In modern American politics, even the most mundane bureaucratic details can suddenly become the center of national controversy. The latest example? A small mechanical device called an autopen. If you’ve never heard of an autopen, you’re not alone. For decades it was one of the most boring tools in the federal government. An autopen is simply a machine that replicates a person’s signature. A real pen is placed into the device, and the machine traces a programmed pattern that d