President Donald Trump, a Republican, holds one of the most powerful jobs on Earth (see “The Toughest Job in America?”). But like many presidents, he has struggled to get parts of his agenda through Congress. These days, his task is a lot harder.

That’s because in last November’s elections, Democrats won a majority of seats in the House of Representatives—and all federal legislation must be passed by both the Senate and the House. So now, in order to get any bill that he supports passed, Trump must convince at least some House Democrats to vote for it. But Democrats have already shown a fierce resistance to his agenda. 

This cartoon comments on the subject. (Note: GOP is a well-known nickname for the Republican Party.) Study the cartoon, then answer the questions.

1. What has happened to the truck in the cartoon? How does the way it’s drawn tell you so?

2. What is in the truck, and who do you think is driving it?

3. What does the low overpass symbolize? What is the double meaning of the word passage here?

4. Judging by the driver’s words, what is likely to happen next?