Healthcare Cartoons

Howdy,
Today I am going to analyze a couple of political cartoons regarding healthcare; one for and one against. Hopefully by analyzing these cartoons, people will gain a better understanding on others' stances on the issue.

First of all, lets analyze the pro-reform cartoon

http://www.blackcommentator.com/index_334.html

In this cartoon, a reporter and the image of death are represented. In doing this, the artist creates the sense that we are watching a broadcast where the guest commentator is an authority figure on the issue. The fact that death is the guest commentator leads the viewer to believe that death is advocating to reject the healthcare reform, possibly in the attempt to increase his clients (i.e, a higher death toll from not receiving treatment). By analyzing this image it becomes clear that the author is pro healthcare reform, and he believes that if the healthcare reform  is not enforced, the end result would be more deaths due to untreated ailments.

Now to analyze an anti-reform cartoon.


In this cartoon President Obama, a Doctor, and a patient are depicted. In the image, the President peers over the shoulder of the doctor saying "Don't mind me." The Doctor has an abvious look of annoyance about her face, possibly showing her dislike of government's scrutiny at her workplace. Fundamentally, the artist is trying to depict that a government run healthcare system would be overbearing on doctors and affect their work, and maybe even the quality of care.

By analyzing these two cartoons, we have seen both sides of the story; one artist believes that striking down the reform will lead to more deaths, while another artist believes that passing the reform will lead to an overbearing government presence.

Thanks for Reading