Environment

Norfolk Southern

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.

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Mutated Toxic Train Spill Bear

When I first saw one Republican after another expressing outrage over a toxic chemical spill from a train derailment, I thought maybe I was having a stroke. My second thought was that maybe it was derailed by drag queens with Hunter’s laptop and black history books (don’t steal that cartoon idea, fuckers).

Republicans care about the environment? Republicans get upset over a corporation dumping toxic waste? Republicans taking a position in favor of more regulations and funding for the environment? Republicans maybe being in favor of stiff fines for corporations that crap on the environment? No. They aren’t in favor of any of that. But I knew this was a heavy topic on Fox News after I saw about six cartoons from the goons on it.

Don’t tell me that the goons who want to give contracts to oil corporations to drill for oil in national parks care about a toxic chemical spill.

Norfolk Southern Railroad had a train derailment and spilled toxins in East Palestine, Ohio. People are sick. One person said he can’t get the taste of batteries out of his mouth. I’ve never eaten a battery but I can’t imagine that tastes good. What Republicans are doing is using this disaster to attack political opponents. This time, they’re going after the Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, because blah blah blah he’s a member of the Biden administration and he’s gay. If you listen to Republicans long enough, you’d think Mayor Pete had hijacked the train and derailed it himself.

Most of the howls coming from the GOP about this spill are about Buttigieg, and not exactly about the spill. They’re not talking about cleaning this up, preventing future train derailments, helping those affected, or concerns about the environment. Everything they’re saying is about Buttigieg. This is only about politics for them. Jim “Gym” Jordan doesn’t give a shit about a toxic chemical spill in Ohio, and that’s his state.

Just a few months ago, there was a threat of a railway strike. Rail workers got just about everything they wanted but the one thing they didn’t get was paid time off. They didn’t get it because one party voted against it. Guess which party that was. Yup, Republicans.

Over the past six years, railways have laid off 30 percent of their workforce. One way the rail companies save money is by adding as many cars to a train as possible because a 100-car train does not require more workers than a 50-car train. The train that derailed in East Palestine was a 150-car train.

Republicans voted against helping railway workers and then act surprised when something fucks up. Why didn’t someone warn them this would happen? Oh, yeah. Railway workers warned them. But Republicans don’t listen to the workers. They only listen to CEOs, board members, lobbyists, and male hookers through the glory holes in airport bathroom stalls.

Senator Marco Rubio has called for Buttigieg’s resignation, claiming the oversight from his department caused this crash. But you know who Republicans aren’t blaming? The one name I’m not seeing in any of their tweets is Norfolk Southern.

They’re not blaming the corporation. They’re not blaming Donald Trump, whom they worked with to cut regulations making the transportation of toxic chemicals even more dangerous. They’re not blaming themselves for cutting regulations. They’re not blaming themselves for defending corporations from being fined for destroying the environment. They’re not blaming themselves for voting against the infrastructure package. They’re not blaming themselves for voting against paid time off for railway workers.

Workers need rest. People need to sleep. People who don’t get enough rest can seriously mess up at work. Take me for example. I never get enough sleep and came dangerously close to giving that two-headed bear a dick.

Blaming Buttigieg is the same strategy Republicans have been using over the past several years. They yell and scream while not offering actual solutions or finding anything specific to scream about. It’s like Wokeism. They’re gonna fight it, just don’t ask them what it is. They’re gonna go to war to make cuts before they raise the debt ceiling, just don’t ask them what they’re gonna cut. They say a black history course is hateful, just don’t ask them which part. They howl about President Biden shooting down objects over Lake Huron when they don’t know what he shot down or where Lake Huron is. And they’re screaming for Mayor Pete’s head, claiming his oversight of the railway industry led to this derailment, while they can’t point out what he did to cause this derailment.

I think Cocaine Bear would be better at legislating than Republicans.

