Category: Beartoons

  • Editorial Cartoon: The Generosity of Warren Buffet

    Editorial Cartoon: Warren Buffet National Debt Challenge

    Today’s editorial cartoon was inspired by a blog post from Jeff Jena that blasted Billionaire Warren Buffet for his pittance of a challenge to Republicans in Congress.   Now on one hand, I agree with Buffet that certain tax shelters need to be right sized.  CEOs who take little salary yet rake in stock options because Capital Gains are charged at a lower rate than income.    In the late 80’s and 90’s that rate was closer to 30% and now it is somewhere around 15% so there is precedent for a higher rate.  And we are familiar with the notion that Buffet paid less as a percent of income in taxes than his secretary.  Maybe Warren should start paying her in stock instead.

    A Republican pushed through the Buffet Rule Act that gives individuals an option on the tax form allowing them to give more to the IRS to lower the national debt.   Buffet responded saying he would match any Congressional Republican’s donations to the debt dollar for dollar.  While it can be looked at as a “put your money where your mouth is” bet, it is CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP on his part.

    Based on recent data, Buffet’s net worth is somewhere around $50 billion and the entirety of Congress is around $2 Billions (well overpaid but still 25x less than Buffet).  Let’s put that in perspective you and I could understand.  It would be the same as someone earning $100,000 a year (Person A) saying he would match dollar for dollar in donations that someone earning just $4,000 (Person B) did.  Let’s say they each donate $1000.   That is only 1% of Person A’s income while it is 25% of Person B’s.  $1000 to Person A is nothing so even if all the Republican’s in Congress donated 100% of their yearly income, it wouldn’t even put the slightest dent in Warren’s pocketbook.

     

  • Editorial Cartoon: Welfare Drug Test

    Editorial Cartoon: Welfare Drug Testing Today’s editorial cartoon is inspired by the noise coming out around some states and even the federal government trying to put laws in place that would require anyone requesting government assistance first pass a drug test. (source).   I don’t believe those who don’t pass shouldn’t get benefits but rather have 90 days to enroll in a drug treatment program and then pass the test at completion and be subject to additional screenings. Yet, people are up in arms saying it violates the Fourth Amendment against unnecessary search and seizure.  The ACLU has been successful in halting Florida’s program using this same argument.  Personally I think the war on drugs is a complete failure, however much like my cartoon implies if I wanted to be hired by the government or a business I would have to be subjected to random drug testing.  In face, just yesterday I heard about a hospital that no longer will hire anyone that smokes or has even been using a smoking cessation treatment in the last 90 days.  And they plan to do hair tests.  Why are my rights as an employee somehow less than someone seeking government assistance? In response to the judge’s ruling in Florida the ACLU put out a statement saying in part: “Last month in federal court in Orlando, the Governor’s attorneys pushed the startling proposition that some Floridians – namely poor families asking for temporary government assistance – were not protected by the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. Judge Scriven rightfully tossed out that notion and the arguments made to support it. “Governor Scott is sadly confused about conservative principles.  No true conservative would defend a program that allows government to conduct intrusive, privacy-violating searches on people who are not suspected of any wrongdoing, but who are simply applicants for government services.

    If  we put up TSA intrusive searches when flying in the name of safety, why aren’t we OK with someone having to pee in a cup to get some money?

  • Occupy 2012

    Occupy 2012 Baby New Year Cartoon

    Happy New Year to all. Hope you have a healthy 2012 so we can all be here for 2013 to do it all over again.

  • Editorial Cartoon: Kim Jong Un Pajamas

    Editorial Cartoon Kim Jong Un Pajamas

    It is a sad day at the Friggin Loon’s site as she no longer has Kim Jong Il to kick around.  Happily though it looks like his son, Kim Jong Un, has taken up daddy’s job as Supreme Ruler so well that he has begun wearing the Pajama looking outfits made famous by his father.

    And even the website Kim Jong Il Looking at Things has made the transition to Kim Jong Un Looking at Things.  Click here for Il and Un looking at each other wearing PJs.

