Cartoons Tuesday, plus: Jesse Colin Young, R.I.P.

Meanwhile, John Oliver explores sports betting and a "Hamilton" response to Trump press secretary.

After a member of the French parliament requested (surely tongue in cheek) that the U.S. return its gift of the State of Liberty, Trump’s press secretary countered: “It's only because of the United States of America that the French aren't speaking German right now."

Of course, others noted that we might still be bowing to England’s king or queen if France had not saved us during our Revolution. So a reminder from “Hamilton,” with “Guns and Ships.”

Now, if you haven’t heard, Jesse Colin Young of The Youngbloods and many fine solo albums, has died at 83. You’ve all heard one of the most played ‘60s classics “Get Together” many times so instead: my favorite Youngbloods alternative, “Darkness, Darkness” (later covered by Robert Plant in a Grammy-winning performance).

While he became closely associated with Northern California and nature, he was born in Queens and his terrific bluesy solo album way back in 1964 was titled “Soul of a City Boy.” The classic cut was “Four in the Morning.”

And then typical of his ‘70s solo work, “Morning Sun.”

Did you know the Airplane covered the song pre-Youngbloods on their debut album, pre-Grace? Was not a hit.

Skipping around, here’s John Oliver’s Sunday HBO segment on one of my growing concerns: the explosion in sports betting, with so many individuals, the ones who can’t afford it, and their families victimized.

Democrats in a Daze

Matt Kenyon:

Paolo Calleri, Germany:

Next for deportations?

For the opening of the baseball season, this takeoff on the classic Norman Rockwell painting, from my former colleague, Cathy Hull: