Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for October 06, 2019

Get a bridge builder to bribe both of them and the bridge will be built.

gives a whole new meaning to the phrase"burning bridges"

Rat sucks.

Yeah, this would never happen in real life…

Remember President Clinton’s second term pledge to “Build a Bridge to the 21st Century”?

Yeah, that is just about what happened and it has only gotten worse since.

So, just how do you plan to pay for this socialist “bridge”, anyway?

Would you rather take it out of Medicare or Social Security?

That explains politics in my state.

In Trumpland, the only way for him to win is for someone else to lose… biggly. In the real world, though, it’s not just possible but preferable to arrange for everybody  to come out ahead of where they started. This is called “win – win” or “positive sum game” or “making the customer happy” etc. We used to elect legislators who understood this concept. I don’t really understand how that stopped happening.

At first I thought “bill” meant how much a new bridge would cost. Anyone else?

That’s a bridge too far…

No bridge builders left in either party.

Hummm … when one wants to build anything the bigger problem is following all the rules and regulations created by non-elected government types . Croc Power !

If only we could get the politicians to jump.

The Gravina Island Bridge, commonly referred to as the “Bridge to Nowhere”, was a proposed bridge to replace the ferry that currently connects the town of Ketchikan, Alaska, United States, with Gravina Island, an island that contains the Ketchikan International Airport as well as 50 residents.Construction cost: Estimated budget of $398 MILLIONConstruction start: Never constructed

shouldn’t the next to last panel be “We lose” or at least “We win?”

I seem to remember Trump saying during the campaign he would have a trillion dollar infrastructure plan. Turns out, the trillion went in tax cuts for the 1%. Because, priorities.

This is the ENTIRE AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM explained in ONE GENIUS CARTOON!!!!!

Thank you, Stephan Pastis…and you too, Rat!

I like and follow your material. But this perpetuates a false equivalency that doesn’t apply now, and discourages people from participating (voting).

The populist critique of representative democracy, which is why there is a danger of a populist movement devolving to dictatorship to “get things done”.

Yeah, sure but what if one party only puts forth one bill only aka The Great Tax Heist, then puts forth, ‘hey they all do it claim’ then America gets stuck with endless wars, no health care, environment pollution, theft of public lands, theft of public funds yada, yada, yada.

…when Pearls accurately depicts reality….it’s scary…good job Steve.

This isn’t right – Republicans don’t believe in infrastructure spending. They’re not interested in bridges.

Or be like Mississippi rather than Louisiana and just roll up your sleeves and begin the rebuild on your own time and dollar.

The reality of it all! Ridiculous! There should be an independent court elected by the people with no party affiliation, to turn to in the county from which these matters arise.

The the old Disney cartoon Musicland comes to mind, but of course the ending was a perfect fantasy that never happens in real life. Youtube it for a real treat.

I love Infrastructure Week!

We can’t build a new bridge. Some billionaire might lose his almighty tax cut.

Ten years of this BS and still no end in sight. With Moscow Mitch at the helm no governing will get done. He’s already showing political ads on TV and on-line stating he won’t allow tRump to lose his job even though the facts have not been fully investigated and the senate has not yet had a trial. Impeach Mitch for taking Chinese bribes through his wife and let’s get back to making deals to govern and rebuild our infrastructure.

It’s sad to think the deflecting and red tape it takes to get an insane president out of the WH. In UK, 2 weeks to do the same thing….pathetic

Just tack the bridge funding onto a bill the other party supports. That’s how it worked in the good old days…pork barrel politics.

we don’t trust the government to do things well and right, but we want the government to provide us with food, shelter and healthcare and education. Lets look at what they already are supposed to be providing us with…………just saying.

Interesting, I see no road or even a path on either side of the gap. Are we in Alaska?

That’s the way it is now.

All animals are equal. But sum zero game animals are more equal than others.

I think both parties are secretly working together to pit the people against each other so they wouldn’t notice the lack of work and whatever illegal activities the politicians are doing.

Everybody wins.

No, No, No, you are not thinking like a government contractor. You propose that BOTH bills pass and you build TWO bridges. You make a boatload of money, both congressmen have successful bills, everybody is happy.

Pig always cracks me up in the last panel XD

I really wish that weren’t true.

I’d add my two cents to this conversion, unfortunately I don’t have it to spare.

The next motion is for Border Security.

who will pay for the bridge? mexico, mexicowhat a putz we have for a president

The funniest thing about this is that the comic shows exactly how both sides are corrupt and then you go to the comments and STILL have some people saying things about the “other” side.

Private bridge with toll (+1000% for politicians)?

People talk and talk, so make your way down the block…

“Don’t jump! We’re all weiners!”

This is so sad-and true.

If “everyone loves a winner,” Pig why does this ’toon leave such a bitter aftertaste?

We’re all losers. Charlie Browns. Eeyores. Sniff.

If “everyone loves a winner,” Pig, why does this ’toon leave such a bitter aftertaste?

We’re all losers. Charlie Browns. Eeyores. Sniff.

Your government at “work”.

The scary and sad thing is… this is how it really works. Or… doesn’t work. And if they do happen to agree on something, you can be assured there is mutually beneficial big-bucks involved. “The only thing worse than government is none at all.” And I’m starting to question that concept. ; )

Imagine you are a member of the House of Representatives. Now imagine you are a lying total Idiot just wanting to make your relatives (sons & daughters) rich. But, I am repeating myself.

Pastis, you’re getting too good at this.

Simpsons did it. Season 6, episode 14 “Bart’s Comet”. Bart sees a comet headed for Springfield. The government shoots a missile to destroy the comet which takes out Springfield’s lone bridge out of town. Congress meets replace the bridge and tries to vote itself a pay increase instead. Kent Brockman’s reaction: “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Democracy just doesn’t work.” BTW, saying “Simpsons did it” – South Park did it.