Gary Varvel: Vacating the Speaker's chair

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Rep. Matt Gaetz is literally a pain in Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s derriere. Gaetz and 7 other republicans joined forces with all of the democrats to oust McCarthy from the Speaker’s chair. While I am not a McCarthy or Gaetz fan, I am sick and tired of kicking the national debt can down the road using ‘continuing resolutions.’ This is political infighting and I don’t really care. A week from now when the chair is filled again, we’re not going to care much about this. 

I don’t know about you but I roll my eyes when I hear people say they are upset because Republicans have caused chaos and now they aren’t doing the people’s business. Listen, the best thing Congress could do for the American people is to go home and stop messing up the country with more spending and more regulations.

President Ronald Reagan was right: 

“Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem."

Trump was right again. Biden just reversed himself and is going to build Trump’s wall.

During the 2020 campaign, Biden told NPR, “there will not be another foot of wall constructed on my administration.”

In a major reversal his administration is going to build 20 miles of wall. When asked about it, he said he still doesn’t think a wall works and he tried to redirect money that Congress appropriated for constructing the wall, but was unsuccessful so he has waived federal restrictions.

If Biden was serious about improving the living conditions in America, he would reinstate Trump’s energy policies.

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THE SAD STATE OF EDITORIAL CARTOONING JOBS

Another one bites the dust. The Minneapolis Star Tribune eliminates its editorial cartoonist position. Mike Thompson was hired to replace Steve Sack, the Pulitzer-prize winning cartoonist Steve Sack who retired earlier this year.

Now get this: The Star Tribune says it will hire Thompson on a freelance basis. Readers may not notice a difference but I’m assuming Thompson will lose his employment benefits.

I just talked with Mike a few weeks ago. He called me to get my take on former President Donald Trump. We had an interesting discussion about why I and a few other conservative cartoonists think differently about Trump than the majority of cartoonists on the left, like himself. I may refer to that conversation in the future but for now, the issue is the demise of my profession.

Editorial cartoonists have been the canary in the coal mine, so to speak. As newspapers began losing revenue and subscribers, it became necessary to cut costs. (Unlike the federal government)

Syndicated cartoons are a lot cheaper than paying full benefits for a full-time cartoonist. Of course newspapers that just run syndicated work, they no longer have cartoons on local politics. What some have done is to hire their former cartoonist as a freelancer.

Minneapolis is just the latest newspaper to ax their cartoonist.

Gannett, owner of USA Today, is the largest newspaper chain in America. At one time it employed the most editorial cartoonists in the nation. Today it employs none. I took the buyout and left on January 2, 2019.

Interestingly enough, Mike Thompson was the last Gannett cartoonist working for USA Today until February 2, 2022 when he took the buyout and left.

In August a class action lawsuit was filed by five current and former Gannett employees claiming Gannett discriminates against white workers to meet diversity goals. I’m not surprised.

Personal note: I can’t thank you enough for your support. Since leaving the newspaper business, you have given me a new career in producing Views From The Right newsletter.

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THE FUTURE OF GAS-POWERED VEHICLES

Steve Baranyk, a Views From The Right subscriber, wrote to remind me of how well-made the cars are today. He said that car owners are driving their cars over 200,000 miles and keeping them 12 years and more. He’s right, I just sold my 2004 Mustang last year.

Baranyk writes, “What that means is that if the automakers stop producing fossil fuel powered vehicles a very robust industry will quickly emerge rebuilding these fossil fuel powered vehicles.  Rather than spend upwards of $50K and more on an EV many will simply have their current vehicle refurbished for a fraction of the cost and continue driving if for another ten years.  The roads in the USofA will come to look like the roads in Cuba except our vehicles will be in better shape.”

Great point, Steve. Necessity is the mother of invention and I believe you’re right, many people will not be able to afford an EV and will seek to refurbish their gas-powered cars. But what happens if Biden’s climate change kooks shut down gas stations?

RIGHT QUOTE

"Without God, there could be no American form of Government, nor an American way of life. Recognition of the Supreme Being is the first -- the most basic -- expression of Americanism. Thus the Founding Fathers saw it, and thus, with God's help, it will continue to be.” — President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1955.

RIGHT LINKS

Townhall - Larry O’Connor: Sage Steele tells Bill Maher about Joe Biden's mental inabilities, Donald Trump's fiery warning about communism in America and more.

Townhall - Spencer Brown: Biden backtracks on promise not to build ‘Another Foot of Wall’ at the border.

American Greatness - Debra Heine: After allowing 8 million illegal aliens to enter country, the Biden regime decides to revive border wall construction in Texas.

Townhall - Rebecca Downs: GOP congressman: Trump endorsing Jim Jordan for speaker.

Indiana Policy Review - Craig Ladwig: An Indianapolis organization paid ($30 million) to stop violence by . . . well, by talking about it.

My Latest Series of Essays

Part 1 — God’s 7000-year timeline: Mount Sinai, Transfiguration, Jericho and Sabbath Prophecies

Part 2 — The Rapture

Part 3 — God’s 7000-year timeline: Hosea and Woman at the Well Prophecy

Part 4 — God’s 7000-year timeline: The Lazarus Prophecy

Part 5 — God’s 7000-year timeline: The Job Prophecy

Part 6 — God’s 7000-year timeline: The Jubilee Prophecy

Part 7 — God’s 7000-year timeline: The Good Samaritan Prophecy

Part 8 — God’s 7000-year timeline: The Creation Prophecy

Part 9 — God’s 7000-year timeline: The Wedding in Cana Prophecy

Part 10 — God’s 7000-year timeline: The Esther Prophecy