My endorsement for what it's worth

My endorsement: I'll be supporting Barack Obama in the upcoming election, but even though I live in Madison this was not a foregone conclusion. I had been excited about the prospect of having a socially progressive, moderate like McCain at the top of the Republican Party ticket.

I was hoping that McCain would be able to strip the social conservativism, xenophobia, and culture wars from a party that at its purest is about ensuring freedom, and creating an environment where American's can succeed to their greatest personal potential.

But McCain has been caught up in the "base" of the party, made up mostly of religious Zealots, who quite frankly supported Democrats in droves, only a few short decades ago. Those of us who are moderate conservatives who believe in less government and personal responsibilty have been abandoned. The biggest blow came when he choose Governor Palin to be his running mate. She is an inexeperience politician with lite credentials on key issues, but a populist appeal to social conservative, and small town people with small minded values.

For me it's easier to swallow the entitlements and intrusive government of the democrats, than the immoral position the Republicans continue to hold on a woman's right to choose, gay rights, and issue of illegal immigration.

McCain has had moderate positions all of these issues. In an election year that has been about change, I had been hoping that John McCain would have the strength of conviction to change the republican party. Unfortunately, he hasn't. Insteading changing the party, the party has changed John McCain.

The man who was once consider a courageous war hero will have had his legacy tarnished by a campaign for president that at it's best appealed to basest instincts on the religious right and at worsts bordered on flat out racism.

Drunk Reaper

The Journal Sentinel ran a huge series of stories about Wisconsin's culture of alcohol consumption, and drinking and driving. I don't usually like to use such a common cartoon cliche, but I think the grim reaper works well in this context. Plus, Halloween costumes and themes are always fun to draw.

Budget Trouble

Wisconsin's state Budget is in trouble, which could spell disaster for Madison's economy. The cartoon does a pretty good job of explaining the situation, so I'll let it speak for itself.

The Bagers are Scary

This is the worst Badger football season in recent memory and Head Coach Brett Bielema is looking for talent behind center to step in and save the season. Actually, considering the play he's had from the quarterback position this year, the little kid in the cartoon probably couldn't do much worse.

I really like the color in this drawing. You can almost feel the glow radiating from the warm house through the open door.

Rays in the World Series

The Rays are going to the World Series for the first time in the team's history. Here is the cartoon I drew to try to capture the excitement. I think I will use this kid as model for a character in my comic strip.

Development of a strip

Below are some sketches of characters I'm developing for a comic strip. I'm working to develop a strip that lends itself to both good long storylines and quick one-day gags.

I'm thinking this will be sort of a family strip, with the parents being the type of do-good liberals that I observe regularly in Madison Wisconsin. I was thinking the family would have two children, a stuffy 12-year old type sister, who wants to become a member of the young republicans, and an imaginative 7-year-old or so younger brother who think he's a pirate. (I love pirates.)

I've worked out some early gags and would love to hear some comments but right now I thought I'd just share some of my very early character sketches.

These are the earliest sketches of the young pirate boy... I liked these but I wanted to see eyes

I liked these but I wanted to see eyes, so I did these, which are getting closer.

But I think these are the strongest, especially the one in pencil which is really too light for you to see clearly.

Here is the development of that stuffy sister, there were some quick sketches of her on the earlier pages.

And here are some early drafts of the father in the family (the sis is here too). He sort of reminds me of a guidance counselor at Kenyon College.

Rough sketches for Tampa

Below are some rough sketches of Rays cartoons for the Tampa Tribune. I'll post the finished carton tomorrow or Wednesday.

Also stay posted for more frequent updates. I've started working on a comic strip and I thought i'd share my progression with all of my friends on the web. I'll post some early rough sketches of the strip characters later today and tomorrow.

Weekend Update

Below are the the cartoons I drew over the weekend:
One time VP candidate Charlie Crist of Florida has been lack-luster in his support of John McCain in this crucial toss-up state.
The stuffy overture center will book more rock and pop acts to try to stimulate ticket sales. I guess there are just too many people in Wisconsin who would rather watch the Packers than Opera.


Finally, one of my best Wisconsin themed presidential election cartoons of the season.

Joe the Plumber

Below is the requisite "Joe the Plumber" editorial cartoon. In my own unbiased opinion, this is a pretty darn funny cartoon. I think this guy gives McCain a good talking point, but he's too little too late.

On the topic of Joe, it is despicable that the news media has dug up dirt on Joe (he's not a licensed plumber, etc.). This guy is not a public figure, he's a normal guy who got lucky enough to get his voice out there and talk to the candidates, but he is not running for office. Leave him and his family alone and, for the love of god, get off of his lawn.

Don't tell, why ask?

The candidates debated again tonight, but while they were big enough to make personal attacks at each other, neither has been able to "man up" and admit the glaring errors in their judgment in regards to the Iraq War. Now this debate didn't deal specifically with foreign policy, but I'm still waiting for some straight talk. It's obvious to me and everyone else who watches these debates, but I guess it's still too much to expect a candidate to admit a mistake.

Electoral Map

Obama appears to be pulling away from McCain. He has substantially more resources (mostly because he refused to adhere to public financing and its inherent spending limits) to compete in State the McCain had hoped to have tied up by now. This cartoon sums up the situation pretty well.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Elections

After the developments of this week, I'm absolutely convinced that elections have become an inappropriate way to select Supreme Court Justices in Wisconsin. The elections are too partisan and the politics are too dirty. This no way to choose the most impartial and fairest justices for the court. Here is my cartoon:

This week, the winner of this April's Wisconsin Supreme Court election, Michael Gableman, was charged with violating his judicial oath of the office to uphold the truth for a dishonest ad his campaign produced. In the ad, Gableman accused the incumbent, Louis Butler, of finding a loophole that set free a convicted child rapist he was representing as a public defender in the 1980s. Gableman's ad points out that the perpetatrator raped another child after he was released from prison.

The ad was dishonest because Butler's "loophole" didn't have any affect on the case and the molester was let out prison on parole, after he served his term, not on some technicality.

Anyone who follows the Wisconsin Supreme Court should be shocked by the trend that is developing. The last two Judges elected to the court have been charged with judicial misconduct. Annette Ziegler, who elected the year before Gableman joined the court, was reprimanded for her ethical violations last year, for refusing to recues herself from cases involving a bank where her husband was a board member. (here is my cartoon on that).

We need a new way to select justices in this state. Only 20% of the electorate showed up to elect Gableman in April. That's not the democratic power of the people. The the power of the loudest and most partisan minority. If Wisconsinites continue to remain apathetic and ignorant about what make a good Supreme Court Justice, then they should forfeit their vote.

We need a system that will take into account a candidates judicial philosophy and impartiality, not their political connections. It's time for some kind of merit selection in Wisoconsin, where an impartial committee, made up lawyers, retired judges and members of both parties select justices.

Update

Above is the cartoon on UW marching band drama. Below are a bunch of cartoons that I've drawn since I last updated this blog.