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Bernard Pfost, a retired member of Milwaukee 577M, sent a few of his cartoons to GCC Pres. George Tedeschi to show his "disgust with the [Bush] administration."

When the Graphic Communicator contacted Pfost, he observed regarding the Hurricane Katrina disaster that "if there had been a convention of rich Republicans at the Super Dome, there would have been government helicopters there to rescue them the next day."

Pfost, a "diehard Democrat," said he was inspired to draw the cartoons (his envelope was post-marked Aug. 9) because he is "so disgusted with the way the Republicans have handled the situation for the working man in this country. Now, corporate interests govern everything."

He noted that when President "Eisenhower left office, he said: 'Beware of a military industrial complex.' Not only that," Pfost added, "now corporate interests govern everything."

At the age of 82, he has "lived through many an era." Pfost observed that "people in this day and age have heard and read things about the Great Depression, but when it comes to Social Security, the Republicans [today] wouldn't have voted for it" because of requirements for employer contributions.

Pfost indicated that he despairs at Bush's proposals to "monkey around" with Social Security provisions. Pfost figured that if Bush manages to push his scheme through Congress, "for the working man, it spells disaster in the future."

Regarding the war in Iraq, Pfost was appalled that when the General Accounting Office investigated expenses, "$9 billion couldn't be accounted for."

One of his favorite expressions, he said, is: "The GOP doesn't stand for 'Grand Old Party'–it stands for Greed Of People."

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Pfost was also skeptical about the way gasoline prices sky-rocket so quickly when the fuel had been processed well before an incident occurred that could raise the price of oil. And he observed that gas prices "come down a heck of a lot slower than when they go up, of course."

A 41-year union member, Pfost joined an Amalgamated Lithographers of America local union when he returned in 1945 from his Army service in World War II.

He said he was "very fortunate" at the time because the company was "one of the largest lithography houses in the country" and had "an employer who thought something of the working man." After being sold a couple of times, the company no longer exists, Pfost lamented.

Pfost indicated that young people should make sure they work union, make the effort to fully understand what elected politicians plan to do, and elect men and women who are friendly to working families.