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
Balancing Tradition and Technology
In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, small-town policing is finding a balance between tradition and technology. From body cameras to drones, U.P. law enforcement agencies have rapidly adopted new tools over the past decade–boosting safety and accountability while navigating questions about privacy, cost, and community trust. Tristin Smith explores how these innovations are reshaping rural policing and what it means for the close-knit communities that define the U.P.
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.
