Donald Trump’s Cabinet

This week’s Dustinland comic is about Donald Trump’s cabinet. The comic does not portray the real one, but rather my take on his dream cabinet. But what I’m really trying to say is that Trump seems to be enacting the classic conservative tactic of appointing people who don’t believe in an agency’s stated goal to head that agency. So if there’s an agency dedicated to saving trees, he appoints a guy who works for the lumber industry. That sort of thing. That way he doesn’t have to go through the hard work of actually killing the EPA. He can just make it useless and weak via an oil industry stooge.

This is happening across the board, in the name of the economy, jobs and big business! I think we have to try this every 4-8 years because people forget what happens. This time I’m thinking all we’ll need is two. Two years of Trump and I think people will be just about done. Definitely metaphorically but perhaps literally. Hopefully not though. Hey, hopefully I’m wrong about this whole thing and Trump is the best president ever. Fingers crossed.

You Better Watch Out

This week’s Dustinland sort of took the theme of last week’s comic and combined it with the holidays. I’m not really sure I love how it turned out, but it was my first time actually drawing Trump, believe it or not, and I think that took time away from the writing. But man, that guy has no neck. Who knew? Everyone focuses on the hair and skin color and now chins, but I feel like he really is neckless. I mean, our long line of presidents is not a beauty pageant by any means, so I am not saying it has any effect on his leadership ability to not have a clear definition between head and shoulders in the form of a neck. I’m just saying I looked at a lot of photos to draw the guy and it’s basically just straight lines up from shoulders to head.

Merry Christmas!

Post Debate Syndrome

This week’s Dustinland comic describes my post debate mood. More so directly after the debate rather than the following day, but either way, it’s super depressing. I actually had to take a Benadryl to get to sleep last night, the debates stress me out so much. Instead of inspiring you, they make you feel like shit. It’s a real bummer. Hopefully we’ve hit the bottom but who knows. There’s always worse.

From The Bottom Of My Heart

This latest Dustinland comic will probably offend some people but oh well. At this point, Dustinland is a non-profit venture. I don’t make money off it, and my livelihood does not depend upon it. So I can do with it whatever I want, and at this point, I feel like venting. Perhaps you agree with me, perhaps you don’t. Either way, it’s hard to argue with this one fact: I hate this election more than any I have ever been witness to. It is awful and depressing, and winning is losing to some degree in either situation. That’s how I feel, and that sucks — for me.

It will probably suck for you too whether you know it or not, and that’s sad. Hey, maybe not. Maybe everything will turn out just fine. I would love that. I would love to be wrong. Because unlike most people these days, I’d rather be happy than right.

The Choice Is Yours

Not must more I could say about this week’s Dustinland comic. Well, not really a comic. An infographic? Not that either. Lots of words presented in a sort of appealing manner, I guess. If I wasn’t a dad with a demanding job I would have thought up a really cool way to actually portray all this information in comic form, but that would have required me to literally not sleep for several days, which is an unpleasant option. Not as unpleasant as our likely future, but still not fun.

Overall I do think we are fucked no matter who gets elected, but at least we should try. Trump and the entire GOP is the opposite of trying. Voting Republican at this point is really just saying “Hey we’re on a speeding train heading off a cliff and I want it to go faster.” Voting for the Democrats may not stop the train but at least there’s a possibility it could. At least we could maybe slow down the misery. At best we can keep pushing for the truly dramatic solution we really need to save this planet and the future of human civilization. Not for 1,000 years from now, but within our lifetimes. That’s the risk. And Donald and the rest of the GOP don’t want to believe it.

Hey, look at that, I did say more about this week’s comic.

Truly Trump

This week’s Trump-inspired Dustinland comic is pretty straightforward. But where it came from is actually more interesting. I’ve thought about the culture war thing behind both the intense and illogical hatred of Obama and the rise of Trump for a while. So clearly that was a big part of this strip. The fact that people support Trump not really because of policy but because they want to “win.” There’s an us vs. them mentality in this country, and it’s been particularly stoked on the right by FOX News and rightwing radio for financial gain. So supporting Trump’s “initiatives” is really just code for “he’s one of us.” I don’t think this is really that much of a new thought, although I feel good about repeating it. But one unexpected thing that inspired this strip came to me through a little research into the other side.

You can read all the opinion articles and punditry pieces you want. Even when they’re incredibly thoughtful and well-informed, you can still learn just as much by reading forums and comment sections. I came across a post by a conservative talk show host asking his followers why they liked Trump despite the many instances where he has clearly not stood up for traditional conservative values and issues. There were some comments where people straight up said”I know it’s not rational, I know he probably doesn’t know what he’s doing politically, but I’m so angry and he is the voice of my anger.” I always assumed it was something subconscious. To hear people admitting they will vote for a crappy, inexperienced candidate simply because he says the right things and makes them feel good, that was really something amazing to see. It’s basically someone accepting that propaganda is working on them, and embracing it, sort of like loving Big Brother at the end of 1984.

Really fun times, guys. I can’t wait to see how crazy conservatives get if they lose the election. Will they be able to handle it, or will they go off the deep end and wreck some serious havoc? Will they look inward and try to make some real changes to their party and approach? Will they double down and dig the hole deeper? I’m sure whatever happens, it will be unpleasant for everyone.

Parenthood New Year’s Eve

Happy New Year everyone! This final Dustinland comic of 2015 highlights what’s in store for all the parents of small children out there – and it’s not a late night of dining, dancing and drinking.

Enjoy and thanks for the support! See you all in 2016!

Season In The Abyss

This week’s Dustinland comic was basically one long rant so I don’t really have much left to say about the subject matter, but it was nice to do something political for the first time in a while. Back in the post 9-11 era I used to drop politics comics all the time but it’s just gotten more and more boring and obvious. And on the other hand, with the Daily Show, Colbert, Twitter in general, etc… there are so many smart, funny people saying insightful things about politics on a daily/minute basis, it’s hard to find something new to say or a new way to say it. But here it is, my sad take on the sad 2016 elections. In some ways I do love how much of a joke the Republican field has become, but in reality, it takes (at least) two healthy parties to make a well-functioning government. The fact that the GOP has sunk so low and has become so directionless — and is increasingly controlled by two rich oil barons — really doesn’t bode well for the future of the U.S. and the world. Fun times!

I wonder if any trolls will comment on this. I hope not. Such a waste of time and energy on their part and mine if I even choose to respond.