CARTOON: ‘Loyalty Pledges are for Losers’

From cartoonist Clay Jones about ‘Loyalty Pledges are for Losers,’ the Virginia Republican party loyalty pledge, and Donald Trump being right…for once

In the past when Democrats controlled southern states, Republicans were against party identification. One reason being that if you were a Republican, then you didn’t want anyone to know. Damn liberal Republicans. People would start looking at you funny.

Today, a lot of Republicans like the idea of requiring voters to identify with a party. That’s fine if you want to scream at the top of your lungs that you’re a donkey or an elephant, but it shouldn’t be a requirement to vote. In fact, it might be illegal. Since voting is a constitutional right, then there shouldn’t be any barriers to it, even in a state primary.

Virginia’s Republicans are still reeling after losing every statewide office in the last state elections. Now they’re afraid Donald Trump’s candidacy is attracting people who don’t normally vote Republican, and they’ll mess up their nice and fancy primary. I thought attracting more people to your party was a good thing, even if they don’t stay long. Their answer is to require each person trying to vote in their primary to sign a loyalty pledge stating they’re a Republican.

Donald Trump is right for once; the Virginia Republicans are being stupid. Hold a fair election, and let the chips fall where they may. Virginia can be very important to selecting your nominee, or not a contender at all. It’s your choice.

By the way, Virginia GOP, the voters are paying for that primary, so stop trying to change the rules.

On another note: I hardly do anything except eat, sleep, and draw cartoons. I hardly even leave my studio. I did yesterday. And then editors sent in requests, all wanting something on short notice. I hate not being able to deliver, but I was watching Star Wars. I didn’t have enough time after the movie to meet most of the requests.

But I did agree to meet one. The Staunton News-Leader in my state of Virginia asked me to draw a cartoon on this subject. They wanted it by noon, then extended it to 2 p.m. I felt I could do that. Especially since the editor didn’t ask for a particular angle or viewpoint. They just asked for a cartoon.

I have been thinking about doing the issue but thought that only one of my clients would get much use out of it. But when a client asks for something to be covered and it’s not exclusive to them, I try to come through.

Last week, another client expressed an issue with the way I draw boobs. Not sure I can meet that one.

From claytoonz.com