This Probably Explains Donald Trump...!

If you're confused by the baker's dozen of Republicans vying for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, well, you don't know how good you have it!

Because in 1952, America narrowly averted the most disastrous election ever!

Holy Moley, indeed, Freddie Freeman!

Mr. Naitram?!? Sounds like he belongs to the Count Alucard Please-Don't-Spell-My-Name-Backwards Club!!

Yep...no way a war-mongering nutbag could EVER be nominated...

Whaaat?!?!?!

Holey Moley, indeed!!

Freddie decides to investigate this mysteriously popular candidate:

WHAAATTTTT?!?!?!?

How is this possible?!?!

Ah, so this explains various candidates' stands on immigration and voter registration!! They're really trying to prevent a Martian takeover!!!

See--I told you!! You should always spell people's names backwards, just to see if they're evil!!

Well, they put Freddie in an easily escapable trap, from which he easily escapes, and...

Hey, wait a minute now...

Hey, no amnesty for illegal immigrants, Captain Marvel Jr!!

That depends on which Earthman we elect, Freddie...

From Captain Marvel, Jr. #116 (1952)

Manic Monday--The Clean Elections Of 1948!

Well, what with people declaring their candidacy for office like it's going out of style, we're soon going to be knee-deep in mud-slinging and negative ads! I can't wait!!

So maybe, as a palate cleanser, we should took a look at the nice, clean, inspiring mayoral election in Fawcett City (or whatever) of 1948.

In an earlier story, Captain Marvel Jr. threw a crooked mayoral candidate in jail for being in league with gangsters. Unfortunately, this has created a real problem:

A newspaper publisher worried about restoring the citizens' faith in democracy? How novel!

Well, Freddie agrees, and gives a rousing speech!

But the citizens are, well, dirt-stupid, so the speech has an unintended side effect:

Oh, democracy!!

Well, this distresses the campaign manager of Pate, one of the actual candidates, so he takes the only step possible: he goes negative. Big time!

Say it isn't so!

Wait, who is giving poisoned candy to babies?!?!

And the voters won't know this, because dumb:

I would have thought the 912 times Captain Marvel had saved them earlier would have counted as "the first impression." Silly me!

And:

Poisoned candy? Blowing up orphanages? What kind of hellhole is this city?!?

But the mud isn't done being slung:

D'oh!!

Let's see how the other candidates react:

Good...take advantage of the slime while seemingly trying to take the high road!

How about the other guy?

Idiot.

Well, when Captain Marvel Jr saves the towns children, the evil campaign manager and his candidate see the light...

Wait--you're pulling out because your campaign manager was a douche? You've got plausible deniability, bro--evade, equivocate, and stay in the race!

Hmm, who does that leave?

Neither do we, Freddie...neither do we.

Just 19 months until November 2016!

From Captain Marvel Jr #67 (1948)

Election Day!!

It's Election Day here in the US of A!!

And as we start to prepare for the build-up to the 2016 elections, let's review what makes American democracy so great.

The Avengers have been framed, by Power Man and the Enchantress, for wanton destruction of property and violation of rights and other bits of hooliganism.

Well, the New York City Council cannot let that stand!!

And, about 30 seconds after the Avengers are predictably cleared:

Sigh...some things never change...

Anyway, the next time some hacks at Marvel or DC churn out "the public turns against our heroes" story, remind the creators that Stan did it BACK IN 1965!!! Go get a new idea, hacks!!

Stan sticks the shiv into spineless politicians who etch-a-sketch their positions in Avengers #21 & #22 (1965)