Deploying the razor-sharp wit and incisive take-no-prisoners satire characteristic of his generation, Gen Xer Ted Rall has become one of the most widely read editorial cartoonists in America. Twice the winner of the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, Rall's work has appeared in hundreds of newspapers, as well as such magazines as Time, Newsweek, Fortune and MAD. He is also the author of 15 books, including several graphic novels and political polemics about Central and South Asia.
© Ted Rall - All Rights Reserved.
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MortyForTyrant said, 5 months ago
A bit too simple, Ted. Income inequality is – to some extend – the fault of the “little people”. Don’t buy overpriced stuff. Don’t buy imported stuff. Unionize. Don’t accept wage cuts, rather go on strike. Vote in people that will re-create the progressive tax structure of the 50’s (90% at the top). Live within your means, don’t feed the banks. This and more would turn around the country pretty fast. People can do a lot more then just whining…
Ted Rall
said, 5 months ago
Check out the caption, Morty. This cartoon isn’t about income inequality. This cartoon is about posterity. Right now, especially in Europe and here in the United States, wealthy elites and their pet politicians are telling ordinary people that they have to cut back while the lifestyles of the rich continue unaffected. That’s what this is about.
Since you did bring up income inequality, however, the main cause of income inequality is the absence of communism. As long as you have a capitalist system in which it is considered perfectly acceptable to say that one person’s labor is worth more than someone else’s, you will have income inequality. Moreover, as long as you have that system, inequality will continue to get worse. Until revolution inevitably occurs. That’s the nature of capitalism.
I have to laugh when you talk about not buying overpriced stuff or imported stuff. Voting with your dollars doesn’t work. Only in small communities. When you say not to have accepted wage cuts and to go on strike and to unionize, I’m right there with you, but you’re kind of conveniently forgetting the fact that the government has been passing all sorts of laws to make it more difficult to do all of those things. The balance between labor and management has tilted decidedly toward management to the point that labor can’t possibly get back to an even playing field. You can’t possibly vote in anyone who would restore a progressive taxation system because there is no one like that running, and no one like that will be allowed to run under this particular political system. Actually, under the present system, there really isn’t anything anyone can do other than whine. The answer is to get rid of the current system.
But, although that is an interesting subject, and one that I’ve written extensively about and will continue to do so in the future, this cartoon really is about the drive toward austerity.
Radish
said, 5 months ago
Adam Smith said, The worst words in any language are, ‘All for us and none for them.’
cgrantt57 said, 5 months ago
Radish…Aerosmith had better words…“eat the rich.”
Kylie2112 said, 5 months ago
@cgrantt57
As did Motörhead.
narrowminded said, 5 months ago
@Ted Rall
Those seeking a workers paradise always conveniently ignore or forget about the one third of the population that will need to be killed, imprisoned or re-educated to reach their goal.
Ironic that editorial cartoonists are usually the first to go.
Leftists never learn.
zoidknight said, 5 months ago
@MortyForTyrant
Actually, the problem is not “income inequality” it is those who think that they should not have to work and are still “entitled” to money and income. You know, those who have been on wellfare for 4 or 5 generations.
zoidknight said, 5 months ago
@narrowminded
They also believe true communism has never been tried and are not capable of realizing that it does not work.
mattro53 said, 5 months ago
The American Way
MortyForTyrant said, 5 months ago
@Ted Rall
Austerity: yes, i read the caption, but i did put more weight on the visual, the rich guys vs. the poor guys, therefor i commented on income inequality. And if you look at it from a totally unemotional point of view you must come to the conclusion that austerity really is for the poor since the rich don’t need to safe (and their spending might even slow the downward trend of the economy, but I don’t buy into “trickle down”, don’t get me wrong). This is not NICE, but it is a fact. The question is what to do about it.
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Communism/Revolution: I read your last book and the only reason you didn’t actually call for an armed uprising is that you know very well where all the arms are and what would happen to you and your followers. Communism also is a step too far for the U.S., why not begin with the mild form of socialism we have here in Germany? Works so well that Jon Stewart recently jokingly remarked that – 70 years after the end of WW2 – we have reached our goal of taking over Europe…
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Inactivity: I agree with you that the system is so entrenched and the people so brainwashed that whining is the last option. But then I have to ask you: why do you still fight? Why do people read these cartoons? Why do they comment here? I don’t think all is lost but that there are a lot of things that need to happen, and the system is rigged to prevent them from happening. For example campaign finance reform including Citizens United. Lacking an actual alien invasion from outer space or an all out civil war all you can do is teach your children that the world they live in is NOT how it’s supposed to be. Oh, and show them “Back to the Future 2”, the world depicted there after Biff gets the Sports Almanac looks more and more like the U.S. of today and/or the future :-(
MortyForTyrant said, 5 months ago
@zoidknight
It is a long-standing practice of the right wing to muddle the word “entitlement”. It has nothing to do with FEELING entitled, it has to do with BEING entitled, on account of having paid into the system. Also very popular: mixing up Social Security and welfare. Totally different programs! And that thing with 4 or 5 generations is probably a flat out lie from the Heritage Foundation or some other think tank, just like the “Welfare Queen” that your St. Ronald always talked about never existed in any numbers that would have made a difference to a country of 300 million people. But you have become so small. Once you walked on the moon, now you withhold food from your elderly and children. I pity you…
MortyForTyrant said, 5 months ago
@narrowminded
Hmmm… Maybe Ted is the clever one here, he would be the first cartoonist to start a communist revolution, at least as far as I remember my history-books, that would give him some immunity. And re-education would be a good thing for ALL Americans, revolution or not. I’ve seen your textbooks and sample questions for 8th graders. If that’s all you got you should stay in your backwater, in the real world (Europe, Asia) that’s 6th grade material…
mikefive said, 5 months ago
@Ted Rall
“Since you did bring up income inequality, however, the main cause of income inequality is the absence of communism.” etc.
♦
Communism defined:
1. a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.
2. ( often initial capital letter ) a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.
♦
A true believer wouldn’t copyright his material. Instead he would allow the common ownership by the community of said material.
d_legendary1 said, 5 months ago
The true definition of Austerity pictured: cut back social services in favor of tax cuts to the wealthy. Its basically what’s killing Greece.
Ms. Ima said, 5 months ago
In communism everyone shares misery equally, except the elite. Capitalism works wherever it is tried, communism has failed everywhere that’s why capitalism has taken over the world. Communism works for people who haven’t figured out how to MAKE money on their own and blame others that have succeeded for their failures.
Had the comic not been explained, it would be evident that the people eating are the elected officials demanding everyone pay for their riches.
Mikefive, great point on copyright, but people that demand communism most of all depend on capitalism to keep them alive. That and live in their mom’s basements.