POLITICAL GRENADES 2016

Graphic Editorials by Jud Burgess that ran in the El Paso Times Opinion page and FaceBook page

I've always been a highly-opinionated individual. Being a graphic designer helps me to visually formulate my opinions on the current state of anything in witty, satirical and biting ways that get people’s blood pressure up, sometimes my own.

Following is every graphic editorial by Jud Burgess that ran in the El Paso Times paper and online pages throughout 2016. Enjoy...or not.

January 2016. © Jud Burgess

January 2016. © Jud Burgess

A visual play off of Dante’s Inferno. Donald Trump and Ted Cruz are not exactly friendly to immigrants. I’m using an actual Dore etching of Dante’s Inferno to illustrate that. January 2016. © Jud Burgess

Republican politicians are looking a bit different these days...gotta roll with the changing face of America. Unfortunately looks only go skin deep. What’s inside these pols hasn’t changed. February 2016 © Jud Burgess

POLITICAL M_TH series

A visual and communications challenge where the headline changes only by one letter but the entire political message is different. This first in the series was done right after Sarah Palin endorsed Donald Trump. January © Jud Burgess

Just like meth, Super PAC money is addictive to politicians and should be illegal. It makes them do stupid things like sell out the people they were elected to represent in favor of sucking up to the corporate giants that buy their elections. February © Jud Burgess

Why do Republicans continue to mythologize and deify Ronald reagan as if he was God’s gift o America? They drop his name in every debate...associate themselves and their ideology with him in every public appearance...promise to bring back the Reagan era if they are elected. There is a serious disconnect between the reality and the myth. February © Jud Burgess

When will the Republican Party get it? Donald Trump is the frontrunner as a direct result of the Republican Party’s inability to represent their people. A vote for Trump is a vote against the GOP’s lobby and corporate-money owned politicians. They can endorse Rubio and Cruz all they want, but Trump will be their man...their Frankenstein monster of their own creation. And Trumpenstein will wreak havok and lay waste to what was once the proud party of NO, the once powerful party of OBSTRUCTIONISM. They are now the Pathetic Party of Weakness...unable to control this laughable (but inevitable) nominee to represent their failure to the American people. Trumpenstein monster will kill the party and all the pitchforks, torches and shovels the GOP can muster against him will not be enough to undo their mistakes. March © Jud Burgess

One of my favorites. A pigeon appropriately relieves itself, exposing Donald Trump’s real agenda — Make Me Great Again.

March © Jud Burgess

There’s a Republican Trainwreck a Comin’. Watch as Aerosmith performs “Train Kept A Rollin” along with a cast of your favorite Republican characters. Concept and production © Jud Burgess, March 2016 Music © Aerosmith – Train Kept A Rollin’

It’s gotten ugly and it will only get worse as the Republicans try to derail Trump’s quest to be their nominee.

Ted Cruz wins this weeks’ round of “King of the Hill.” He’ll get knocked down soon enough, and when he does, he’ll need to clean those boots real good.

HILLARY VS. BERNIE series

A series of graphic editorials where I manipulate Hillary’s logo, giving it new meaning, while saying something about the state of their battle for the Democratic nomination.

This first in the series captures the Bernie momentum that pretty much had stopped Hillary in her tracks. What was once the foregone conclusion that she would receive the coronation as the nominee changed instantly in light of the Bernie Revolution.

Second in the HILLARY VS. BERNIE series reflects the near impossibility of Sanders beating Hillary in light of her political juggernaut machine. Bernie has his shield, sword, and the backing of one of the largest grass roots movements not seen in recent times.

Third in the HILLARY VS. BERNIE series. The math just isn't adding up for Bernie but he’s staying the course. Hillary is ready for takeoff and Bernie is going to feel the heat to withdraw and call on his supporters to align with Hillary.

