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Writer's pictureWaadl Cartoonist
Jul 254 min read

Monumental Maintenance

Drawn on July 24, 2024 | Published from San Francisco |

 
Illustration of a political institution in crisis
Monumental Maintenance

Imagine a place where, on a civilizational scale, each person’s story is another brick in a humble monument to humanity. Though many go unnoticed, some indistinct individuals in this array of blocks can occasionally stand out. It’s a mixed bag on what causes one to pop from the bunch. Maybe it’s the way sunlight hits their face, perhaps a unique detail in an otherwise rustic texture, or even their awkward effect on a gradually growing crack that you promised you’d address but never really got around to fixing.


There is a temple shared by both Republicans and Democrats, where each load-bearing wing contains a consequential brick.


On the left side of the room, Joe Biden was an unusually strong block, but his mighty legacy had caused him to grow fragile to such a point that, upon increased scrutiny, the hardy brick could no longer hold the weight it once effortlessly bore [1]. Indeed, from fear of jeopardizing the entire edifice and to buttress trust in the stability of the democratic shelter, the community – chisel and spackling knife in hand – chose to retire the noble piece to a less stressful section of the monument, in turn hoisting a new unit in its place [2].


On the right, a party enamored with wall-building faces a troubling fissure caused by a rotting orange brick. The faults are so penetrating and unsightly that the Republican onlookers have desperately cast aside all semblance of reason; instead resorting to misplaced faith in the desire to manifest a reversal in entropy. Perhaps, just perhaps, were the shattered brick praised long enough, the structure might miraculously heal itself.


As we bear witness to the crumbling aesthetic of political facades in this early quarter of the 21st Century, it does appear, however, that Democrats have taken the step to heal fractures while Republicans pray for their defects.



To keep this story from turning into a fully grown fable, the essence of the issue is that Republicans do not have the option of replacing their decaying chunk of clay. Absolute devotion to a cult leader has critically restricted their options down to one single authoritarian, Donald Trump. Democrats, as demonstrated by the July 21, 2024, Biden plot twist to not run for reelection mid-campaign, show a willingness to put the structure's integrity above individual ambition.


Partisanship notwithstanding, pressured by compatriots and as an ideological protest against the threat of totalitarianism [3], the most astonishingly mundane event that could happen in a democracy has just occurred: President Joe Biden, amidst unsubstantiated accusations of corruption and despotism from the Right, chose to step aside, effectively undercutting the whole “crooked radicalism” [4] narrative pegged against him by Republican agitators. In stark contrast, his senile rival, meanwhile, persists in marching to the tune of televised lust for dictatorship [5] and incivility; barreling down toward a self-inflicted deathblow of misogynistic racism [more here]. No matter where one stands on the political spectrum, there is no recovering from this Republican hypocrisy.


The tragedy lies in the contrast: one leader steps aside for the greater good, whereas the other doubles down on his criminal ambitions. The One compromises the whole.


"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few... Or the one."

— Leonard Nimoy as Spock and William Shatner as James T. Kirk, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, 1982.



So, with a sense of finality and armed with the same denigrating reasons used to bulletin President Biden’s impotence, I dare Republicans to tell Donald Trump to stand down. Replace that brick!


 

[1] Mason, J., Renshaw, J. and Holland, S. (2024) Biden ends failing reelection campaign, backs Harris as nominee | reuters, Reuters. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-81-pulls-out-presidential-race-2024-07-21/ (Accessed: 23 July 2024).

 

[2] Miller, Z. et al. (2024) AP survey shows Kamala Harris backed by enough delegates to become Democratic nominee, AP News. Available at: https://apnews.com/article/harris-biden-presidential-candidate-election-withdraw-9fbd153493cb3f088994854fe61a73e9 (Accessed: 23 July 2024).

 

[3] Biden, J.R. (2024) Live: Biden delivers address on his decision to exit the 2024 race, YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/live/3gbvWiW5T7I?si=vy6ASEmo6IfZUE_g (Accessed: 24 July 2024).


[4] Trump, D.J. (July 21, 2024; 12:19PM) Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump), Truth Social. Available at: https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/112826092367825344 (Accessed: July 2024).

"Crooked Joe Biden is the Worst President, by far, in the History of our Nation. He has done everything possible to destroy our Country, from our Southern Border, to Energy Dominance, National Security, International Standing, and so much more. He was annihilated in an Earth Shattering Debate, and now the Corrupt and Radical Democrats are throwing him overboard. He was not fit to serve from the very beginning, but the people around him lied to America about his Complete and Total Mental, Physical, and Cognitive Demise. Whoever the Left puts up now will just be more of the same. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

 

[5] Dictatorship

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