Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for September 05, 2021

We could have round robin match if we had couple more viable parties.

Looks like Red Guy doesn’t know where Blue Guy’s face is. That’s nuts.

We have many parties. And every day it is a fight against everyone.

Wow, that pretty much sums it up……..unfortunately.

The best way to get work done is to filibuster.

“I’m for the 2 party system… One on Friday night, one on Saturday night.”

Manchin, the killer.

There is only one system worse than a two-party system and that is a one-party system. Much of the world can attest to that. Having three or more parties (Canada has five parties with seats in Parliament right now, plus a slew of fringe parties whose candidates seldom get more than a hundred votes) does allow for a more graduated approach to voting but the violent lunatic fringe is now making its appearance even here.

The real solution is to have people of good will on each side willing to compromise with each other. “Compromise” has been a slur ever since the Tea Party ousted the Republicans.

Forgive the gaps in my logic. I need to go to bed.

ain’t US politics grand?

We want to Fill potholes but all we get are Filibusters.

There’s already so much stuff that shouldn’t be considered political issues that freaks have made into political issues. Let’s just bring back the zeebas.

Let prison chain gangs fix the roads.

The two-party system serves the two parties, and that’s it. What the USA needs (and Canada) is a system of proportional representation. The best one is Germany’s mixed system, under which most MPs are still elected directly, but a third of the seats are allotted so that overall representation is as close to the popular vote as possible.

A one party system is very EFFICIENT. Many historical examples. Some day we will all be Democrats* and be happy. No more bickering. Ruled my science and guided by the ideals of the great party leaders! /s

*Feel free to substitute the party of your choice.

They forgot because serving the country is a lower priority than serving the party.

Not realistic. There is not even agreement on what is needed (such as a new road). And, typically, if blue does agree with red on something then red will turn around and block it or deny it.

When you see a parity between the GOP and the Democrats, it is time to hang up your drawing pencil Pastis.

Pig what part of the punching did you like ?

The red guy dropped a kick in the cojones to the guy in blue. Reminds me of how Merrick Garland was treated when he was up for SCOTUS consideration.

Where are the lobbyists from Big Oil, Pharmaceutics, Healthcare conglomerates and the banking and criminal justice institutions? These are the one percenters who have probably bought out the guys (also one percenters thanks to the conglomerates) who are kicking the crap out of each other in this Pastis cartoon. In the end run the lobbyists seem to deem what bills make it through congress not what is common sense and good for society in general.

Yeah, you can enjoys more in a multi party system. All the hung parliaments, unstable governments, horse trading, etc etc.

I can’t wait until the Aaron Burr inspired episode.

Get rid of the parties, elect individuals on their merit, but how many voters would take the time to check them out? Probably have “pretty boys and girls” running the country!

Pig…I’m thinking you mean Pun-Ching Like cha-Ching, or ba-da-boom Seems out of your character to like violence…with hearts! is this a Pastis set-up???

Term limits, people. Power corrupts. It doesn’t matter which party you speak of.

So Sad, that politics are the norm now and for the most part controlled by big money, not your vote, only because too many lazy withdrawn people DO NOT VOTE!

“Let’s just agree to disagree…no wait: let’s just agree, THEN disagree!”

you forgot the part when they pocket the money for the job.

Why don’t the road builders start their own party?

Why are we so divided?

The Electoral College creates a two-party system, since you need a majority – not a plurality – of the College to win the Presidency. Three strong parties means that Congress picks the President.

Both the Republicans and the Democrats are coalitions of smaller groups that have joined together to get 51%. And since the Electoral College is enshrined in the Constitution, good luck getting rid of it. You would need the approval of the people who benefit from it to do that.

Remember when everybody thought the American system was the best in the world?

Hey, it’s Terrance and Phillip!

Yes, our roads need fixed. However, a $1 trillion (or $3.5 trillion) infrastructure bill is such a lie. Only a fraction of it went to infrastructure. The rest went to pet projects. It’s kinda like a gas tax hike in Missouri that failed. The title of the hike was for roads. Reading the bill showed the majority went to the highway patrol. It failed at the ballot box. I would have voted for it if ALL of it went to its intended purpose.

Frankly, I despise both parties and identify with neither. Unless we somehow find a middle ground in this nation then we are doomed. And, tbh, call it a waste of a vote if you want, I’ll write in the name of my neighbor’s dog before I vote for a dem or repub again. I don’t identify with the policy and planks of the democratic party/platform and the repubs have turned into a bunch of stark raving loons! Yep, color me done with the 2-party system.

The strip has it all wrong, but I know there are space limitations. Here’s how it really went:

“We need road repairs. Let’s float a bond to pay for them.”

“We need road repairs. Let’s let billionaires pay for it, in exchange for making it a toll road for forty years. Despite the fact that the taxpayers paid to have it built in the first place, now they can pay to drive on it, too!”

forgot the part where the blue party tries to actually fix the road, but the red party steals all the funds and gives them to rich people to hoard

Excellent point, Stephan.

A two party systems is like having two dirty shirts. You are always choosing between the less dirty one without ever cleaning them. (Piet Hein – I may have the quote somewhat wrong).

Problem is some people who have the knowledge don’t have the money to run!

Two parties is even worse with social media added

I watch absolutly zero news and that helps alot. Unfortunately it spills over to comics sometimes, you can run but not hide

It’s always nice when it’s a Sunday and it isn’t another of those stupid forced-“pun” strips.

A certain group won’t do the right thing.

Infrastructure week! Two enter, none come out!

