Bearman Cartoon: Wizard of Odd

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.

7 27 09 Bearman Cartoon Smitherman Wizard copy
 

 

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  1. Phillyzero says:

    Hmm I don’t get the excerpt either lol, but at least this allowed you to draw Obama with pigtails xD

  2. I don’t get it either. Poor Toto should be ticked off for them all passing the buck to his doggy door.

  3. Lynn says:

    ahhhh good one bearman!!! wtf w the PR? good cartoon and how timely….

  4. bschooled says:

    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….

  5. Danica says:

    “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”

    Heh. Sounded familiar.

  6. nursemyra says:

    Toto has a very strange tongue

  7. John K says:

    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.

  8. Nate Fakes says:

    Is the yellow brick road I-75 up to Dayton? If so, it needs a serious paint job.

  9. spilledinkguy says:

    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)! 🙂

  10. Sheila Deeth says:

    Very strange quote. Love the cartoon. Love the comments.

  11. frigginloon says:

    Who is the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion or Toto?

    If I only had a brain, a heart, the nerve!!!!! 🙂



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