Many cartoonists try to document every news story with a cartoon. Not me. A lot of stories are cartoons -- what could I add ? I am drawn, no pun intended, to stories that contain absurdities that people miss on the first pass.

Politics in California in 2012 were dominated by money and Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown was a tough subject. He's competent and smart. Rule No. 1 of parody: Never sympathize with your targets. Fortunately, his curmudgeonliness opened space for satire.

Rule No. 2: Always see the absurdity of your own side. As a fan of high-speed rail, for example, I nevertheless had to make fun of the so-called Central Valley Express.

For me, the big theme of the year was disintegration. Everywhere, the state is strained, and the pinch of austerity keeps squeezing tighter, threatening the California dream. Meanwhile, the state is full of spectacularly rich corporations and individuals. My work in 2012 emphasized that gap. -- Ted Rall