Teasha Martinez, a 12th-grader at Albert M. Lowry High School in Winnemucca, Nevada, drew this week’s cartoon. This cartoon uses an old saying to make its point: “You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.” This is called a proverb: a short saying that states a piece of common-sense advice.

In this cartoon, President Obama is standing next to a horse, labeled “America.” He wants the horse to drink from a container of water labeled “Health Care Plan.” But the horse looks confused about whether it should drink. The cartoonist is trying to say that President Obama is trying hard to convince the U.S. people and Congress that his health care reform plan is best for the country, but many Americans are not sure.

 Actually, polls show that most Americans want health care reform and most are even in favor of the so-called “public option,” a government-run health insurance plan that would be more affordable than private insurance. What are the arguments for and against the public option? What do you think about the debate over health care? Do you think Congress and Obama will be able to pass a bill? Do you think it will include a “public option?” What do you think of this cartoon? How does the cartoonist make use of symbols to make her point?

 NewsCurrents wants you to send us your cartoons! Every cartoon we receive will be entered into our Student Editorial Cartoon Contest.

Now take the quiz

What other sayings or phrases could express the relationship of America and the president’s health care plan? How could you work them into an editorial cartoon?

Click here to learn more about NewsCurrents’ Student Editorial Cartoon Contest.