Fourth in the HILLARY VS. BERNIE series. Bernie is silently setting the political agenda and Hillary, if she wants access to Bernie’s supporters, will have to modify her agenda to accommodate his.

Donald Trump is shoveling something but it isn't coal.

33-second music video. Produced by Jud Burgess © May, 2016 Music © Working in the Coal Mine, Lee Dorsey, 1966

Ted Cruz finally gave up his fools errand trying to be Donald Trump and take it to a brokered convention. Did you know that 5 other Republican presidential candidates in this election cycle claimed to have been instructed by God to run? A lot of heartbreak and compromised faiths.

EINSTEIN’S FACTS AND FIGURES series

Hey Einstein! Think you know everything about today’s issues? Take a close look at these astounding comparisons of facts and figures...they’ll open your mind and maybe even get you to see things differently. You might even see things you don’t want to admit are there.

Some will be dead serious. Some will be laced with humor and irony. © Jud Burgess, May 2016

A cheap grocery store ad special for an inedible steak as a metaphor for Donald Trump. © Jud Burgess, June 2016

A cheap Mexican grocery store ad special for an inedible steak as a metaphor for Donald Trump. © Jud Burgess, June 2016

IN MEMORIAM
I wanted to create a combination of image and words that captured the horror of what happened to 102 Americans, virtually all part of the Latin LGBTQ community. They were enjoying life in a place they felt safe and accepted. A place absent of judgement and fear for all but one day, June 12, 2016.

In the midst of this human tragedy is the joy of knowing that they are now dancing the streets of gold with our creator where they will never again have to fear not being accepted for who they are. They are accepted by The One that matters. © Jud Burgess, July 2016

AIf you’re intrigued about El Paso’s latest Top 5 honor and wondering what this is in reference to, read the the following El Paso Times article: City nominated for it’s secretive efforts. With apologies to Harry Houdini. © Jud Burgess, July 2016

EINSTEIN’S FACTS AND FIGURES series #2

Fact – Minimum wage has not much more than doubled in the last 35 years.

Fact 2 – Epic concert ticket prices are outrageous compared to the 80s.

Local pastor and his church bullies ex-mayor, members of city council and the LGBTQ community and gets his financial comeuppance.

“Bishop” Tom Brown had his legal clock cleaned and now stands to lose his land after having lost a lawsuit levied against him by ex-Mayor John Cook, whom he has tied up in legal proceedings for several years.

Watch the fascinating video with a Jimmy Swaggart like scene at the end — Pastor Tom Brown – Save me – Send $$$ - NOW!

For more of my creative exposés of Pastor Tom Brown, visit my page The Pastor Tom Brown Variety Show

This graphic editorial dovetails with a guest column I wrote for the El Paso Times dealing with a decades long toxic history between white America and people of color, with a small focus on black males needlessly killed at the hands of police officers. © Jud Burgess, July 2016

Read my column here – America’s racial divides in a post-Obama presidency

Since December 2015, I've contributed about 25 weekly graphics to the EPTimes and this is the only 100% UNBIASED graphic editorial I've done to this point.

We tend to see “our” candidate as the obvious choice whether it is he or she, while we see the other as the one who MUST NEVER become president because they will bring our America to its knees.

Usher in the Four Horsemen of the Great Apocalypse.

They are working against our country, trying to tear it down, trying to steal our rights. Us against them.

There are two halves to America and each side is crystal right.

And each side is dead wrong.

One side will win and one will lose...and life will go on in America. © Jud Burgess, July 2016

Remember the Donald Trump / Ted Cruz debacle? Trump calling Ted's wife ugly, tying his dad into the Kennedy assassination, Lying Ted...Ted remembers and won't soon forget. Which is why he DID NOT endorse Trump during Trump's coronation as the Republican nominee. In fact, he basically endorsed himself and set himself up for another run at POTUS in 2020, assuming America has not completely become reprobate thereby ushering in the Great Apocalypse under Trump or Hillary. Ted believes he has been ordained by GOD (as does every other Republican candidate) to save America from ruin and he will not let a pissant like Trump get in his way, even if he has to wait 4 more years. Never underestimate the patience of a delusional man. © Jud Burgess, July 2016

Every Olympics is a microcosm of the human family. We love watching them because of the dramatic plot lines embedded within every sporting event, every country participating and every competitor who represents the best their country has to offer.

