I know that in addition to fabulous cartoons, you, my fans, await anxiously for whatever contrived commentary I will give to compliment the cartoon. So here it goes… Drumroll, please… “This is one of my first cartoons that I’ve painted digitally. It’s quite a different technique than my normal, Adobe Illustrator, renderings. I think I kind of like it.” So there you have it.

Seriously, I cannot watch Barack Obama much anymore without nearly blowing my top. The things that come out of his mouth are almost venom. I know politics are dirty, just ask Aaron Burr, but for crying out loud, to say that capitalism has NEVER worked, and that the Republican’s way of doing things have failed us? Is he for real? How on earth did America become the most prosperous country in the world, if not for capitalism? The numbers don’t even add up. Higher unemployment, gas prices and discouragement now than when he first took office. The only thing lower are home values, which have tanked! If capitalism doesn’t work, then how does he explain the late 1800s, when capitalistic tycoons like Carnegie, and Mellan, and Vanderbilt, and Rockefeller ruled the roost, even then, American prosperity and ingenuity flourished? How does he explain that the greatest advances in science, medicine, cinema, sports and art have all come from a country built on free markets?

Then he goes on and says if it weren’t for those dern Republicans who won’t pass all his jobs bills. Huh, what? What jobs bills? Like the pipeline he shut down? That wasn’t the Republicans! Like all the rhetoric about forcing the rich to pay more? How does that create jobs? (I’ve never been hired by a poor person, just FYI) Like all the stimulus bills? Where the average, so-called, job created cost the taxpayers approximately $200,000? (according to figures put out by the Weekly Standard). Are there more job bills just like these that those evil obstructionist Republicans are refusing the pass that I’m unaware of? If so, thank God for the Republicans!

Everybody points to George Bush and blame him for all the troubles we face now. Only problem is, when you trace the start of the downturn, it just so happens to coincide with Democrats taking control of the House and Senate in 2006. Since then, they’ve been in the driver seat. That’s six years they’ve had and they celebrate at 8% unemployment! What about the 4% we enjoyed in 2006? And while they can claim we are in recovery, the results speak for themselves. As an sales person, I have seen a dramatic drop in sales since 2006 and it has not ever come back.

So what is capitalism and what is it that Obama really opposes? Another word is “free markets”. To be opposed to free markets is to be opposed to freedom. If Obama had at least said something like, “While capitalism has its positives…” I could have respected him a little more. Instead, he cannot concede even the tiniest bit, for doing so will reveal how destructive his redistribution policies are. To say the stuff that he does, I have to conclude that either he is an idiot who does not have a clue about history, or he is diabolical and doesn’t care, because it’s all about the agenda.

Listen, I’m not rich. It’s easy to envy them, and they certainly have their excesses. But I like living in a society that rewards hard work with the possibility of achieving greatness and wealth. I do not want to be punished for achievement. Success should not be immoral, but the way our president spins it, he makes it sound like it is.

Final thoughts. The Democrat Party can sit on their little mound of rocks and call it a recovery all day long, but I think the American people remember what it was like to walk along the edge of the canyon and until we get back to that point, there’s going to be a lot of turnover in Washington.

This is your friendly cartoonist here! The book “Politix Cartoons Anthology, the 100 Best Cartoons of 2004-2009, e-book” is finally finished and ready for digital download.

You may purchase this wonderful collection of my greatest cartoons by going here.

In addition, the first 10 people to buy the book will receive an autographed print of their choice for free! 

So let’s see if I have this straight. The green energy company Solyndra receives tons of money from the stimulus as part of the green jobs initiative. A few months later they go bankrupt. Where did the money go? Not sure, but we find out later that Solyndra contributed to Obama’s election campaign. Something’s not right with this picture, but the complacent media seems all too eager to sweep it under the rug.

Imagine if this was reversed. Suppose Bush earmarked through tax payer dollars a ton of money to some oil company who then gave it back to his election campaign before going bankrupt. The American media would go nuts, the American people would be outraged, and both would be right in doing so. Yet, in the case of Solyndra, we barely get a yawn.

