Political figures and institutions often confront moments requiring retreat or adjustment under external pressure. Recent developments show various actors weighing whether to persist or step back from contested positions. The piece argues that recognizing the right moment to fold preserves strength and avoids unnecessary damage in ongoing contests.
contested
Jun
28
2026
A new political cartoon shows President Trump and Iran's supreme leader sharing a tollbooth positioned across the Strait of Hormuz. Both figures extend their hands toward passing cargo ships while American and Iranian flags fly from the structure. The image comments on ongoing disputes over control of the vital oil shipping route.
Mar
11
2025
The cartoon depicts two black figures labeled DOGE clashing with a leprechaun over a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. One DOGE figure lands inside the pot while the other reaches toward it. The leprechaun flies backward from an impact. This imagery responds to recent actions by the Department of Government Efficiency. The department led by Elon Musk has conducted reviews of federal spending and agency operations in early 2025. The visual frames these reviews as an intrusion on established resources.
Nov
18
2020
The cartoon published November 18, 2020, shows Sen. Lindsey Graham pulling the chain on a light bulb labeled democracy that is going out. Behind him stands a GOP elephant holding a paper titled ballot disposal scheme that calls for throwing out thousands of legally cast votes. Large text in the upper right reads the night the light went out in Georgia. The image responds to post-election disputes in Georgia over mail-in ballots and vote counting during the 2020 presidential contest between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
