© 2026 MICHIGAN PUBLIC
91.7 Ann Arbor/Detroit 104.1 Grand Rapids 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Ann Arbor/Detroit listeners: WUOM is operating at low power, which is impacting our signal. If you're having trouble listening, please try one of these alternative methods. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

John Auchter

Contributor, Auchter's Art

John has created Michigan-based editorial cartoons for the Grand Rapids Business Journal, the Grand Rapids Press, and MLive Newspapers. His cartoons are currently featured at MichiganPublic.org and are syndicated to newspapers through the Michigan Press Association. John is an active member of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists (AAEC) and is the current Vice President. You can view an archive of his editorial work and other cartoons at Auchtoon.com.

  • Panel 1: Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, stands at a podium with a GM logo, saying, “I can’t explain why the decision was made in Canada to allow import of inexpensive Chinese EVs.” Panel 2: Multiple speech bubbles swirl around her, representing various possible reasons: “GM & Jeep pulling some production out of Canada?” “Trump imposing tariffs based entirely on his own whims?” “Dismantling of the U.S./Canada integrated supply chains?” “The Big 3 abandoning entry-level autos?” “The both overt and implied threats to Canadian sovereignty?” “Trump’s endlessly petulant bullying?” “GM’s well-documented history of bailing on EVs?” “The destruction of trust in the U.S. as a reliable ally?” “The reality of a possible post-NATO world?” “The need to create leverage for future trade negotiations?” “The U.S. unilaterally violating free trade agreements?” “That patronizing 51st state rhetoric?” “Pete freaking Hoekstra?” Barra looks overwhelmed and uncomfortable. Panel 3: Barra shrugs and says, “Well, you know — other than that…”
    Commentary
    Auchter's Art: Other than that
    John Auchter
    There was an article in The Wall Street Journal this week quoting General Motors CEO Mary Barra at a GM all-hands meeting. She was opining about a recent trade agreement between Canada and China in which Canada will allow 49,000 electric vehicles (EVs) to be imported from China in 2026.
  • A four-panel political cartoon titled “How to Avoid Repeating the Recent International Crisis.” Panel 1: Air Force One lands in a snowy area. A staffer says, “Look sir — a frozen wasteland.” Donald Trump replies, “Oooo! Mine! All mine!” The caption reads: “Step 1: Fly Trump to the U.P. and tell him it’s Greenland.” Panel 2: Two locals in plaid offer Trump a pasty, saying, “Yah, hey dare. You guys wanna pasty, eh?” A staffer says, “They are awarding you a peace prize, sir.” The caption reads: “Step 2: Have him meet the ‘natives.’” Panel 3: A car drives by a mine. The staffer says, “See? We’re already exploiting the land.” Trump replies, “And the workers — can we exploit them, too?” The staffer says, “As you wish, sir.” Caption: “Step 3: Drive him by an iron ore mine.” Panel 4: The same plane scene repeats from panel 1. The staffer says, “Look sir — a frozen wasteland.” Trump says, “Oooo! Mine! All mine!” Caption: “Step 4: Repeat, but this time call it Iceland. (He doesn’t seem to be clear on the difference.)”
    Commentary
    Auchter's Art: International Crisis
    John Auchter
    Michigan's Upper Peninsula has a lot similarities to Greenland: It's way up north, not easily accessible, and often described as "arctic."
  • A comic panel of three columns with the left being 2 people talking about Trump visiting Michigan and one asking what he have to say. The middle column shows the person showing his phone with a image of Trump with his middle finger out, then the right column shows the person who asked the question anything else and the person says no, that pretty much summed it up.
    Commentary
    Auchter's Art: A warm greeting
    John Auchter
    President Donald Trump flipped the middle finger Tuesday to a person who could be heard calling him a “pedophile protector" while he toured a Ford truck factory in Michigan. In video shared by TMZ, Trump points to a person who is not seen in the frame and mouths some words. He then flashes his middle finger in that person's direction.
  • A comic panel of the Detroit mayor on the left talking about Detroit having the lowest amount of crime in a historic time with the top saying "Reducing violence". In the right panel shows a ICE agent telling a person to get out of his car with the words "Producing Violence".
    Commentary
    Auchter's Art: Reducing violence producing violence
    John Auchter
    But I'm stuck on sadness and bitterness for now and expect to remain there for a while. Sadness because of the loss of life. Not just Ms. Good but for all the human beings that have suffered (and will suffer) because our wannabe dictator needs to keep his base frothing with fear and anger.
  • Comic panel of a man sharing the story about angel Gabriel and the three men to a child. In the next panel he ends the story and then the kid asks what about the Holy family being refugees. The last panel ends with the man saying don't pay attention to that, it's not part of Christmas.
    Commentary
    Auchter's Art: Don't pay attention to that
    John Auchter
    A gentle reminder (especially to myself) that just because Christmas is over doesn't mean it's over. The story continues.
  • Comic of one panel of a guy receiving a fruitcake and eggnog as present, then next panel shows one getting a self-help book, and ends with panel of someone receiving a data center
    Commentary
    Auchter's Art: Lousy holiday gifts
    John Auchter
    I've seen where right-wing folks have been opining and conjecturing and outright accusing Governor Whitmer of corruption. That she's on the take from big tech and their billionaires to build their data centers. There doesn't seem to be actual evidence of that. It's projection.
  • A three-panel comic titled “Expressions That Don’t Exist…” Panel 1 shows two people standing in a gray, snowy scene under a banner reading “The sunshine of a Michigan December.” One person asks, “Is it night or day?” The other replies, “There’s no way to tell.” Panel 2 shows a business executive sitting on large piles of money with a cigar, under a banner that says “The guarantee of a corporate tax break.” A worker says, “But… but you promised thousands of high-paying jobs.” The executive responds, “Sure! But first I promised shareholders a stock buyback!” Panel 3 shows two college football fans under a banner reading “The integrity of a college football coach.” A University of Michigan fan says, “Ha! Remember when your football coach got sacked for an illicit affair!” A Michigan State fan looks at his phone, thinking, “In 3… 2… 1…” as a news alert pops up reading, “Sherrone Moore fired from…”
    Commentary
    Auchter's Art: Expressions that don't exist
    John Auchter
    The firing of the University of Michigan football coach was very much a developing story as I came up to my deadline, so I didn't want to try to speak to the particulars of the Sherrone Moore case. But I do feel like I'm on solid ground in asking the question: What the #@&*% is wrong with college football coaches?
  • Cartoon of governor Whitmer answering questions regarding gun violence and her suggesting Michigan becomes the 11th province of Canada.
    Commentary
    Auchter's Art: Our best option
    John Auchter
    I hate to be cynical. But sometimes there are pretty good reasons. Unfortunately, in these United States of America, efforts to resolve the gun violence epidemic offers one of those pretty good reasons.
  • Cartoon of old men asking women for "where are our great Men" with the next panel showing the Elissa slotkin getting threats on TV and the women saying "The next great men, may be women".
    Commentary
    Auchter's Art: Thankful for leaders
    John Auchter
    I'm thankful that there are elected officials, leaders, and everyday people who continue to try to do the right thing. They are out there speaking truth to power at a time when it seems like it has never been more difficult to do so.
  • Maga person talking to Trump about Arab Americans and then Trump introducing Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.
    Commentary
    Auchter's Art: Embarrassing and dangerous behavior
    John Auchter
    The MAGA crowd in general has long been suspicious of Michigan's large Arab-American population, Dearborn in particular with its Arab-American majority and mayor. Some even like to go there and try to pick fights, as happened earlier this week.