What’s the difference? Is it because Obama is a Democrat, and therefore untouchable? Is it because Solyndra is a Green Energy company, so somehow their actions are divine and holy?

I’m all for standards. But double standards I can’t stand.

Mysteriously, I find I am suddenly a Jet’s fan.

If you’ve ever felt this way, please, do not wait, go to whomever you’ve hurt and ask for forgiveness. If you need help, give them a card. If you want, give them this card.

#denverbroncos

I titled this cartoon “Upgrade” because I think that is the big question. If Peyton Manning signs with the Broncos, will it be an upgrade for him? Will it be an upgrade for Denver?

I love this whole saga. Listening to both sides hash it out has become quite entertaining, and the storyline is leaving us at the edge of our seats. Can’t get enough. Personally, I really don’t have a strong opinion one way or another. Twitter has several tweeting heads who are convinced that Manning is a has been, a bag of bones. Perhaps he is. But why are there so many teams clammering to get him then? Others question why you would trade the media darling Tim Tebow for Peyton Manning. Well, for one, Manning does bring his own media clout with him.

I am a huge Tebow fan, but I’m also a Broncos fan. I recognize that should Manning pick Denver, Tebow is probably heading to Jacksonville. Good for him. I know that’s his hometown and I hope he does well, wherever he ends up. Elway thinks that Manning is our ticket to the Superbowl. Who knows? I guess that’s the big question mark. What is the better upgrade?

When I listen to the Media, Occupy Wallstreeters, and hard-core Liberals, all I hear is that the Republicans are to blame for everything! Can’t get a job, must be the Republicans’ fault. Don’t like the weather? Must be the Republicans’ fault. Sick of paying high gas prices? That’s definitely a Republicans’ fault, because they want to mine for domestic oil! Have an ingrown toe nail? Somehow that’s the Republicans’ fault as well.

What’s really frustrating is that we have a “blame-Republicans” president. With a Democrat congress, he’s had practically carte blanch for all his ideas for his first two years, yet every time he gets up to speak, he never talks about the issues, it’s always the Republicans fault. Remember, your misery is to be tied to the Republican party and nothing else. If you sit on your bum, smoke pot and can’t afford to buy a trip to Europe, remember class, who we are to blame?

These recent attacks on Santorum are not really aimed at him, but at Christianity in general. They are quite telling. According to a number of Liberals I’ve talked with, if you proclaim your faith, it’s ramming it down people’s throats. Therefore, equating Christians to all kinds of horrible activities is justified. Yet, they wouldn’t dare say those kinds of things against the Muslim faith, even though some jihadists will kill you if you don’t accept their faith.

But the most frustrating thing of all is the legislation Obama passed that would force Catholic organizations to provide abortion and contraceptive services to their employees, despite their moral objections. What’s frustrating is not that Obama did this, for he has shown his true colors by now, but that many of my friends are saying this is an issue of freedom. By not forcing the organization to provide contraceptives is denying the employees their freedom, thus this legislation was necessary. Huh?

The choice of what the organization provides as compensation, paid or in benefits, to its employees, should be up to that organization. That’s freedom folks! Freedom is allowing everybody their choice, including the so-called big guy. It’s the employers company, the employer’s money, the employer’s risk and the employee freely chooses to work there. Nobody is forcing that employee to work there. If they don’t agree with the company’s moral standards, then find another job. Santorum had it right. By forcing Catholic organizations to provide contraceptive services, it’s the government forcing its belief system on the church! Liberals get so worked up about the imaginary “Wall of Separation,” yet if they want to have this wall, then they need to be willing to keep their liberal government out of the church as well.

I’m not a Catholic, and I rarely get offended, but this past week has been very instructive about how people really view the church. And let me tell you, some of the talk has been scary. Religious freedom in America is on attack, and that’s really what this cartoon is about.

I originally created this cartoon three years ago. It never made it to my blog for some reason, but considering all the craziness in Washington right now, today seemed as good as any to put it in.