Auchter's Art

Is it not clear at this point that the fate of our economic system should not be subject to the whims of a single person? This has been like watching great-grandpa, who never drove a car, trying to parallel park a Winnebego on a city street. Yeah, he's got the biggest vehicle and may eventually get it into a space. But there is gonna be so much damage. And so many enemies.

A common criticism for an editorial cartoon: "It's not funny." The common response from an editorial cartoonist: "You're right." That's because the main goal of an editorial or political cartoon (a good one anyway) should be to stir a thought or even start a conversation. Humor can help, but it isn't necessary.

Abraham Lincoln famously described our particular form of government as "of the people, by the people, for the people." So it seems to me that if we slash and cut and terminate all of the "people" parts, there will be no constitutional republic left. And a real danger of it perishing from the earth.

I think there is a deeper issue, and it disturbs me more that the capricious behavior of Secretary Linda McMahon and the Trump Administration actively dismantling the department: They seem to care more about their ideological victories than they do about the actual students. Much more. If, in fact, they are thinking about students at all.

The situation with the Line 5 oil pipeline that runs through Michigan isn't the most topical issue I could have picked this week. It's more of an ongoing issue that (I hope) most Michiganders are familiar with. The point I'm attempting to make, however, is extremely topical. And that topic is: propaganda works.

This Trump tariff lunacy. Ohmygod.

Even as an embittered political cartoonist, I can still find a place in my brain that believes in bipartisanship — at least the concept of it. Will it be successful? I think the question comes down to this: Can Whitmer maintain principles and standards while seeking common ground, or will she crater at key moments and become the next Susan Collins?

The current slashing of federal agencies and programs by Elon Musk and his DOGE gang may have started out as cutting fat but instantly crossed over into the ideological. Under the dubious guise of fighting corruption and rooting out fraud, it's become less about improving efficiencies and more about burning down the Reichstag.

Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, was a recent guest on The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart podcast. The long time Republican has known the President for 23 years, worked for him, and (as eventually happens to most) was fired by him. In the course of conversation, Christie offered a number of informed insights. One that caught my attention was about the role of a leader — any leader, but especially for the President of the United States: "Character matters, and it matters more than any particular issue."

Anybody who knows anything about the automobile industry (so pretty much any Michigander) can tell you that the U.S. automotive industry supply chain is very tightly interwoven with Mexico and Canada. This is a result of decades of trade agreements that facilitated the tight bonds. You may not like this. You may not think it's a good idea. But it is a fact. And waving a magic tariff wand will not undo it. What it will do is create chaos.