This week’s toon, “The Human Footprint,” is a bit of a departure from my normal issue-of-the-day approach. It was conceived while camping on the shore of Lake Pend Oreille in the Idaho Panhandle last weekend.

Links: Buy a hand-signed, 11×14 print of this cartoon | On the main site: “The Human Footprint” [Archive No. 0824]

The sad reality of politics-as-usual seems to make the development of a sustainable energy policy almost impossible. We need bold leadership right now, both to retool our economy and reverse the terrible damage we’re doing to the global ecosystem. Instead we get … offshore drilling? That’s obviously not the answer to “The Oil Problem,” short- or long-term.

At this point, we need to face the fact that change is inevitable. The only question is what that inevitability will be: a quick transition to a post-fossil-fuel economy, or the devastating effects of our refusal to do so.

Links: Buy a hand-signed, 11×14 print of this cartoon | On the main site: “The Oil Problem” [Archive No. 0823]

Technical problems continue to plague the Off the Wahl Perspective Blog. We’re still working on it and hope to have everything working very soon.

In happier news, my “Surge” cartoons from last year were recently honored by the Society of Professional Journalists’ Excellence in Journalism Awards for Region 10 (an area including Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington), finishing third behind work from Northwest cartooning legends David Horsey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Jack Ohman of The Oregonian. The judge found my series “startling and stark, sends strong message quickly and with focus.”

Check them out below.

Links: Buy a hand-signed, 11×14 print of this cartoon | On the main site: “The Surge Marches On …” (color version) [Archive No. 0728b]

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Links: Buy a hand-signed, 11×14 print of this cartoon | On the main site: “Leaving Troops in Harm’s Way” (color version) [Archive No. 0717b]
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Links: Buy a hand-signed, 11×14 print of this cartoon | On the main site: “This Surge” (color version) [Archive No. 0709b]

As some of you may have noticed, the Off the Wahl Perspective Blog has been out of commission for a couple of weeks now. Serious database problems continue to plague it, and professionals have been called in. Hopefully, by the time you’re able to read this, all will be well.

This week’s toon, “On to November,” is a sequel to a cartoon from mid-May. With even a Democratic congressman publicly refusing to endorse Obama, this whole party unity thing is going to take awhile.

Links: Buy a hand-signed, 11×14 print of this cartoon | On the main site: “On to November” [Archive No. 0822]

The alternate word ballon was “I’d like to thank Hillary Clinton … ,” but that didn’t seem to capture the Obama tone during last night’s historic victory. The general election should be a hoot to cover. “Onward,” indeed!

Links: Buy a hand-signed, 11×14 print of this cartoon | On the main site: “Onward” [Archive No. 0821]