Auchtoon!

Originally published in the Ann Arbor News, Bay City Times, Flint Journal, Grand Rapids Press, Jackson Citizen Patriot, Kalamazoo Gazette, Muskegon Chronicle, Saginaw News
October 27, 2013

Credit for the initial observation goes to my friend, Mert. Growing up in Michigan, it seemed like Richard Austin was the de facto Secretary of State (which is what Michigan calls its department of motor vehicles). He was the guy with his picture on the wall, so he must be the guy we elect. And checking Wikipedia, true enough, he served from 1970 to 1994. He may have been a fine fellow and done some good things, but from a general citizen point of view, going to the Secretary of State office back then was a decidedly unhappy experience. So was there a great hue and cry to stop the existence of the Secretary of State? To obstruct it? To defund it? To kill it? Well, yeah, probably. (We were no less prone to emotional reactions back then.) But did we listen? No. No instead we elected leaders to improve the situation and now — again from my general citizen point of view — dealing with the Secretary of State office is not so bad. I think there’s a lesson there somewhere….

http://www.everydaycitizen.com/2013/10/an_interview_with_cartoonist_john_auchter.html

My friend and fellow cartoonist Angelo Lopez did an interview of me for his blog, Everyday Citizen. I met Angelo at the editorial cartoonist convention last year.  I had seen his work and admired it for some time. Two main reasons: one, it’s good. Two, it’s something I don’t (or can’t) do: his artwork is clean and precise and his ideas are to the point, often without dialogue. The fact that he’s also a visual artist explains the elegance in his illustration.

• Check out his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AngeloLopezIllustration
• Check out his editorial cartoons: http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm?cartoonist=LopezA

Originally published in the Ann Arbor News, Bay City Times, Flint Journal, Grand Rapids Press, Jackson Citizen Patriot, Kalamazoo Gazette, Muskegon Chronicle, Saginaw News
October 20, 2013

So the US Supreme Court has agreed to decide an affirmative action case coming out of Michigan. Here’re the details, but in short, Michigan passed a constitutional amendment back in 2006 stating that race cannot be considered as part of college admissions. Colleges like the University of Michigan argue that this has had the net effect of reducing the number of minorities on campus. Those who support the law, such as Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, say it prevents discrimination. Like most things having to do with race in America, it’s messier than that.

What makes the issue so difficult is a lack of trust. The first panel is an actual quote from Bill Schuette, and I want to believe that he knows of better ways to promote diversity, but in the articles I read, he didn’t elaborate much. So, yeah, I get it — affirmative action and specific set asides seem unfair and unworkable in the 21st century, but why exactly can’t race be taken into some account for admissions purposes? Relatives of alumni (legacy students) are given preferential treatment, and that tips the balance toward existing racial patterns. Why must it be illegal to consider race? Is there actually a better way to promote diversity?

But most importantly, did anybody get the Blues Brothers references in the cartoon?

Originally published in the Ann Arbor News, Bay City Times, Flint Journal, Grand Rapids Press, Jackson Citizen Patriot, Kalamazoo Gazette, Muskegon Chronicle, Saginaw News
October 13, 2013

Since my deadline is Thursday and Game 5 of the ALDS was Thursday night, I actually drew two versions of this cartoon. One if the Tigers won (in which Boston hates America), one if the Tigers lost (in which Oakland hates America). It fit well with my general theme — in the current political climate, we tend to demonize anything not on our team. Actually, my first inclination was to equate the big bushy playoff beards of the A’s and Red Sox players with the Taliban. Turns out, there’s nothing funny down that road….

In any case, I was certainly happy the Tigers won. But then in Game 1 and most of Game 2 of the ALCS night, Detroit shut down Boston so thoroughly that I was concerned Tigers fans would not be generate the proper amount of animosity toward the Red Sox necessary for the cartoon to work. Oh, sure, there was the Sox constant bitching to the umps about strike calls. (Geez frickin louise, did they recently have a whiner-himer workshop with Phil Jackson? It’s the playoffs, cupcake. You gotta swing at the close ones!) But with our bullpen collapse to give away Game 2, animosity is now on! So I’ll likely be channeling my inner Ted Cruz to twist any perceived Boston misdeed — no matter how slight — to be a sign of the apocalypse. God have mercy on my soul….

Originally published in the Ann Arbor News, Bay City Times, Flint Journal, Grand Rapids Press, Jackson Citizen Patriot, Kalamazoo Gazette, Muskegon Chronicle, Saginaw News
October 6, 2013

First, let me assure you that, yes, I am well aware that Democrats and the Democratic Party have had many instances of wild inconsistency in their actions, behave hypocritically, and let their ends justify their means. For the record, I see all sorts of organizations and individuals do the same: businesses, trade associations, unions, you, me. It’s an endless source of material for cartoonists in general and editorial cartoonists in particular. But I only get to draw one cartoon a week, so I have to be judicious and callout the worst offender. And this week, after willfully (and sometimes gleefully) causing a partial shutdown of the federal government, the Republicans absolutely earned it.

The Michigan spin here refers back to end of last year when, in a lame duck session, the state GOP pushed through some controversial legislation (including a right-to-work law) with some dubious, though legal, actions. And they advised anybody who questioned their actions that they could do any number of the following: Stop whining, don’t be a crybaby, grow a pair, put on a pair of big boy pants, don’t like it? lump it, or simply shut up. An anxious nation now awaits as the House GOP searches for its big boy pants.

Originally published in the Ann Arbor News, Bay City Times, Flint Journal, Grand Rapids Press, Jackson Citizen Patriot, Kalamazoo Gazette, Muskegon Chronicle, Saginaw News
September 29, 2013

This one was funnier in my head when I thought of it. You see, when Rick Snyder was first elected governor three years ago, his theme was a better Michigan through “relentless positive action.” The idea was to avoid the quagmire of petty politics by plowing right through the petty politics with a big smile. And by and large Snyder has done just that. But as he has begun the process for re-election for a second term, I imagine that the stress of that sometimes forced positivity would be taking some sort of toll on Snyder. Relentless can be relentless, and a re-election year plus four more of governing — that’s a lot of relentless.

So I imagined him under a “### Days Since Last Accident” sign with beads of sweat on his stressed face and several handlers looking anxiously on from the side. But I was afraid that Snyder, me, and maybe a dozen other people would have gotten that. So I sifted in more context, which diluted the funny. Oh well. I never promised relentless humorous action. Too stressful….