The Highwayman Returns: "John Fetterman's Greatest Hits I & II"/"Chain Reaction"

 

<"John Fetterman's Greatest Hits, Part I"/The Highwayman>

<"Chain Reaction"/The Highwayman">

<"John Fetterman's Greatest Hits, Part II"/The Highwayman>

Ah, yes, John Fetterman. How fitting, in light of the recent polling news about him (see "Greatest Hits, Part II"), that our friend, The Highwayman, returns with this cartoon -- one that feels especially pertinent, given the peculiar position that Fetterman occupies. Call it Vichy Chic, if you like -- the sort of personality who often prompts the bemused response: "Well, if he can call himself a Democrat, than anybody can."

What do we mean? Well, Fetterman is someone who espouses the type of contrarianism that's often at odds with the base, whether it's his unblinking support for Israel, enthusiasm for fracking, or unwillingness to acknowledge the popular anger against the overclass that's ignited demand for progressive ideas -- to an extent that seemed unthinkable in 2016, for instance, when Bernie Sanders ran for President.

And that's what makes Fetterman such a worthy target for satire -- he's simply the latest in a long line of reactionary Democrats, from the late Scoop Jackson, to Bob Kerry, Joe Lieberman, Joe Manchin, Kyrsten Sinema, who delight in breaking our train sets, and pissing on our parade (so to speak), especially on tight votes.

Simply stated, when they're railing against progressive ideals, voting against basic measures that would help people (e.g., raising the minimum wage), or preventing big ideas from advancing (such as Medicare For All), they're screwing up the nation. Whether they mean it or not is beside the point -- they're preventing the rest of us, the masses they threw under the bus long ago, from even trying to catch up, as we choke on the exhaust fumes.

I know what you're going to say next -- "But it's only a metaphor." True enough, but when you ask, "Why do you hate the Fettermans of the world so much?", that's how I sum it up. We all need a certain emotional shorthand to navigate these situations, and that's mine. At least, when it comes to summarizing a creep like him.

So, when this latest cartoon from the Highwayman slid over the transom, my first thought was, "So you're leaving us now, eh, Genocide John? Good riddance to bad rubbish, and all that, don't let the door hit you, blah-blah-blah..." One less person to soil the sandbox, or the brand, right? And I don't see how that's such a bad thing. So there you go, then. --The Reckoner