Ben Cohen, founder of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream wanted to create a roving visual depiction of the US’ out-of whack budget spending. He teamed up with New York graphic artist Stefan Sagmeister and artist/mechanic Tom Kennedy to create the Topsy-Turvy bus, affectionately known as “Topsy.”
“Our nation’s spending priorities allow crumbling schools, millions of children with no health coverage, dependence on Middle East oil and deficits as far as you can see,” said Ben Cohen, president of the Priorities Campaign.
The Pentagon’s spending, which accounts for more than half of the nation’s discretionary budget, is the group’s primary target. Their goal is to snip 15% of the Pentagon’s bloated budget and redistribute the funds to alternative energy, education, hunger, and health care. Of course, we at Carectomy would like to make sure that alternative transportation gets a little slice of that tasty pie as well.
To drive the point home, Kennedy welded two school buses together, installed an indoor video system, powered the rig with biodiesel, and followed the campaign trail for the presidential primaries to promote a change in spending-as-usual.
Here’s an external link to the video the group played on the bus to viewers across the country.
The bus awaits its next life – it’s currently for sale through Cohen’s grassroots True Majority organization.
Photos via flickr by nomadfotog
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