Editing 2875: 2024
Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
The edit can be undone.
Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision | Your text | ||
Line 11: | Line 11: | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | {{incomplete|Created by OBAMA'S TEETH - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | |
+ | In what starts off almost like a "[[:Category:Comics to make one feel old|doesn't time fly?]]" scene, the unstoppable progression of the calendar is observed, as [[Ponytail]] points out that it's now 2024. [[Cueball]], in response, notes that it is an election year, in this context a {{w|President of the United States#Election|US ''Presidential'' election}} year, which occurs every four years and has (in one form or other) since 1788. Ponytail then replies in some form of exasperated tone that they "keep on happening", which is true but (normally) unsurprising, even/especially with other major elections happening every two years, presumably not compared to how [https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/youre-joking-not-another-one/ some other democracies] might be less predictable/more frequent. | ||
− | On top of this, Ponytail seems to have not been aware (or maybe has chosen to forget) the passing of two whole election cycles (and two newer incumbents) as the discussion focuses upon {{w|Barack Obama}}, the ''former'' US President | + | On top of this, Ponytail seems to have not been aware (or maybe has chosen to forget) the passing of two whole election cycles (and two newer incumbents) as the discussion focuses upon {{w|Barack Obama}}, the ''former'' US President. Ponytail seems to be quite behind the times as she asks if Obama is still president (he left office January 20th, 2017, which was 7 (!) years ago, a fact that Cueball cannot quite believe Ponytail is ignorant of). Ponytail states that she liked him, and wonders if he'll be up for taking on the position again. But Cueball states that he ''can't'' be made President again, having already served two terms, which Ponytail confirms by checking for herself the details of the {{w|Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution}}. |
− | + | The humor in the comic comes in the second half; Cueball and Ponytail discuss whether Obama is the same person (like the mythical {{w|Ship of Theseus}}, most of his constituent cells are frequently replaced), with Ponytail looking into the possibility of Obama's re-election based upon philosophical/biological technicalities (as applied to the Constitution's words), rather than as legal/political convention might normally suggest. But when even that approach is seen to be wanting, requiring a wait significantly exceeding 30 years, Ponytail suggests negating that issue by having all of Obama's teeth removed and replaced with false teeth. | |
− | + | In order to facilitate the latter goal, Ponytail announces her intention to consult a dentist and (for exact reasons that can only be guessed at) a lawyer. Seeing where her current misplaced, and {{w|Dunning–Kruger effect|less than informed}}, zeal might be leading her, Cueball gives his prediction that the probable {{w|Supreme Court of the United States|ultimate legal arbiters}} of her plan might be unanimous in rejecting its validity (if not dissuading its attempt). SCOTUS being unanimous on an issue is now a [https://www.scotusblog.com/2022/07/as-unanimity-declines-conservative-majoritys-power-runs-deeper-than-the-blockbuster-cases/ comparatively rare event<!-- I looked for a decent post-2021 summary, but could not find one, perhaps someone else could check and replace/rephrase if they can establish better search engine skills-->]. | |
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | In order to facilitate the latter goal, Ponytail announces her intention to consult | ||
− | |||
− | Seeing where her current misplaced, and {{w|Dunning–Kruger effect|less than informed}}, zeal might be leading her, Cueball | ||
− | |||
− | |||
The title text combines two {{w|George Washington}} references. The first part of the sentence is the beginning of the mundane but true claim that "It wasn't originally constitutionally required, but presidents who have served two terms have traditionally followed George Washington's example and not sought a third term." However, the title text veers off-course to the subject of {{w|George Washington's teeth|George Washington's (in)famous 'false teeth'}}. Washington's dentures are often falsely claimed to be made of wood; in truth they were ''real'' teeth procured from other sources. Regardless, this would have likely resolved the rather specific philosophical/legal problems established in the comic, were they real. However, since Washington only ran for president twice, even if the 22nd amendment had been in effect, it would have been unnecessary! | The title text combines two {{w|George Washington}} references. The first part of the sentence is the beginning of the mundane but true claim that "It wasn't originally constitutionally required, but presidents who have served two terms have traditionally followed George Washington's example and not sought a third term." However, the title text veers off-course to the subject of {{w|George Washington's teeth|George Washington's (in)famous 'false teeth'}}. Washington's dentures are often falsely claimed to be made of wood; in truth they were ''real'' teeth procured from other sources. Regardless, this would have likely resolved the rather specific philosophical/legal problems established in the comic, were they real. However, since Washington only ran for president twice, even if the 22nd amendment had been in effect, it would have been unnecessary! | ||
