Editorial Cartoons for the Week

 

The Only Thing the January 6 Traitors and Domestic Terrorists Deserve is Scorn and Jail Cells

In their latest attempt to rewrite history to tailor a White Nationalist-Proud Boy-Fascist-Cult of Personality Interpretation of events, MAGA infiltrators in this government from have proposed giving honors and compensation to the domestic terrorists and traitors who stormed the Nation's Capitol on January 6, 2021 at the behest of the Felon in Chief and twice impeached Donald Trump who instigated and encouraged the attack.

According to multiple reports, the Air Force is planning to grant a military funeral with full honors to Ashli Babbitt who died while trying to harm Capitol Police, Congressional Staff, and the Nation's Representatives on that day. 

Let us not mince words. 

Ashli Babbitt was not a hero. She was not a defender of the Republic. 

She was a traitor and domestic terrorist who deserves to be buried in an unmarked grave so no deranged MAGA Fascist nut job can pay tribute to her. 

Did they give Revolutionary War traitor Benedict Arnold a funeral with full honors after he died?

Of course not. 

Babbit does not deserve that honor period.

Writing for the Bulwark, Retired Three Star General Mark Hertling condemned the Air Force Decision, commenting:

"I am infuriated that the Air Force plans to grant military funeral honors to Ashli Babbitt. She did not die defending the Constitution. She died trying to overturn it. She was not protecting lives at a gate in Iraq; she was forcing her way through windows in the Capitol to stop the peaceful transfer of power, one of the most sacred traditions of our Republic. To pretend that her death deserves the same recognition as the young soldier at the gate is obscene. It is a betrayal of the oath she once swore and a desecration of the sacrifice made by so many who kept faith with theirs."

In a series of posts, Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego strongly condemned the move, writing:

"Next President should take away the honors given to Babbit and demote her as well as change her status to dishonorable discharge."

"She was a traitor. There was nothing honorable about her."

"You know how shameful this is? @potus or @SecDef have refused to issue a press release or a tweet in support of this action in their name. Trump and Hegseth both know she was a traitor or else they would be touting this action."

"I served in combat with 23 Marines that died for their country and deserved full military honors. Ashli Babbit deserves nothing, certainly not full military honors."

Gallego and Hertling are both right. 

Babbitt deserves nothing and what the Air Force has decided to do in giving her full military honors is obscene. 

What is just as obscene is, thanks to Trumps publicly calling these "people" "hostages," the pardoning of the over 1500 domestic terrorists who were charged with crimes for what they did that day, and the agreement to pay the Babbit family $5 million in a wrongful death suit is the movement by lawyers like AR-15 lover and Trump fans Mark McCloskey and Peter Ticktin leading an effort to gain financial compensation for these vermin under the disgusting claim that the Biden/Harris Justice Department went after them on false charges and needlessly persecuted them with prosecutions. 

Let us not mince words here either. 

These bastards do not deserve one God Damn penny. 

No matter what Trump, his devoted supporters, and the scared members of the Republican Party say or evade saying, these over 1500 "people" are traitors and domestic terrorists who deserve scorn and permanent residence in federal penitentiaries. 

If Trump's lawless Justice Department gets away with paying hardworking and law abiding taxpayer money to these enemies of the American Ideal, then a new Democratic Administration should arrange sizable and better than before financial restitution to the surviving victims of Japanese Internship Camps, Native American Sterilization efforts, individuals who were unknowingly harmed without their permission with illegal drugs, the families of children who perished in school shootings while Republicans obstructed on gun safety legislation, and people who became ill due to living in toxic-polluted areas.

At least they, unlike the January 6, 2021 Domestic Terrorists, deserve it. 

Is a Democratic Wave Coming in 2026

From The Hill

While several news outlets have reported on the growing unpopularity of the Democratic Party and a decrease in their ability to register new voters in battleground states across the country, a funny thing is happening.

Democrats are consistently over performing in special elections in 2025.

Even in Trump 2024 strongholds like Iowas Senate District One where Catelin Drey’s victory in an area Trump won by 11 points last year took away Republicans Supermajority dominance. 

Or Pennsylvania's Pennsylvania’s SD-36 where Democrats prevailed in a race, giving the party legislative control in a district Trump won by 15 points last year. 

Or earlier in the year when Democrats, despite Elon Musk's illegal offering of money for people to turn out to vote, won a State Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin. 

Overall, Democrats are outperforming Republicans by an average of 16 points in 2025.

Could this be, like in 2017, when special elections showed Democratic strength, with voters dissatisfied with Donald Trump's MAGA policies, serial lying, and slew of broken promises like Mexico will pay for the wall and health care will be better and more affordable, rising to the point where they dominated the 2018 House Midterms.

Could this recent electoral trend mean a Democratic wave in 2026?

What is causing this Democratic surge at the ballot box where polls show the party's popularity at historic lows?

According to Gallup, Independents, irate with Trump's handling of inflation, legislation that robs social safety net security like health care and food assistance from the poor and middle class to give billionaires tax cuts they do not need, and an inhumane immigration policy where innocent people doing their jobs and living their lives while doing no harm to anyone are whisked off the streets by unidentified masked ICE Gestapo agents, are strongly shifting to the Democratic candidates in this election. 

Sarah Curmi, Executive Director of Sister District, credits the Democratic surge at the legislative level to good old fashioned grassroots organizing and strongly recommends that the party up its investment, messaging, and turnout game with regard to these state legislative and other local races. 

Democratic Consultant Dr. Rachel Bitecofer, the writer of Hit Em Where it Hurts, commented to Blog for Arizona:

"A large midterm effect is already brewing from backlash to Trump’s Godzilla through the federal government. We have seen an average of 10 points over performance for Democrats in elections since 2024. This is why Trump pushed Texas to create their super gerrymander and will likely do so in all the red states they can."

"So far, generic ballot, polling, and election results all suggest a large midterm wave but eventually, Democrats are going to need to see a surge of registration. Thats the only sign they are missing. That said, the mid term electorate will be more educated than the general electorate. That used to be why Republicans performed so well in them. Now college educated voters are realigned to Democrats just as non college educated voters have realigned to Republicans. For 2028 Democrats will need to stop and reverse some of the erosion they’ve had in that part of the electorate."

Curmi and Dr. Bitecofer is right.

Democrats need to channel a bottom up approach to rejuvenating the party and start putting an emphasis on prevailing in state legislative and local races like City Council and Mayoral ones. 

They also need to recover the formula they have lost in connecting with Non College Educated, working class, and more uninformed voters who believed Trumps lies, despite his and his party's poor track record towards them and the country. 

Democratic candidates who are authentic, show they care, are interested in listening to voters concerns, and offer a vision that is progressive on policies like health care, affordability, education, and mobility while also being socially tolerant and inclusive, supports law enforcement, and is in favor of strong border security and comprehensive immigration reform, are ideal to carry this message across all the districts throughout the country to all the American People. 

That type of candidate could help lead a Democratic wave in 2026, 2028, and beyond. 

Editorial Cartoons for the Week