I’ve seen a lot of cartoons by my right-wing colleagues on the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. I’ve seen them from Michael Ramirez, Chip Bok, Mike Lester, Mike Beckom, Henry Payne, Dana Summers, Gary Varvel, Branco, Tom Stiglich, Steve Kelley, Al Goodwyn, and Ben Garrison and they all have one thing in common. Not one of those cartoonists has mentioned Norfolk Southern, the corporation responsible for the train derailment and environmental disaster.

All of the right-wing MAGA-loving cartoonists have gone after Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and President Joe Biden for not cleaning up the disaster fast enough that was created by a corporation, a corporation that spends millions each year lobbying. Lobbying who? Lobbying Republicans. They also fail to mention that Donald Trump and Republicans deregulated the rail industry’s handling of toxic chemicals. But most conservative political cartoonists don’t let facts get in their way. Ask Dick Wright. Or ask him again…or again.

The derailment spewed toxic chemicals in East Palestine and forced residents to abandon their homes for several days. Leave it to Republicans to howl at Democrats for not cleaning up their mess fast enough.

Norfolk Southern has created a $1 million fund for victims of their toxic chemical disaster and has pledged about $4 million more on cleanup efforts. Don’t cry too much over Norfolk Southern having to spend a few million on this since the company’s value is over $53 billion. That’s “billion” with a big ass “B.”

Last year, Norfolk Southern spent over $4 billion, with another big ass “B,” on stock buybacks. That’s not all. In 2021, they spent $4.36 million on lobbying nationwide. They spent millions over the past decade lobbying to deregulate how they haul toxic chemicals.

They’ve given over $40,000 to the inauguration party and political PACs of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. Over the past six years, they’ve given over $98,000 to Ohio Republicans and almost none to Democrats.

Norfolk Southern lobbied to defeat state legislation, in two different sessions, that would have required a minimum of two-person crews on freight trains, pushed by advocates as a safety measure.

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and other legislators published a letter stating, “It has been reported that the seven Class I (biggest) railroads in the U.S. spent more than $114 billion on stock buybacks and cash distributions and paid more than $77 billion in dividends between 2010 and 2021, amounts that significantly exceed the $138 billion spent on their infrastructure during that period.”

Washington Senator Maria Cantwell said that large railroads “have cut their workforce by nearly one-third, shuttered railyards where railcars are traditionally inspected and are running longer and heavier trains. Thousands of trains carrying hazardous materials, like the one that derailed in Ohio, travel through communities throughout the nation each day.” The train that derailed in East Palestine had 150 cars.

Last year, Republicans voted against paid time off for railway workers.

A corporation created a toxic chemical disaster and the Republicans who helped them do it, and who ignored railway workers’ warnings that this would happen, are blaming Democrats.

Remember when President Obama cleaned up President George W. Bush’s economic disaster and the best complaint from Republicans was that it was a “weak” recovery? Remember when Bill Clinton cleaned up the first Bush’s economic disaster and left a surplus…which Bush’s son later spent on wars and billionaire tax cuts? Republicans create messes and Democrats clean them up so Republicans can make new messes. Right now, President Biden is cleaning up the mess created by Donald Trump. Don’t let them get away with it this time.

Norfolk Southern and Republicans did this. Unlike my colleagues, I will say their names.

Music note: I listened to Nirvana.

Signed prints: The signed prints are just $40.00 each. Every cartoon on this site is available. You can pay through PayPal. If you don’t like PayPal, you can snail mail it to Clay Jones, P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402. I can mail the prints directly to you or if you’re purchasing as a gift, directly to the person you’re gifting.

Notes on my book, Tales From The Trumpster Fire: There are 19 copies of my book in stock, which go for $45.00 each, signed. Also, I have copies of my first book from 1997, Knee-Deep in Mississippi available for $20.00.

Tip Jar: if you want to support the cartoonist, please send a donation through PayPal to clayjonz@gmail.com. You can also snail it to P.O. Box 3721, Fredericksburg, VA 22402.

Watch me draw: