Yes, PyMel is crap. It's the best crap you get in Maya, but it's still crap. Take a look:

pm.autoKeyframe(state=True)

This SETS a value. And this

pm.autoKeyframe(query=True,state=True)

RETURNS a value. Finally this

pm.autoKeyframe.state()

delivers an ERROR. This is not how you're supposed to use Python ffs!!!

Also the "sets"-command is an abomination in Maya python. Actually, it's already in MEL, but at least it sorta follows the idiotic MEL-logic. In python it just batshit crazy. To remove an object from a set, you do this:

cmds.sets( myObject, remove=mySet )

Yes. You tell the "sets"-command to remove the mySet from myObject to actually remove myObject from mySet... head explodes... Oh yea, in pyMel it seems to not accept it's own objects anymore... I give up.