Christopher Smitherman is a former Cincinnati City Council Member and the current President of the local NAACP. As a public figure (like many others) there are many times that I agree with him and times that I don’t. But at least I tend to understand what he is saying until I find a recent press release from the NAACP
Huh???? I don’t get it. It starts talking about the budget but then veers off into talking about the Wizard of Oz.
Here is just part of it:
Smitherman says, “Will Mayor Mallory find his ruby slippers click them 3 times and show up at the finance meeting today?”
The Cincinnati NAACP is frustrated that a Scarecrow, a Tinman, and a Cowardly Lion have not been able to find the financial yellow brick road. The Cincinnati NAACP believes that city workers who are laid off deserve severance packages based on their years of service. “The only hope that City Council has in exercising financial responsibility is in the leadership of Toto. This means Cincinnati is in big trouble when I am looking for Toto to lead us out of this financial mess. The Cincinnati NAACP is very concerned that 600 city employees could loose their jobs over the next 12 months and there seems to be no leadership at City Hall for these families. The City Manager will ask the Wizard of Oz today how he can find $125 million to fund the Cincinnati Pension by January 2010? He will ask the Wizard of Oz how he can find $28 million in 5 months for 2009? Last but not least he will ask the Wizard of Oz how he can find $40+ million for the 2010 deficit?” Smitherman says.
Was this a reference to something that someone on Council brought up? Who is the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion or Toto? I just didn’t get it…but a couple of lines were just classic enough to make the following cartoon.
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Hmm I don’t get the excerpt either lol, but at least this allowed you to draw Obama with pigtails xD
You just convinced me to take a drawing class…that is Smitherman not Obama..haha
LOL *ashamed face*
I don’t get it either. Poor Toto should be ticked off for them all passing the buck to his doggy door.
Didn’t know Toto had a finance degree.
Sounds like none of them have much of a finance degree. It sounds more like they’re all waiting for the wizard to come save them.
So it seems
ahhhh good one bearman!!! wtf w the PR? good cartoon and how timely….
I dont know if it is good b/c I am too confused to know what he was talking about.
What do you mean you don’t get it? What’s not to get?
I’ll give you a clue…think flying monkeys and munchkins….
Obviously you don’t know me well…I don’t do clues. Give it to me straight..haha
“Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”
Heh. Sounded familiar.
haha…I was wondering if someone would catch that.
strange!
Yes I am but please stay on topic.
Toto has a very strange tongue
Great…another art critic..haha
Freakin’ brilliant. One of my favorites that you have ever done.
I am from Detroit, and I have to say, I didn’t know that city councils actually talked about budgets, here they just sing “onward christian soldier” and bribes pawn shops.
Detroit…please refer to my previous toon about politicians taking bribes in New Jersey..haha
Is the yellow brick road I-75 up to Dayton? If so, it needs a serious paint job.
Pretty much construction all the way up there these days.
Maybe if the city council follows that rainbow there will be a revenue pot-o-gold at the end of it (or at least a Leprechaun)! 🙂
I think that is how some city councils operate. Don’t worry some money will fall in our lap.
Very strange quote. Love the cartoon. Love the comments.
Thanks DEETH!!
Who is the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion or Toto?
If I only had a brain, a heart, the nerve!!!!! 🙂
But you do…its been inside you the whole time Loon.