I had hoped Monday morning that I was getting this cartoon out in time for monthlies' January issues, but at least one of my client publications had already gone to press over last weekend. 'Tis the season everybody wants to take a couple weeks off, you know.
The odd couple of MAGA Max and Liberal Leo debuted here last July in the offices of their couples therapist — Maybe I ought to her a name. Heck, this cartoon is the first time anyone in the cartoon has said Max's name, and Leo wasn't called by name until a few weeks ago.
For the time being, Max gets to be insufferably smug. Today's cartoon, however, was my excuse have Leo voice my firm belief that "Fascism has never made any country great."
Miriam Webster defines a fascism as "a political philosophy or system that exalts nation and race above the individual and suppresses opposition." To paraphrase, it's "Make America Great Again" by suing media for reporting Dear Leader's criminal activity and tasking the FBI with persecuting politicians with the temerity to stand up for constitutional democracy.
If someone has an example of some country achieving greatness through fascism, I'm willing to entertain the notion. It was tried by Germany, Italy, Spain, Chile, Argentina, and Brazil in the last century, none of which approached greatness because of it.
Putin's Russia? Orbán's Hungary? Anyplace run by a Generalissimo or a President-For-Life? Hell no.
Fascism does, however, have a track record of making a country a kleptocracy.
And a pariah.
Enjoy your smugnitude while it lasts, Max.
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