  • Editorial Cartoon: California Winds and Herman Cain

    Editorial-Cartoon Herman Cain California Wind

    So the winner’s of the Editorial Cartoon Caption Contest are Bo Lumpkin and Scott (Jynksie) Jenkins. Pairing up the devastating wind storms in California with the demise of Herman Cain’s campaign was both funny and timely.

    Gentlemen, your prize is a tshirt of the design of your choice from WackSack.com.  So go pick your design and email me your shirt size and address.

    For the losers, you can still get to visit WackSack and drool over the prize you didn’t win.

  • Santa is the 1 Percent

    Bearman Cartoon's Santa is the 1 Percent

    Any additional reasons I missed?

  • Editorial Cartoon: California Wind Storm Caption Contest

    Editorial Cartoon California Wind Storms Caption Contest

    Today’s editorial cartoon started as usual with me reading about the terrible Wind Storms in California last week.  Of course nature was the cause but what if it were something else.  Thus began my problem.  There are so many choices for the cause of severe wind….

    • A Republican National Debate was in town.
    • The Friggin Loon visited California last week (for the uninformed she is reported to have terrible gas)
    • An A-list actor purporting to support the Occupy movement while reaming his/her accountant for not finding enough tax shelters/loopholes.

    So do you like any of those?  Or come up with something to top it.  Let your creative juices flow…

  • Editorial Cartoon: United Nations Declares Broadband Basic Human Right

    Editorial Cartoon: United Nations Broadband Basic Human Right

    Today’s editorial cartoon was inspired by our friends at the United Nations who last week declared that Broadband internet access is now included in the list of Basic Human Rights. Yes right up there with food, shelter, clean water and healthcare is the right to spank your monkey watching full speed downloads of porn videos. OK maybe you have more lofty goals like coordinating protests ala the Arab Spring over the web.

    But seriously, Broadband?? My in-laws still use dial up and are just fine.  Agree or disagree?  Any other “basic” rights you would add to the U.N. list?

    Nominate Me (or our friends) for Best Webcomic

    The Washington Post is having a contest for the Best Webcomics for 2011.  Feel free to nominate me over and over (or just once) by commenting at the link or even easier, sending an email to comicriffs@washpost.com

  • Editorial Cartoon: Occupy Police Crackdowns

    Editorial Cartoon: Occupy Wall Street Police Crackdown

    Today’s Editorial Cartoon is sponsored by your local police department.  OK maybe not but the cops are getting some bad reputations all over the U.S. as cities try to figure out how to manage the Occupy Wall Street and other Occupy protests.

    First, I am a huge supporter of the police in general and the tough job they do.  And they are just following orders in many cases.  However, some of the tactics they have engaged in during the sweeps of the occupy locations are questionable at times.  Maybe it is adrenaline or maybe it is just a few assholes on the force happy to show who is boss, but there has to be a better way.

    Now I don’t for a minute think that in all cases the protestors who claim innocence are in fact so.  When you come at a cop with a potential weapon or show aggression in response to an order, all bets are off.

    But to let a group assemble for an extended period only to decide you have had enough and aggressively remove them without warning is wrong IMO.  I get it though.  If the cops announced they would be removing people at a specific time, they run the risk of additional protestors coming out in force to try and stop it putting officers at risk.   Maybe a better way would have been to surround the park with officers and announce to the protestors that they had 30 minutes to remove themselves and any belongings they wanted to keep from the park.  After that the park would be emptied with force if necessary.  Seems to be what they are doing in Toronto by serving eviction notices.

    Any thoughts on how to best manage the occupy movements so that they can remain peaceful, without crimes, sanitation issues and other problems that tend to start after prolonged encampments?

  • Correct Way to Recycle a Pizza Box Cartoon

    Cartoon on How to correctly Recycle a Pizza Box

    Another multipanel cartoon (which you people love to see and I hate to make) on the proper way to Recycle a used pizza box.  This is another comic that comes from real life.

    It was only about a year ago that I learned that before you recycle a pizza box, you are supposed to cut out the grease stain.  Supposedly grease can’t be recycled (at least in that way).   So has it changed my behavior?  No!  Unlike the cartoon, I still throw the whole thing in the recycling bin.  Let them figure it out at the plant, my conscience is clear.