Music note: I really got into the crosshatching and coloring of this and took my time, which is the best way to do it. And the best way to be patient and relaxed while drawing is to listen to music. I was all over the place with this one, listening to Frankie Valli, The Fray, Garbage, Finger Eleven, Rihanna, Marshall Tucker, M, The Breeders, and stuff I can’t recall now.

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.

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Flat Earth Kitty Purr Purr Purr

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I’m always on my colleagues about drawing so many cliff cartoons. At the site GoComics, I saw four in one day last week. Cartoonists draw a lot of cliffs. I will draw one every now and then but I try to limit it to one a year…or even less. This cartoon does include a cliff, but since it’s, as my proofer Laura said, “So weird and random,” I don’t think it counts.

What do you think? Is this a cliff cliché cartoon?

Here’s your cartoon for this week’s CNN Opinion newsletter. Please sign up to get these in your inbox every Sunday. 

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 9103, Fredericksburg, VA 22403. 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: I have Three copies of my book in stock, which I’m selling 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 9103, Fredericksburg, VA 22403.

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Costa Rica Tap

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This cartoon was first published on March 15, 2019, in The Costa Rica Star.

Be Complicit

What kind of person would want to be part of something that disparages, slanders, and disrespects Dear Leader and his sycophantic followers? Hopefully, you. 
Making a contribution supports my work and keeps the cartoons, columns, and videos coming. My income is from newspapers that subscribe to my work and small contributors. George Soros hasn’t sent me a million dollar check in weeks. Making a contribution of any amount, or buying a print for $40.00, makes you part of this specific resistance, and a member of Team Claytoonz (we’re still working on the name). You are complicit, an accomplice, and in cahoots (and whatever gangster terms we can think of) with this political satire pointing out that the stupid emperor has no clothes. Contributions can be made through PayPal, checks, and wads of cash exchanged in back alleys.
Whether you can help support, can’t, or just choose not to, please continue to enjoy and keep reading my work. Thank you!!! 

You can purchase a signed print of this cartoon.

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A Clean Cartoon

cjones04042017

Donald Trump has a very strong position on the environment. He’s against it.

Last Tuesday Trump issued an executive order that he didn’t forget to sign. This one rolls back federal regulations issued by President Obama to protect the environment. One detail of the new order is that the government isn’t to consider environmental impacts when making decisions. Who needs national parks and polar bears?

This brings us to coal. Trump likes to say “clean coal.” He can’t even say it convincingly. There is no such thing as “clean coal.” Did you know that the people who came up with the slogan for Las Vegas “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” are the same ones who came up with the “clean coal” campaign? Just because you heard it in an ad doesn’t make it true. Coal is not clean, herpes won’t stay in Vegas, and Trump does not make America great again.

Trump says the war on coal is over. Never mind the fact that it’s literally poison. Our new director of the EPA won’t buy that because he hates things like science and the EPA. Trump is promising to bring coal jobs back. Once again, he’s a liar.

Coal production today matches the same output it had in 1981. The world is moving forward in other energy sources. In 2015 the solar industry employed 260,000 people in the US, while the coal industry employed 70,000. In 2016, the number of people working in the solar-energy industry rose by 25 percent. Wind-energy employment spiked 32 percent. We are not going back to coal.

China leads the world in renewable energy with the U.S. coming in second. The U.K, Germany, Canada, Denmark, Japan, and even Russia are making advances in the field. They’re not looking at coal. Where will we be by the end of Trump’s term (whether he finishes or it’s handed off to Pence)?

I understand workers in an industry watching their careers and jobs go away. I’m in the newspaper industry. No one is hiring political cartoonists. I’m sure if a politician told me he was going to bring my job back that I would know he was a liar and was only pandering to me. I would feel disrespected and then I’d draw him as a shit weasel.

Coal miners who voted for Trump were bamboozled just as much as all those people who benefited from Obamacare and those who’ll get screwed over by his budget. If you’re in the top two percent, hey, you’re golden.