At the same time, there are threads that undermine this joyous global happening. Most are valid concerns be they political, health, or safety. © Jud Burgess, August 2016

I'm poking fun at the tendency of some people of means who have $$$ to burn and use it to curry favor with politicians.

We all have friends and know people who have that framed picture on their wall that shows them with the elite and powerful, their powerful pretend politician friends that build their self-esteem and self-importance.

And I couldn't help but throw a little shade on the Clintons, the poster family when it comes to entitlement and never-ending suspicions as to what their hidden agenda might be. A conspiracy-theorist’s dream come true.

With Donald Trump what you see is what you get, no changing that leopard’s spots...incapable of pivoting. An American idiot.

But Hillary is a much more nuanced and complex individual that is intelligent enough to know how to downplay some of the most stupid moves a person with that kind of power can make. Inexplicable decisions that bring on the kind of scrutiny and disdain she finds herself and the Clinton Foundation on the receiving end of.

As I’ve said before, she’ll get my unenthusiastic vote. © Jud Burgess, August 2016

Pastor Tom Brown Word of Life Pie Chart © Jud Burgess

Pastor’s are called to lead their flocks like a good shepherd would, but Tom Brown has put his ego and prejudices ahead of the common welfare of his congregation as well as El Pasoans who have been subjected to his “scorched earth” legal campaign against ex-mayor John Cook.

Well, guess who got burned?

Brown is trying to spin his catastrophic decisions to punish the LGBTQ community and subsequent loss of his legal assaults as an “El Paso vs. Word of Life Church”. An assault of the “free speech” of churches even if it was his church that broke the law by ignoring the Separation of Church and State rules.

It is my hope that people who attend his church will stumble across this simple satirical pie chart (but truer than not) and ask themselves the hard questions.

Whose fault is it that our church is in this financial state?

Is it really about people trying to deny us our free speech or something else?

Where does my 10% tithe go? © Jud Burgess, August 2016

Inspired by Trump's infamous Cinco de Mayo tweet about Trump Tower's taco bowls AND also by his Latino surrogates' statement about there being Taco Trucks on every corner if Trump were to lose the presidency.

We should all be so lucky. © Jud Burgess, September 2016

BRIAN ANDERSON COMES OUT AS GAY
Legendary 1999 Thrasher Magazine Skater of the Year

As a dad with a gay daughter and having been a former skater who survived the 70s skateboard scene, hospitalizations included, I'm here to say that Brian Anderson’s declaration to the world as being gay is big.

Skateboarding has always been a rebels cause.

Done right it's self-destructive and pushes a skater to the edges of what a body can take.

It's also never been the territory of gay people until recently. All about machismo and guy camaraderie, drinking and raising hell among other vices.

Brian Anderson says he is a skater first and gay second so he will continue to burn the torch and wreck himself but it's great to see him comfortable enough with America to embrace himself as gay and share it with the rest of us.

We are all individuals with different personalities, abilities and persuasions.

Jesus embraces each one of us as his own brother/sister without reservations.

Let's do likewise.

Vince Perez, Claudia Ordaz and El Paso’s D.A.

County Commissioner Vince Perez and City Council Rep Claudia Ordaz.

They are El Paso’s recently married Power Hungry Couple.

House of Cards meet El Chuco.

I don’t know either of them personally but as a bystander watching them in the goldfish bowl of El Paso politics, I can see right through the thin veneer of their political motives.

For the rest of the story – https://www.facebook.com/JamesNoEPISDBond/posts/877784165696940:0