Thanks for being the first member of the national media that I have seen to realize that the Texas governor has almost no power. It is astounding that people think being governor of Texas would actually qualify someone to become President. It is also astounding that the media outside of Texas ever seems to point this out, even with their supposed liberal and pro-McCain biases.
As far as I can tell, Dubya's biggest accomplishment is billing the people of my state for hundreds of thousands of dollars in increased security costs since he is flying all over the place now with the Department of Public Safety in tow.
Please keep up the good work! Your country needs you now more than ever.
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Subject: cartoon on Bush
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 13:45:44 -0500
Read your cartoon on GWB in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 4/11/00 - All Candidates are fair game. Assuming you are "fair," when do you do a similar cartoon on Gore? There are obviously a multitude of quotations and contradictions in the Gore history and candidacy. Objectivity and equal treatment would improve your status.
W.C. Smith
Tom Tomorrow replies: I'm guessing you are a new reader.
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Tom,
As a devoted devourer of your column - I mean, cartoon - my immediate reaction to your latest (why do Republicans persist in taking W seriously?) is two-fold. First, although I don't really think the Republican Party is super-enriched in idiots, particularly, relative to the Democratic Party, it does seem like they're less inclined to hold back their opinions, less inclined to examine those opinions carefully, and many of them are more inclined to charge ahead with pseudo-certain actions based on those questionably-founded opinions.
So maybe I should take back the idiot-richness assessment. But I'm thinking there's not necessarily *more* idiots in total, just that the GOP may be overrepresented with this particular *form* of idiocy.
The other thing is: as far as I can tell, W is exactly the perfect empty-suit shill the big-money people would want to foist off on the public as a suitable Executive. The GOP citizenry doesn't, in that context, have much choice but to take him seriously, any more than the Dems have to take Gore seriously, regardless of how much however many of them may have wanted Bradley. In W's case, he's been well-coached by big capital, he'll promise tax cuts all day long to people who don't have any capital-gains problems in the first place, and that focus on issues relevant only to big-money people will ensure his funding through however many bankruptcies getting him into office requires.
But then, I bet you knew all this already...
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Subject: george bush jr
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 11:48:57 -0500
your attacks against bush jr are completely missing the point. not only is he reminiscent of dan quayle, but, as a republican co worker mentioned, he is like quayle with a mean streak. maybe it is the result of the cocaine use which he refuses to address. in any case, if the cocaine is what made him that way, he shouldn't be running for pres. if the cocaine did not damage his brain, then he should be taking steps to ameliorate the court penalties. likewise gore and pot.
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Hey Tom.
I had to write because this IS a letter of contention. DO you publish these on your website? That would be a cool idea.
First, positive comments. I think your comic does what GOOD COMICS should do..grab attention by being WEIRD, ANNOYING or so outright DIFFERENT. This is what Peanuts did, in a way, Bloom County, Doonesbury, Luann (I think) and so on.
I like the concept of characterizing the out-moded thinking in the 1950s rigermorrole, haircuts and Pleasantville outfits and all. I also like the vapidly-aggreable bulldog, what's his name?
Sparky is a RIPOFF of OPUS (Bloom County). Most people who have been paying attention for more than 10 years KNOW this. Get something more original.
I was more prompted to write after the latest cartoon, the latest "dubya" slam (george W-yuh). This is, having already noted that you are hopelessly hippie leftwing, faded flower-power. I never intended to write and argue anything.
Anyways, Yes, Dubya is a TAD funny-looking with the ears and and the smirk and the whatmeworry expression. You know, a LOT of us think ALGORE is pretty funny-looking, too. Especially when contorting his face in one of those 'self-righteous' rants.
When commenting that "when are we Republicans going to wake up to opportunistic self-serving George W", you ignore the fact that we have made our CHOICE for the more Conservative candidate, which is what we WANT, (hint, the votes PROVE it) instead of a man who is, granted, more charismatic and appealing, John McCain.
Algore is not opportunistic and PRIVILEGED? People know, Tom, that Algore grew up in Washington, not in Tennesee, followed his daddy the Senator and got his name for his political lead-in.
Moreover, Al Gore is the biggest hypocrite on the market, MOUTHING OFF for CAMPAIGN FINANCE reform after having KNOWINGLY broke many related LAWS and helping the Clinton administration with Chinese espionage and TREASON.
For the record, I LOVE the Congress of 1994 (still largely intact, by the people's choice) which advocate SELF-RESPONSIBILITY, letting people KEEP more of their own money and PROPELLING the Welfare Fraud Crackdown which has long been due.
Tom Tomorrow replies: I'm getting a little foggy in my dotage -- remind me, when was it, again, that I wrote a cartoon defending Al Gore?