Our POLITICS + POLICY category provides users with an extensive list of articles dealing with past, present, and future issues relating to politics and policy throughout the UP.
Recently Published
Letter to the Editor: Reflections on a Fading American Dream
One reader reflects on a lifetime of hope, progress, and now disillusionment as he answers the question: “Is the American Dream still alive?”
The Big Beautiful Act, Medicaid and the Upper Peninsula
The new “Big Beautiful Act” slashes $1 trillion from Medicaid and CHIP, cutting at least 10.5 million people from coverage. For the U.P., this means fewer insured residents, struggling hospitals, job losses, and longer drives for care.
Charging Into the Future: Can EVs Thrive in the UP?
Electric vehicles remain a rare sight in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula due to limited charging infrastructure, cold climate challenges, high vehicle costs, and slow-moving local policy. But with the right investments and political will, EV adoption in the UP could unlock new economic and environmental opportunities for the region.
President Trump, Canada and the Upper Peninsula
Canadian travel to the U.S. is down sharply in 2025, and border towns like Sault Ste Marie are feeling the impact. Michael Broadway and Joslin Brown’s latest article explores how Trump-era policies are straining one of North America’s closest relationships.
Bridging Divides: The Ford School’s Resilient Democracies Initiative Encourages Conversations Across Differences
At the University of Michigan, leaders like Jenna Bednar are working to revive civil discourse through respectful dialogue—not debate. The Ford School’s Resilient Democracies initiative and speaker series bring together diverse voices to help students learn how to listen, find common ground, and engage across differences.
