Economy?

               
               

                      This political cartoon is addressing a key issue in today’s American society.  With America billions of dollars in debt many Americans are looking to the government to freeze spending and help our ailing economy recover.  The cartoon is addressing the reckless spending taking place in Washington.  The cartoon is picturing the White House and has a figure speaking presumably President Barack Obama.  The cartoon does not show a particular speaker, however and can include all of Congress therefore having the White House symbolizing Washington with Obama as the leader.  The speaker is basically asking for a sign from God wondering if spending should be toned down and God created the earthquake along the East Coast last week.  The joke is that when God sends a sign Washington just ignores it and does whatever it wants to do.  The author is trying to portray that Washington will continue with its political agenda no matter what happens.  This cartoon was first published in a newspaper and then put on the internet.  Artist Glenn McCoy is a conservative cartoonist and this cartoon echoes with a conservative base.  This cartoon also strikes a chord with people who have been hurt by the struggling economy and can’t afford to support any more spending from their own pockets.  Liberals would not approve of this cartoon because it shed unflattering light on a liberal president.  The irony of this cartoon is that the sign the president is looking for is right in front of his face and he ignores/doesn’t notice it.  This cartoon takes place over several frames to show that this cartoon takes place over time.  This carton does well integrating a positive visual as well as using words to drive the point home.  If the words or the images are left out of the cartoon, the cartoon doesn’t make any sense.  The author uses current events to drive his point home on how he feels Washington is handling a delicate situation which is our current economy.  The tone is very comical despite a serious situation.  The way the artist portrays Obama is meant to be humorous.  Most of the decisions regarding our economy take place in Washington which is why our artist draws the White House and Obelisk instead of actually drawing people.  Both these objects are immediately associated with Washington making drawing characters less practical.  The carton does not specifically state that the earthquake that took place along the East Coast was the earthquake in the cartoon, but the close proximity between the release date of the cartoon and the earthquake lead the reader to infer that they are the same thing.  This cartoon would speak to a broad audience because many people have an opinion on what is going on in Washington and how the country should be run.  Political debates often stem from the different views Conservatives and Liberals have on the economy.