− | It goes almost without saying that no one has yet even ''attempted'' to carry out this plan. Only one President has exceeded the 2-term limit; {{w|Franklin D. Roosevelt}} died in office during his ''fourth'' term, but he served prior to the 22nd Amendment and was thus unaffected by the rule, which was enacted six years after his death. (FDR did have a partial denture, but given that he retained some of his natural teeth, he did not engage in Ponytail's proposed scheme.) Presidents since then have definitely | + | It goes almost without saying that no one has yet even ''attempted'' to carry out this plan. Only one President has exceeded the 2-term limit; {{w|Franklin D. Roosevelt}} died in office during his ''fourth'' term, but he served prior to the 22nd Amendment and was thus unaffected by the rule, which was enacted six years after his death. (FDR did have a partial denture, but given that he retained some of his natural teeth, he did not engage in Ponytail's proposed scheme.) Presidents since then have definitely tried various schemes aimed at securing a second term, with both successes and failures, but nobody has yet attempted''this particular plan'' to achieve a third or beyond. Or at least one can assume that those that perhaps did (including, as noted, all those who were not yet 'required' to go to these lengths) failed to attain their goals for entirely different reasons. |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
+ | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | ||
+ | |||
:[Ponytail and Cueball are walking.] | :[Ponytail and Cueball are walking.] | ||
:Ponytail: So this is 2024. | :Ponytail: So this is 2024. | ||
Line 37: | Line 32: | ||
:Ponytail: Again? Man, those just keep happening, huh? | :Ponytail: Again? Man, those just keep happening, huh? | ||
− | :[Ponytail and Cueball | + | :[Ponytail and Cueball now standing.] |
:Ponytail: Who's the president these days, anyway? Is it still Obama? | :Ponytail: Who's the president these days, anyway? Is it still Obama? | ||
:Cueball: What? No? He hasn't been... How do you not... | :Cueball: What? No? He hasn't been... How do you not... | ||
− | :[Ponytail and Cueball standing.] | + | :[Ponytail and Cueball still standing.] |
:Ponytail: Darn, I liked him. Is he running this time? | :Ponytail: Darn, I liked him. Is he running this time? | ||
:Cueball: No, he's not allowed to. | :Cueball: No, he's not allowed to. | ||
Line 47: | Line 42: | ||
:Cueball: Constitution. | :Cueball: Constitution. | ||
− | :[ | + | :[Ponytail checks her smartphone.] |
:Phone: ''Amendment 22'' | :Phone: ''Amendment 22'' | ||
:Phone: No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice | :Phone: No person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice | ||
:Ponytail: What?? C'mon... | :Ponytail: What?? C'mon... | ||
− | :[Ponytail | + | :[Ponytail talking to Cueball.] |
:Ponytail: Don't all your cells get replaced every seven years, Ship of Theseus-style? Is he even the same person? | :Ponytail: Don't all your cells get replaced every seven years, Ship of Theseus-style? Is he even the same person? | ||
:Ponytail: Maybe "no person shall be elected more than twice" isn't a prohibition, it's more of an observation, like "you can't step in the same river twice." | :Ponytail: Maybe "no person shall be elected more than twice" isn't a prohibition, it's more of an observation, like "you can't step in the same river twice." | ||
− | :[Zoom in on | + | :[Zoom in on Cueball.] |
:Cueball: Isn't the cell thing a myth? | :Cueball: Isn't the cell thing a myth? | ||
:Cueball: I think tooth enamel has a turnover half-life of 30+ years. His teeth molecules are probably the same. | :Cueball: I think tooth enamel has a turnover half-life of 30+ years. His teeth molecules are probably the same. | ||
− | :[Ponytail | + | :[Ponytail heads off with a finger raised.] |
:Ponytail: So if Obama just gets false teeth, he can run again! I need to talk to a dentist and a lawyer! | :Ponytail: So if Obama just gets false teeth, he can run again! I need to talk to a dentist and a lawyer! | ||
:Cueball: The Supreme Court is about to vote 9-0 to block your number. | :Cueball: The Supreme Court is about to vote 9-0 to block your number. | ||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
− | |||
− | |||
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
Line 79: | Line 66: | ||
[[Category:Politics]] | [[Category:Politics]] | ||
[[Category:Biology]] | [[Category:Biology]] | ||
− |