Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for September 10, 2024

You’d think the weird-nose guys would respond with, “Well, crap.”

Having been exposed, the wizard of Oz did try to help Dorothy and Toto to go home.

Having been exposed, the Wizards of Wall Street will just double down.

Actually, it’s a mix of both.

It’s like climate change. Politicians get people worried about the economy when in fact climate change will decimate the economy, and more.

Yes, distract them with bathroom (ahem) cr*p and ship jobs overseas to make a few more bucks for themselves, hurting the economy and of course, all those who lost their jobs…

This time, I’m not exactly happy that Rat said it… because it’s too darn true to allow me “happy.”

Occasionally Rat is right.

truth!

It’s TRUE! But we demand low prices. Used to be things made overseas was junk. But not anymore. Blame ourselves

Every time there’s a major foo fah in government, I look to try to find out what legislation they are sneaking through while attentione is on the foo fah. I’m not always successful.

Exactly what George Carlin was saying!

When you’re climbing the corporate ladder, investors are only interested in their return, and screw anyone that doesn’t think it the ‘’Great American Way!’’.

Thank you, Rat! . . . and Pastis.

How did Rat get so erudite?

Judges and politicians are NOT captives of the super-rich. They are employees.

We could blame ourselves, since we vote for the gov’t… but the mainstream of both parties I think worked together to construct ‘free trade’ with countries that aren’t free, no strong labor movements or environmental protection, health care, … Et Voila! $4 sweatshirts.

Rat hit the nail on the head.

Actually, that politician the men are fans of has moved on to schools performing operations on the kids at schools. I remember my elementary school only had a nurse two and a half days a week, so I guess it would have to happen on one of those days.

The bald guy is typically the design used for Neighbor Bob.

Good on ya, Rat. You said a mouthful.

I have bemoaning this for years, why is everything made overseas , Rat has a good point.

So true.

this is why we have the sturm und drang of politics and fabricated issues, to distract the public from the real issues: that 99% of the nation’s wealth is held by 1% of the population.

Thanks you rat! (Stephan too)

And that is the divide and conquer politics we have

Why doesn’t the fake GOP require separate bathrooms in each house? Excuse me for not caring about this “issue”.

I mean, he’s not wrong.

Rat just said something insightful? Now I’m really depressed.

I’m waiting for the protesters as I have a gender neutral bathroom!!

Exactly, the corps and rich create these issues so they can get their shill politicians elected and get their agendas passed. Divide and concur.

Amen.

Thanks for the clarification, Rat!

Okay, Rat has redeemed himself by speaking some solid truth.

Where are all the usual Leftist commenters defending their Establishment? All I see is begrudging admiration for Rat’s truthful analysis. Maybe there’s hope for us after all.

Stephan, hurry up with the puns, my pun supply is running on fumes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Agreed, but careful, Rat, you wax political, then bam! Comments disabled.

High taxes cause corporations to move to cheaper places. There is a simple cure. One party proposes lower corporate taxes and less regulation, and the other party proposes higher corporate taxes and more regulation.

Too many words for a comic strip… Dang it, I read comics to get away from politics and current events!

Ask women how we feel about “gender neutral” bathrooms. You might get a different response from what men say.

I went to school and have a good job. I care more about my daughter being alone in a bathroom with a biological man than I do about some low paying jobs that are now done for less in cheaper countries.

No mouth on that bald guy. And yet he somehow emits moronic tripe.

When Nixon came in in 1968 any one job was enough to support a family of four. By the time Bush Sr. was out in 1992 ‘middle class’ had been redefined to mean two professional jobs supporting a family. All GOP Presidents in that time, except for four years of Jimmy Carter…

Yes, they did! and the rest of us try to clean up the mess with a cotton swab.

You know it Rat! It’s all been diversion while “THEY” divide and conquer.

We have one of those in our house – top of the stairs, 2nd door on the left. Big deal.

Looking forward to the debate tonight. May the Trump of the Sep 5th Economic Club of New York “word salad” on “How would you improve the cost of Child Care?” be there while Kamala smiles, smirks, nods, shrugs and laughs at his racist, misogynist insults and presents her policies in a normal, caring manner.

Thank you Rat, for helping to clear the air.

The thing is, there’s a lot more to the bathroom thing and ultimately they’re both outgrowths of an underlying problem that has nothing to do with politics.

thank you

I’m surprised that those guys didn’t beat up Rat for being so nosy and for telling the truth.

Wow!!! This is not a political statement, and, right-wing populist backers of trumpsterweird, when are you going to figure out that THIS is how so many lost their jobs?:

Rat is absolutely correct. It’s the “look over there” distraction technique.

Actually, many Americans can hold opinions on both topics.

Many people don’t mind what the very rich do, because some days they will be very rich.

It’s true. They’re laughing all the way to the bank.

Yay! Go, Patis!

Nailed it.

I will say it. Democrats. He is talking about Democrats!!

Gender-neutral bathroom? Like they have in every single house and apartment in the country?

Pastis summarizes in two panels what lefty pundits have been unable to clearly state for years. Good on you, mate.

Wrong again, Pastis. The jobs left the U.S. following the Companies that left the U.S. due to outrageous taxes (soon to get more outrageous because Democrats and RINOs can’t control their spending).

Thank you, Stephan!!!

Which are the weird-nose guys?

