]

It means that you need to better regulate the influx of immigrants.

If you throw enough **** into a waterhole it becomes a sewage pit.

Pejorative language aside, wouldn't it be fairer and potentially more advantageous to the US to do this on a person by person basis than a country by country basis? Can't third world immigrants contribute to the American economy if they are of sufficient quality or should they be excluded en masse because you think they're ****?

 

[Dennisch]

Pejorative language aside, wouldn't it be fairer and potentially more advantageous to the US to do this on a person by person basis than a country by country basis? Can't third world immigrants contribute to the American economy if they are of sufficient quality or should they be excluded en masse because you think they're ****?

Oh that was what I meant, person by person. That would work fine for me.

 

[Liquid]

With stuff like this, it actually makes sense not having a European model healthcare.

 

[UKMikey]

Oh that was what I meant, person by person. That would work fine for me.

I suspect it'd work fine for most people, which may be why a lot of them seem to find the "if you're from the wrong country then we're not interested" policy so contentious.

 

[Dotini]

 

[UKMikey]

 

[Dotini]

Tom DeLonge, creator of the To the Stars Academy, designated mouthpiece of the US government confirmation of UAP, is convinced the aliens behind the phenomena are evil. They don't wear designer clothes or jewelry, have a hive mind, and are basically a communist system. If there were full disclosure, either by our head of state or by the aliens, our way of life could change very much indeed, and likely for the worse. Fortunately, that's not at all likely to happen. I think Tom DeLonge suits the government as an organ of partial disclosure, since he wants to set the aliens up as enemies, lionize our military service members as heroes, and increase military budgets accordingly.

Your cartoon is very apt, as the phenomena seem to desire to free us of our individualism and liberty as well as our nukes. But I do agree nukes are a problem and need to go.

 

[UKMikey]

Your cartoon is very apt, as the phenomena seem to desire to free us of our individualism and liberty as well as our nukes. But I do agree nukes are a problem and need to go.

I'm just glad the Statue Of Liberty represents a good thing now instead of outdated idealism as it apparently did a few posts back. All it took was an extraterrestrial threat a la the comic Watchmen or the Architects Of Fear Twilight Zone episode they stole the premise from.

 

[Dotini]

I'm just glad the Statue Of Liberty represents a good thing now instead of outdated idealism as it apparently did a few posts back. All it took was an extraterrestrial threat a la the comic Watchmen or the Architects Of Fear Twilight Zone episode they stole the premise from.

Yes, the Statue of Liberty is not actually cast from bronze, but from plastic, malleable to passing fad and fancy, the symbolic point of my post #441.

 

[UKMikey]

Yes, the Statue of Liberty is not actually cast from bronze, but from plastic, malleable to passing fad and fancy, the symbolic point of my post #441.

So your government is duping us with the copper, cast iron and stainless steel story then? Or did the aliens replace it overnight? Luckily we have you around to give us the inside scoop.

 

[Dotini]

So your government is duping us with the copper, cast iron and stainless steel story then? Or did the aliens replace it overnight? Luckily we have you around to give us the inside scoop.

If I recall correctly, the statue is made largely of bronze, with a thin outer skin of copper. Within the statue are ferrous materials for support, access, etc.

I see you worried about something, I'm unsure exactly what. But if it's aliens, then FWIW I can assure you it's nothing for you to be concerned about. There is not a shred of evidence for flesh and blood aliens anywhere near our solar system. There are transitory (not solid or permanent) phenomena known as UAP, etc. Their study is optional, elective, a hobby for the idle, a fun job for mythologists, an unwelcome job for military and intelligence people, and a puzzle for quantum physicists. Ordinary people should continue to procreate and go to work as normal. That is the true inside scoop.

 

[UKMikey]

If I recall correctly, the statue is made largely of bronze, with a thin outer skin of copper. Within the statue are ferrous materials for support, access, etc.

So the plastic thing was just a joke that flew over my head like an unidentified flying object. Thanks for the explanation.

I see you worried about something, I'm unsure exactly what. But if it's aliens, then FWIW I can assure you it's nothing for you to be concerned about. There is not a shred of evidence for flesh and blood aliens anywhere near our solar system. There are transitory (not solid or permanent) phenomena known as UAP, etc. Their study is optional, elective, a hobby for the idle, a fun job for mythologists, an unwelcome job for military and intelligence people, and a puzzle for quantum physicists. Ordinary people should continue to procreate and go to work as normal. That is the true inside scoop.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to go to work since last Wednesday as I'm attempting to nurse my sick octogenarian mother back to health after she was struck down with a bacterial chest infection while visiting the Metro-Manila area at New Years'. If I'm worried about anything, it's her recovery, not alien visitations. Apologies for wasting your time trying to unpick the meaning behind the memes.

 

[Dotini]

So the plastic thing was just a joke that flew over my head like an unidentified flying object. Thanks for the explanation.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to go to work since last Wednesday as I'm attempting to nurse my sick octogenarian mother back to health after she was struck down with a bacterial chest infection while visiting the Metro-Manila area at New Years'. If I'm worried about anything, it's her recovery, not alien visitations. Apologies for wasting your time trying to unpick the meaning behind the memes.

Sorry to hear about the worries over your mother. Mine passed, aged 91, in July of last year after 6 months of sheer misery. I was her closest support. Fortunately, I'm retired, and she was near and dear.

I have enjoyed this conversation with you, even over the bumps. I look forward to the next one, and will try to do better. I do not consider you a waste of time - I'm learning something from you. Often it takes a while to understand a person. But it's a joy when it happens.

 

[TexRex]

Architects Of Fear

"Scarecrows and magic and other fatal fears do not bring people closer together."