Greg Mitchell has authored more than a dozen books (see most of them here) and directed four recent PBS films. Subscribing to this newsletter is still FREE.
First drawing of new Trump Arch for D.C. that will greet visitors (as imagined by Ann Telnaes):
Then there’s this from Heather Cox Richardson:
Yesterday the Trump administration said it would not use any of the approximately $6 billion the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) holds in reserve to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The government shutdown means that states have run out of funds to distribute to the more than 42 million Americans who rely on SNAP to put food on the table.
It appears the administration is using those Americans who depend on food assistance as pawns to put more pressure on Democrats to cave to Trump’s will. Today, Annie Karni of the New York Times reported that Trump has joked, “I’m the speaker and the president,” and Trump ally Steven Bannon calls Congress “the state Duma,” a reference to Russia’s rubber-stamp assembly.
With Republicans refusing to negotiate with Democrats in the normal way, with House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) keeping the House out of session, and with Trump leaving for Asia for a week, Republicans are clearly making the calculation that Democrats who refused to give up their demand for the extension of the premium tax credit to stop dramatic hikes in the cost of healthcare premiums will cave when America falls into a hunger crisis.
From the Warren Zevon tribute/benefit two nights ago in L.A., here’s his old buddy Jackson Browne doing one of his best, “Desperadoes Under the Eaves.”
Leave it to Jeff Tweedy. On his current tour he is playing one cover song at each venue inspired by a famous or influential band from that area. So in Patchogue a couple of nights ago he pulled out one from Long Island’s own Blue Oyster Cult. Yes, it was “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” perhaps known to most because of its use in the classic “More Cowbell” SNL sketch—which you will find below Jeff’s version here:
From Tunes to Toons
Matson:
![This cartoon is titled "Independence Day: The New White House Ballroom Is Here!" It's drawn to look like the poster from the "Independence Day" film that depicted an alien spacecraft looming over the White House. In this version, it's instead the gilded and ostentatious White House ballroom ceiling that looms over the White House. It shoots out a destructive beam from one of its lights to destroy a portion of the White House.](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!zDjU!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc9a4e3de-7f85-4550-bca0-97fde0afd96f_1440x1008.jpeg "This cartoon is titled "Independence Day: The New White House Ballroom Is Here!" It's drawn to look like the poster from the "Independence Day" film that depicted an alien spacecraft looming over the White House. In this version, it's instead the gilded and ostentatious White House ballroom ceiling that looms over the White House. It shoots out a destructive beam from one of its lights to destroy a portion of the White House.")
Bramhall;
![This political cartoon depicts a giant pumpkin that resembles Donald Trump's bulbous head outside a house. The pumpkin is labeled "Authoritarianism." A voice inside the house says, "Nonsense! There's no such thing as a great pumpkin! Now go back to sleep!"](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CnWy!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faeeaf23f-6880-4df5-b521-32ca65015985_1290x899.jpeg "This political cartoon depicts a giant pumpkin that resembles Donald Trump's bulbous head outside a house. The pumpkin is labeled "Authoritarianism." A voice inside the house says, "Nonsense! There's no such thing as a great pumpkin! Now go back to sleep!"")
KAL:
Photo Finish
Our daily feature, from m camera to you, today: “Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo, August.”
Loved Ann Telnaes cartoon and the excerpt by Heather Cox Richardson (read in full on her Substack). Powerful cartoons.
We love the photos you give us, but we would like to learn more about the techniques you use. For example, the photo today seems more like a painting or a tapestry than a photograph. How did you achieve that effect, if you care to share?