Auchter's Art

It's getting increasingly difficult to tell whether a politician has done a good job because of the willingness (nay, enthusiasm) there is for spinning news. That is, making news (any news) unfavorable for the other team.

It's a lazy argument. It saves the hard work of figuring out what is and what is not a good law and trying to think through the benefits while anticipating the consequences.

Was it the worst injustice ever in the history of injustices? No. But the overwrought reactions of coach Harbaugh, Michigan's Board of Regents, and the legions of Wolverine fans would have you think it was.

Michigan Republicans are, of course, outraged. Outraged that after decades of their majority rule shenanigans, they now have to suffer such indignities. Who could have possibly foreseen this? The takeaway: We all suffer when so-called leaders prioritize party over people.

Wherever you happen to stand on holding accountable the public officials who put Flint under state-appointed emergency management, I think we can all agree that the optics (not to mention the results) were terrible.

Although colleges and universities don't guarantee learning, they do provide the opportunity to learn. And some otherwise smart administrators and coaches seemingly continue not to take the opportunity.

I've had two distinct thoughts of late regarding the ongoing UAW autoworker strike and the news around it (or the lack thereof).

Social media is a lot of things, but I don't think it has fundamentally changed who people are. We have always found ways to miscommunicate with one another. Social media just does an exceptional job at facilitating it.

Now in our very binary political environment, one might assume that I'm here to champion EVs. I'm not. We should be looking for the solutions that will allow the best possible benefits and ensure our country a position of technological leadership. Being the world's best horse-carriage makers will not make America great again.

Do you know the one thing most Americans seem to be able to agree on that stands the test of time? It's okay to mock super-rich people. Especially out-of-touch super-rich people who insist that they're doing us all a favor by being super-rich. So after this sympathy for the autoworkers falls apart, at least we'll have that.