Your Favorite Dictator

Trump engages in dictator talk...again

Why would Donald Trump talk about becoming an American dictator…again?

NBC News reporter: Before signing a series of executive orders aimed at reducing crime in D.C. and across the nation, Trump referred to his critics bashing him for sending the National Guard to D.C., claiming that some people think they might “like a dictator.”

Referring to militarizing our cities, Trump said, “They say, ‘We don't need him, freedom freedom. He's a dictator. He's a dictator.’ A lot of people are saying, ‘Maybe we like a dictator’…You send in troops, and instead of being praised they're saying you're trying to take over the republic. These people are sick.”

Before the election, Trump talked about “deleting” parts of the Constitution he doesn’t like. Then, he talked about becoming a dictator for one day. Now, he says some people in this country want a dictator, but to whom is he referring to that would be that dictator? I think we all know the answer. The dictator talk is so disturbing that everyone missed that part where he whines that he’s not being praised.

Sure, there are people who want a dictator, but those are fascist-loving fuckers who believe having a White emperor who hates the same people they do won’t affect their lives.

Trump thinks winning an election with a mandate allows him to do whatever he wants, and without input from Congress or the Courts. But even if he did actually have a mandate, which he doesn’t because he won with less than two percent (Obama had a mandate), he wouldn’t have the power to override the Constitution.

Some of my critics, people who will comment on my cartoons on social media and GoComics, howl and cry about Trump being called a fascist, but how isn’t he a fascist? He’s deporting people illegally, some for protesting, some who are legal residents, and some who are Americans. He’s ordering the Smithsonian to tell his whitewashed (literally) version of history, and it’s not even under his jurisdiction. He took over the Kennedy Center, fired the board, and replaced them with people who appointed him the Chair, and he’s deciding on who gets to become Kennedy Center Honorees, and plans to host the ceremony like it’s a MAGA game show. He wants the Kennedy Center named after himself, and the opera house will soon be named after Melania. He’s militarizing cities, which is one step toward martial law. He sent the military to Los Angeles to stop anti-ICE protests. He had a military parade on his birthday. He’s attacking universities for their diversity programs and pressuring them to change policies by withholding federal funds for medical research. He has the DOJ investigating his enemies and creating conspiracy theories and bullshit to gaslight the public. He ordered Texas to redraw congressional districts so he can retain control of Congress after next year’s midterm elections. He’s single-handedly trying to change election laws based on advice from Vladimir Putin, who is a fascist dictator who has his election challengers murdered. He’s firing people who give him information he doesn’t like. He’s also talked about serving a third term, which would be unconstitutional.

It’s not my fault for calling him a fascist when he’s talking about becoming a dictator and is a literal fascist.

There’s another fascist move of his, and that’s having giant banners of his ugly orange droopy face posted on government buildings. First, a giant banner was hung on the front of the Department of Agriculture building. Yesterday, on the same day Trump was talking about being a dictator, his regime posted another on the Department of Labor. I can confirm this because I saw it today.

Don’t worry. I let him know how I felt about this.

Because of one of my peezeheads who made a suggestion for me to visit the capital and see the militarization of it for myself (I can’t remember who), I visited DC today.

I got up early, caught a train to the city, and planned to view the National Guard troops and draw a cartoon at my favorite coffee shop in Washington, DC. Two problems with that plan were that I didn’t have my idea yet, and my coffee shop is gone.

So I sat in the cafe car on the train without an idea. But I did see the story about the banner, and I looked up the location, and wouldn’t you know it…it was on my Metro route. Amtrak took me to Union Station, and Judiciary Square was just one Metro stop away, which is where the Labor Department is located. So I Metroed over, got off at the Square, walked to the Labor building, and immediately felt sick after seeing the banner for myself. The only thing missing from the poster was the word “Obey.”

Teddy is there, too, but honestly, I think he’s there in a way for them to justify a giant banner of Trump. They used Lincoln when they put him on the Agriculture building. I guess they’ll use Nixon when they put his face on the front of the CIA building.

These banners also violate the Emoluments Clause, as Trump is using public property for political gain. Has no one else noticed that part yet?

I read that the city was dead and deserted because of the Guard’s presence, but I don’t think that’s accurate. It did seem pretty slow today on the trains, and even at Union Station, but maybe that’s because it was mid-morning on a Tuesday when I got there.

Look at me journalisming for you again.

I didn’t see any soldiers inside Union Station, but I saw a couple inside the Judiciary Square Metro Station.

I told them to say “cheese,” but they didn’t cooperate. They ignored me. But the two I saw at Dupont Circle were friendly enough.

At least one of them was. They probably get this a lot.

From there, I walked down to Soho Tea and Coffee and discovered that they’ve been replaced by another coffee shop. It’s OK, but not as good as Soho was. Sometimes, I feel really old when I don’t like changes. But I did get my idea and drew the cartoon at the place. I already forgot its name.

I drew my cartoon, walked back to Dupont Circle, and met these guys skulking around Krispy Kreme, which is above the Metro station. They’re literally hanging around outside a donut shop. It’s a nasty donut shop, too. Have you ever been to this location? It’s gross.

These soldiers are at the same spot where a guy tried to grab my junk last year. Where was the National Guard then?

And inside the station, I met him, who quickly jumped from leaning against the wall to pose for the photo.

I approached him by saying, “Hi, I’m going to take your photo.” If anyone had said no, I would have told them that I don’t care. But they were either nice or ignored me, and I settled for both. I asked this soldier where he’s from, and he told me South Carolina. Did you know that South Carolina has the 7th highest murder rate in the nation?

I saw a few more outside Union Station, where there was a tiny protest against them being in the city.

They ignored me, but the protesters didn’t.

Here’s the thing, Peezeheads. I don’t blame the soldiers. I know there are arguments about Nazis “just following orders,” But I think that’s more for the higher-ups. And yeah, these guys were ordered to do something to help Trump’s fascism, but I seriously doubt a lot of these kids actually understand a lot of this. I don’t think the soldiers themselves deserve our scorn because their enlistment is being abused for a Trump photo-op.

I do not like that they’re carrying guns on their hips, which you’ll notice in the photos. I remember when out-of-state cops were in Milwaukee for last year’s Republican convention, and a cop from Ohio shot and killed a homeless man.

I didn’t see any armored vehicles, though I’m sure they’re somewhere in the city, maybe in the Anacostia neighborhood, which has some of the highest crime rates in the District. Another thing you’ll notice in the pictures is that each soldier looks bored. They don’t belong there.

Also, why are they camouflaged in the city? C’mon, guys. You’re walking on concrete, between buildings, and inside train stations. We can see you.

There’s been a slight drop in crime numbers since Trump federalized the city, which was already at a 30-year low. But ICE arrests are up, and they have made over 300 since August 7.

What they do is follow the police around, and no matter what a person is stopped for, whether they’re drunk in public, committing vandalism, or pulled over for a broken taillight, ICE will inspect them for their immigration status. Most of those inspected are not White.

And that is Trump turning our nation into a police state.

Corrections: Please email all typos, boo-boos, and any other mistakes to clayjonz@gmail.com. If you put it in the comments, I may not see it until hours or days later. Thanks.

Creative note: This is one of those cartoons where I don’t listen to music while I work because I’m thinking about new Easter eggs. It was difficult because a lady was having a conversation and using her speakerphone. I think using a speakerphone in public is rude as hell.

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