Y’know, I think maybe everyone should listen to him.

No no no, this is all wrong… the first panel is unrealistic. They never would have both agreed on something.

Red guy will tell you taxes are too high and that government wastes too much money, so taxes shouldn’t be raised to pay for road repair. Blue guy will tell you that we are too reliant on cars and the internal combustion engine and are harming the environment, so we should pay for transit instead of fixing roads.

“But I’ll only give the people their needed road if I can also get funded for a special commission counting hedgehogs in West Nigeria. I suppose you, too, have similar funding needs so we can finally agree on this bill. Then we can proudly say we’re serving the people.”

oh, trust me, you’re so lucky having just two…

Why must politics be so divided? Can we not agree on something else?

Forget the politicians, I’d love to see a knock down, drag out debate between Conservative radio and progressive radio. Together on live TV. Make it pay-per-view, with 100% of the fee going to the veterans committee. Each side tells their story, but only to one side, theirs. I would love to se a show where Fox News “reporters” presents their version of a subject, and maybe, Thom Hartman presents the progressive side, and vice versa. Because these are the sources of what every politician says in public…

The “two-party” system is supposed to be what provides the checks and balances to get the road fixed at the lowest cost and with the superior quality to make it last. (“supposed to be”)

Why don’t we just have a monarchy and get it over with,(I will be the King)

While it’s obvious that they’re talking about repairing an existing road, they both agree that a new road is needed. That’s the LAST thing that’s needed. New roads take money away from maintenance of existing roads, they wreck neighborhoods and ecosystems, and they generate pollution and more CO2 both in their construction and use.

Too bad the two parties never disagree when it comes to paving more of the planet..

PASTIS NAILS IT AGAIN!!!!

Okay, Stephen. Don’t start dragging Danny Donkey and Ella Elephant into this too.

How many times must I say it ? There are 3 things wrong with party politics.—-#1 Money—-#2 Money—-#3 Money.

Much of the world’s 2 party system. Sadness.

And evolving to never agree with anything anyone else says.

Nine years after Hurricane Sandy, New York still didn’t do anything about their failing drainage system and now flooding from Ida has been the result. Two-party system = two cheeks on the same…

We have computers. Why do we even need politicians anymore?

Whattsa big deal? That’ what Continuous Campaigning is all about.

reminds me of Terence & Phillip from south park. I was expecting a fart joke….

In Omaha, they just tear out the old asphalt and either put down gravel or just plain dirt. Saves a ton on maintenance, and if people complain, I understand the city tells them “too bad, so sad”

I’m impressed by the enhanced border around the ‘episode’ boxes.

It’s a reality show that’s gone stale. They need to add more excitement.

That’s funny, but the real fight is over, “Who is going to pay for our new road?”

We have an interstate bridge that was out of date 60 years ago. At one point the politicians on both sides, in both states, agreed to a viable plan. It got nixed by the environmentalists, who just don’t like cars. Or people. Or, well, pretty much of anything.

What we need is to know how to swallow our pride, and work on problems that affect us all because that is what being a community, even a society, means.

And yet RandAl-Boor thinks the elections were stolen or doctored. With ReThuglican gerrymandering, yes. But there has been virtually no findings to satisfy many court cases and in fact ReThuglican lawyers are being sued to recover frivolous court costs by judges who have dismissed cases. Oops! I take part of that back, and apologize – there were a few cases. One was the man accused of killing his wife, and weeks after he reported her missing he cast her ballot for Rumpy the Clown. Nothing suspicious there eh, Boor? Oh, and the other guy whose mom died quite a while ago but managed to have her ballot cast with his, again for the Bulbous Buttwhistle. Y’all got any cases that’ll stand up to more than about a minute of fact checking there, bub? Let’s hear what ya got?

The name calling and the punching is what happens when one (or more) of the parties become obstructionist, their brains and opinions calcified (I’m a-lookin’ at you, Moscow Mitch!). Then, out of frustration, the ‘other party’ becomes belligerent. Doesn’t help when the GOP/tRump/George W say and do things verifiably wrongheaded and dunb.

You are on a Roll Stephen, keep’em coming

Pig delivers a lame punchline, so to speak. The system hurts….

I find the mind-numbing adherence of voters to the 2 party system in this country to be frightening; I always vote farther down the ballot….. To imagine that every 4 years we have only a hand-full of special interest fueled candidates to choose from is a travesty.

As long as the statutory duopoly parties maintain the advantage they gave themselves a century ago, we will not see any new political parties compete successfully for votes.

That’s overly pessimistic. Slightly.

The voters could reject those parties at the ballot box to a greater degree. They already reject to a large and increasing degree the use of those two labels to describe themselves.

Changing to Ranked Choice Voting (aka Immediate Runoff Voting) might induce the two old parties to behave better, both in campaigning and in office. Or if not, facilitate their replacement. (I’m somewhat doubtful. They aren’t opposing it as strongly as I expected.) Links.1. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ranked.choice.voting2. https://www.facebook.com/search/groups/?q=ranked%20choice%20voting

Initiative petitioning allows the people to circumvent the legislature and governor. That’s a possible path to more competitive elections in some states.

The largest voting bloc in the country is “I don’t bother to vote”.

There would be no issue if it were just about roads. But, when you stuff a lot of pork into the roads…

I take the point of the cartoon but we’re well beyond the point where we can afford false equivalency.

Oh how true, sadly. They give America a bad name

Why is this comic so political

(Not that i want an answer, let this comment be unanswered)