Steph’ you are a genius

Maybe yes and maybe no, but “gender neutral” bathrooms (meaning men who pretend to be women can now invade any formerly women’s-only space they want) also mean that female privacy and dignity, in public places anyway, is no more. That’s a pretty big deal, wouldn’t you say? It mean that “progressives” are more concerned about male feelings than female safety, and that they’re getting their way. That’s not trivial, though of course it is painted that way by the men’s rights activists masquerading as LGBTQ supporters. In reality it’s TQ+ straights plundering the goodwill and hard-won political gains of the LGB. Also not trivial. I’m a male, by the way, and not that it matters but I’m straight, too. And against corporate plundering of the world and the American people.

Corporate welfare would make a cannibal vomit!

The first guy moved jobs overseas to save money. The rest did it to stay competitive.Capitalism.

“I mean, what kind of whacko uses gender-neutral bathrooms? That’s why I have gender-specific ones in my house.” … said nobody ever.

Truly, truly well spoken. Thank you Rat.

I get what Rat is saying, but at the heart of both issues is that we have become a society that worships at the altar of self. Such a society is a society in decline.

They were complaining about everything moving out of the us back in the 80’s

A couple of days ago, I wondered whether it was worth my while to keep reading any more Pearls Before Swine. Now I have my answer. I’m tired of the strip becoming more overtly political, and I’ve had enough. I’m done. Up yours, Cartoon Boy.

Yes, it did, Rat.

Yes! Americans have a very strange idea of what is important.

We have an election coming up. We have an opportunity to start getting this ship back on course.

Enjoy your comments today. PBS will probably get tagged as an editorial cartoon thereby eliminating comments. It’s especially “bad” because it’s NOT doing the usual team sport nonsense.

Pastis has it right. George Carlin had it right. The elite class indeed. It was Democrat Clinton, following in the footsteps of his Republican buddy-buddy, George Bush Sr., who pulled the rug out from under the feet of the American worker with free trade agreements. Not to mention the skirting of environmental and labor laws that other countries don’t adhere to. They’re all crooks. I can hardly wait until election day when the current lie fest ends. I don’t care which crook wins. Ultimately, it’s all rigged, and your vote won’t change a thing in Washington D.C. and Wall Street.

Think distraction…

Pastis does a remarkable job of clearly and succinctly describing politicial realities.

BRIILANT! As usual :-)

hey, how about refusing to buy anything foreign, specifically from china, and just buying domestic? you will find your options very limited.

It’s the law now in Illinois that all single person bathrooms have to be signed gender neutral (although, of course, only some have urinals). This makes so much sense, and I’ve heard nobody complaining about this.

Yes!

There are baby-changing stations in both sex restrooms,and nobody complains about what sex the baby is

Seriously, how do people keep falling for this nonsense? Like crabs in a bucket we are.

Weird, huh?

I wonder which party it is that constantly brings up stuff like tampons in boys’ bathrooms, but NEVER mentions trivial stuff like a million Americans dying from covid.

Yeah that’s about right. That and who Taylor Swift has been shaggin lately

… have been on airplanes a long time, much less outhouses.

What’s happening is that leftist politicians have driven the USA into a massive amount of debt and the right leaning politicians only give lip service to resolving the situation, and both sides deliberately work to distract us with the bathroom issues (on which only the side that properly acknowledges the science of how sex works is correct but the other side doesn’t care because of “feelings”.)

Rat is right. The end.

It’s a power they have to distract us from important issues and fill our minds with meaningless nonsense

Thank you, Rat.

the whole reason fox news exists – to jingle keys in front of babies.

it has always been this way. The wealthy make decisions while the rest debate what seem to be smaller issues. But these are things that we might be able to do something about.

They don’t have gender-neutral bathrooms at home?

Like the Sundance Kid said, “Oooooh! Shhhhhhhit!”

Amen to that!

SPOT ON Rat.

awfully rare for Rat to be on the right side of the corporatism divide. usually his cynicism results in a ‘yeah, but who cares’ type of 4th panel.

Thanks, Stephan and Rat!

Rat is actually correct… unfortunately…..

Trump Disciples will claim this cartoon has NO connection whatsoever to Their Messiah, nor to the election.

Just like they did yesterday.

Don’t forget that in his first 12 months in office, Trump brokered a deal to keep Carrier from closing down one of its plants in Indiana saving 2,000 manufacturing jobs. (Ignore the fact that 6 months later, Carrier kept the money, moved the factory down to Mexico anyway, and terminated 1,800 employees).

Or that he took personal responsibility for Intel opening a brand new FAB (Chip fabrication plant) in Chandler, Arizona during the first few months of his presidency. (Again, ignore the fact that this factory had been under construction for 5 years — they broke ground during the Obama administration.)

Over their heads.

It’s a distraction, sure, but still a legitimate concern.

Most people with nothing would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich rather than face the reality of being poor which is why they follow us (the Right )—John Dickinson, Pennsylvania delegate, 1776

And when you “let go” all these American workers… most times they won’t be able to afford your crap anymore…and unemployment only lasts a short time, and doesn’t equal what workers made!

Preach it, brother!

holy fu ck I am buying a print of this comic and framing it to hang up in my house.

What you can’t see, right now, is my giving Stephan Pastis a standing ovation. Bravo!!!

The broken clock has struck. Rat is right.

Making matters worse, now most Americans are addicted to cheap prices for things made overseas. If the products were made here, we’d pay more. Maybe if people understood this, they’d be willing to lay more, but I’m not holding my breath.

I’m happy to say that I was #900 to click “like” on today’s cartoon.

Thank you for saying it, Rat.

For once Rat hits the number.

Culture wars are never good. But if more ordinary people were gainfully employed, whom would Rat complain too?

Good job, Stephan! Someone really had to say it!

Very well put, Pig. All the more reason to vote for Jill Stein and the Green Party!

Boy. And Rat’s the conservative in the group.

Gender neutrality goes out the window when all the bathrooms are in use.