Coal miners should realize that Trump’s lies are dirtier than their coal.

Creative stuff: I really liked the way the black and white version turned out. So I decided to send that version to GoComics, as an experiment. Plus, I’m posting it here.

cjones04042017

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Making EPA Toxic

cjones12102016

I really hope The Simpsons are not on a roll with their political predictions.

In 2000 The Simpsons had an episode where Bart has a vision of the future and his sister, Lisa, is the new president of the United States. She makes a comment about the huge deficit and how the country is broke because of her predecessor, President Donald Trump.

This was in 2000 and the idea of Trump being president was supposed to be a huge joke about the stupidity of Americans…and the disaster a Trump presidency would bring.

If The Simpsons’ predictions keep coming true then within the next four years the Environmental Protection Agency will enclose a toxic American city inside a giant glass bubble, not let the citizens escape, and hide it from America, which was the plot of The Simpsons Movie. Eventually EPA (as Grandpa Simpson called it) will attempt to destroy the city and promote America’s brand new Grand Canyon, promoted with help by Tom Hanks (who also comments during the closing credits “If you see me in person, please leave me be.”)

Donald Trump has nominated a climate change denialist to his cabinet as head of the E.P.A. Scott Pruitt is the Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma, where they got rid of the environment. Pruitt is an advocate and puppet for the fossil fuel industry. Pruitt has sued the E.P.A. multiple times.

Pruitt has stated there’s disagreement within the science community about Climate Change. There’s not. He has claimed it’s a hoax, and has vowed to kill the Paris accord which commits nearly every nation to take action to fight climate change.

A 2014 investigation by The New York Times found that energy lobbyists drafted letters for Mr. Pruitt to send, on state stationery, to the E.P.A., the Interior Department, the Office of Management and Budget and even President Obama, outlining the economic hardship of the environmental rules.

If this man will allow oil and coal companies to write letters on his behalf and on his letterhead, he’ll let them write regulations.

Trump met with Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio to talk about the climate. His daughter wants to advocate to fight Climate Change. Trump campaigned stating that Climate Change was a hoax created by the Chinese (surprised he didn’t blame Comet Ping Pong Pizza), but has since said he’s “open minded” about it.

No. Trump is not open minded. He’s placing Ben Carson (a man who doesn’t know anything and has said he’s not qualified) to head HUD, a woman who hates education in charge of education, and reports are coming out now that he wants a fast-food CEO who hates the minimum wage and wants to replace human employees with robots, to head the department of Labor.

So if Trump and Pruitt imprison a U.S. city inside a giant glass bubble, can he get Mexico to pay for it?

Psst. See the fish in the cartoon? I told you watched way too much of The Simpsons marathon last week.

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Dumpster Paradise

crsta10282016

Here is this week’s cartoon for The Costa Rica Star.

Costa Rica is noted for its high quality of life. They have universal health care and a higher life expectancy than the United States. They don’t even have an army. They have created “blue zones” which are areas with a high quality of life. In addition to that there are blue flags planted on beaches to designate how clean they are. Meanwhile the Tarcoles river has become a dump, which ends up flowing into the ocean.

The river is the most contaminated in the country and its watershed drains approximately 67% of Costa Rica’s untreated organic and industrial waste. its watershed cover 2,121 kilometers which encompasses about half the nation’s population. It’s a real contradiction to the nation’s image of environmentalism.

Did you like this cartoon? Want to help a cartoonist make a living? Look to the right of this page and make a donation through Paypal. I need to buy pens, paper, sandwiches, and dog food. The starving cartoonist and his Beagle appreciates it. If you’ve donated in the past, THANK YOU!!!

Don’t Stand So Close

cjones04222015

With the title of this blog I’m continuing the music theme I started at the beginning of this week. The first was on country music. Yesterday was a Republican rock band with “Free Bird.” Today’s title is “Don’t stand so close.” If you don’t know what song that’s from, well that just Stings.