Make Bridges Great Again! Washington's Only Real Bipartisan Project Is the Blame Game

Washington has finally found something Republicans and Democrats can build together: a spectacular political disaster.

And Donald Trump has arrived just in time to accept an award for it.

In our latest Troll Caricatures cartoon, the U.S. Capitol has developed a serious infrastructure problem. The House of Representatives stands on one side of a canyon, the Senate stands on the other, and the bridge connecting them is collapsing in the middle.

Naturally, nobody seems particularly interested in fixing it.

The politicians are busy arguing, the Senate is considering another committee, and the taxpayers are standing directly beneath the falling bricks.

Welcome to Washington, where even a collapsing bridge has to survive a partisan debate before anyone can call a repair crew.

The Greatest Deal Nobody Made

Right in the middle of the disaster, a grinning caricature of Donald Trump is practically dancing across the broken bridge.

His red tie is flying behind him. His hair is defying the weather. And in one hand, he's proudly holding a golden trophy:

“WORLD'S GREATEST DEALMAKER.”

Who gave him the award?

The cartoon doesn't say. But judging by the expression, the selection committee probably had one member.

Trump announces:

“DON'T WORRY! NOBODY BUILDS BRIDGES BETTER THAN ME!”

That's an impressive declaration from a man whose next step appears to be landing in a hole.

The bridge is literally cracking beneath his feet, but the victory speech is already underway.

In Washington, apparently, you don't have to finish the project before holding the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

You just need a microphone, a confident smile, and a trophy large enough to distract everyone from the missing pavement.

The Elephant and Donkey Construction Company

Over on the House side, the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey are holding what looks like the least productive engineering meeting in American history.

The elephant points an accusing finger.

“IT'S THEIR FAULT!”

The donkey fires back:

“WE WERE ABOUT TO SAY THAT!”

There it is. Bipartisan agreement at last.

Both parties have reached a historic consensus: the other party is responsible.

Between them sits a blueprint labeled “HOW TO FIX CONGRESS.”

It's a promising document. Unfortunately, the people holding it are too busy arguing to read it.

Nearby, a roadwork sign warns:

“REPAIRS DELAYED BY POLITICS.”

Not weather. Not a shortage of concrete. Not even a mysterious construction permit.

Politics.

The only construction material Washington seems to have in unlimited supply is blame.

And judging by the cracks, it doesn't hold much weight.

Please Remain on Hold. Democracy Is in a Meeting.

Across the canyon, the Senate has its own emergency response plan.

A politician announces:

“WE'LL FORM A COMMITTEE!”

Of course they will.

The bridge is falling apart, but there's still time to schedule a meeting, appoint a chairperson, establish a subcommittee, and debate whether the bridge is technically broken or merely experiencing a temporary structural disagreement.

Another senator holds an enormous stack of paperwork labeled “PROCEDURAL DELAYS.”

A clock hangs above a sign reading “DECISION PENDING.”

And one gentleman is fast asleep in a comfortable armchair.

Honestly, he's the most relaxed person in Washington.

He may also be the only politician who has successfully avoided making the situation worse.

Between the two sides, the broken bridge carries a sign that reads “POLITICAL PROMISES.”

Then comes the sound every taxpayer knows too well:

KRRRRAAAACK!

Promises, meet gravity.

The Taxpayers Get the Repair Bill

Below the collapsing bridge, two ordinary Americans wearing yellow “TAXPAYERS” hard hats are trying to survive the falling rubble.

One holds an umbrella labeled “TAXPAYERS.”

The other has discovered the final insult: a giant invoice.

“CONGRESSIONAL REPAIR BILL: YOU PAY!”

There it is. The most reliable bipartisan tradition in American government.

When politicians take credit, the trophies go upstairs.

When something breaks, the bill comes downstairs.

One taxpayer looks toward the tiny worker attempting repairs with a bucket of “BIPARTISANSHIP (GLUE)” and asks:

“HEY! IS THIS COVERED BY YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN?”

Excellent question.

Unfortunately, the glue appears to be running out, the ladder marked “COMPROMISE” isn't reaching the other side, and the bridge is continuing its enthusiastic journey toward the ground.

Even the bald eagle sitting nearby has buried its face in its wing.

Somewhere in the corner, a television reporter delivers the least surprising breaking news of the century:

“CONGRESS STILL ARGUING!”

At this point, the real breaking news would be Congress agreeing on something before the bridge hits the bottom.

All Exits Blocked

The cartoon's final joke sits beside a winding strip of red tape.

A green highway sign announces:

“WASHINGTON: ALL EXITS BLOCKED.”

That's quite a traffic report.

Gridlock overhead. Partisan warfare on one side. The blame game on the other. And the only available detour leads straight into another committee meeting.

The bridge in this cartoon isn't a literal construction project. It's the relationship between institutions that are supposed to work together, even when their members disagree.

Real political compromise doesn't require everyone to think alike. It requires people to stop treating cooperation as surrender.

But in our fictional Washington, the elephant wants an apology, the donkey wants the last word, the Senate wants more paperwork, and Trump wants another trophy.

The taxpayers?

They'd settle for a bridge that stays standing.

The cartoon's closing line says everything:

“THE ONLY THING HOLDING WASHINGTON TOGETHER IS THE BLAME GAME!”

And if that bridge ever gets repaired, you can bet both parties will claim they built it.

Unless it cracks again.

Then it'll be the other guy's fault.

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Satire disclaimer: This is an original fictional political cartoon. Its dialogue, collapsing bridge, awards, and exaggerated characterizations are invented for humor and editorial commentary. The artwork is a metaphor for political gridlock, not a depiction of an actual bridge collapse or specific congressional event.