The Art Of Politics – July: Big Beautiful Bills, Small Starving Children
by Richard Bruton
Welcome to another Art of Politics, a monthly round-up of the finest political cartoonists proving, once more, just how incisive and cutting that pen truly can be…
PALESTINE & ISRAEL…
Things didn’t get any better. There’s still hostages to be released by Hamas, the attacks on Gaza continue, and the people are starving. But Trump will make it all work – right?
Peter Schrank on the inaction…
Meanwhile, in the UK, decisive action was taken… or maybe not. The direct action-focused Palestine Action Group were classified as a terrorist group, meaning anyone wearing anything showing support risks arrest… yes, that’s going to solve the problem… Ella Baron on that…
And Peter Schrank on the same…
Although there was something of a more important decision later in the month, with first France, the the UK, then Canada all saying they’d recognise Palestine as a state… but, as Stephen Lillie points out… too little, too late perhaps?
As does Dave Brown…
And Ella Baron, as always, points out the difficulties so insightfully and brutally…
USA, USA, USA… TRUMP’S BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL…
Well, we had the big, beautiful bill being pushed through, meaning trillions more on the national debt, tax cuts for the richest, and a stripping of medicaid and medicare that will leave so many in health poverty…
THE EPSTEIN FILES…
And then we had the Epstein Files. Will this be the thing that finally takes down the Donald? It’s perhaps the most dangerous so far, as so many of his MAGA base had bought into the conspiracy theories around the Epstein Files when Trump was campaigning. Now though, he’s not all that keen on doing anything with them. And the world wonders why… Next up, Ghislaine Maxwell – testimony? A pardon? One thing we’ve learned in this new Trump-world is that anything, no matter how bizarre or unthinkable, is possible…
And Ann Telnaes… looking to the future, in Trump’s own words…
TRUMPS’S EURO VISIT…
Pres Trump headed abroad to Scotland, for various talks, golf, trade deals, golf, meeting with NATO, golf, and plenty of grifting to fill the Trump coffers up a little more. Because enough is never enough.
Meanwhile, the UK government met with France’s President Macron, with both countries in the shadow of troublesome neighbours and former friends… Ella Baron on that…
UKRAINE…
It continues… even if it’s not covered so much these days. But people are still dying, as the world moves on, and Trump does his Trump things…
Nicola Jennings on the continued teasing of a peace deal and ceasefires…
Stephen Lillie on the US arms deal with NATO… with Trump saying he’ll send arms to Ukraine. Well, that’s what he’s saying right now anyway. Next month, it could well be something completely different…
Morten Morland on NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte referring to Trump as ‘daddy’…
Morten Morland on Trump not quite getting the Russia-Ukraine was done on day 1…
MEANWHILE, IN THE UK…
It’s been one year since a Labour government took power in the UK, and let’s just say it hasn’t gone to plan. We’ve got a Labour party veering so far away from what a left-leaning socialist party should be doing, watching seemingly helplessly as everything goes even more wrong…
Ella Baron on Labour’s disability benefits cuts…
Becky Barnicoat sums up Keir Starmer and the failures of his government perfectly…
As dissent in Labour’s ranks grows, Starmer and the party have been suspending and expelling those most vocally complaining that his isn’t the Labour Party they want it to be… Martin Rowson…
So, is it really that big a surprise that, given the Labour Party isn’t looking much like a left-wing, socialist party any more, Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, both ex-Labout MPs, made the move to appeal to those feeling betrayed and began the process of setting up their own left-wing, proper socialist party… Martin Rowson…
