Founding Fathers Dylan Howard

Background: This was released after the President’s push for Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. It was published on Investors.com. 2009

Who are the men in this picture? President Barack Obama, John Adams, George Washington, Ben Franklin, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson.

What is going on in this cartoon? The president is calling the men who founded the nation that he leads extremists and denying their radical ideas.

What are the attitudes of the characters based on their facial expressions? The president has a pretentious look, as if he is ultimately right. While the Founding Fathers have a condescending face, as if they are frowning upon the presidents actions.

What is the purpose of this cartoon? He is trying to say that the president’s policies are contrary to the founding documents provisions. That the founding father’s intentions are too extreme.

What do you think occurred for this cartoon to be made? This picture was made because the presidents push for expansion of government power.

What do you notice about the positioning of the people? The president is on the left, representing leftist political policies. The Founding Fathers are on the right representing a right- wing approach to government.

What would happen if the president was the only one in the cartoon? The picture would lose it’s ironic property. The president’s comment would not have a clear target. This could lead to the reader interpreting this as a summary of an argument, rather than a condescension of the president.

Who is the intended audience for this cartoon? This is for anyone who is a citizen of the United States and subscribes to a “big government” political ideology.

Is their an ethical appeal? If so, what is it? Most people in the target audience know that the founding father’s views coincide with what the president is demeaning. Therefore, the use of character that resemble them is enough creditability.

What is the logic behind this? The logic is that the president is disregarding the argument because it is too extreme, while the one’s holding the “extreme ideas” are the men who founded the nation.

What is the emotional appeal in this? The picture wants the viewer to become motivated to take a stance against the president or, at the very least, research this topic more.

Bibliography  Founding Fathers Photograph. Investers.com. By Michael Ramirez. Investers's Business Daily. Web. 14 Oct