Behind Grok's racist debacle, Dems' violent rage and other commentary
Racists and trolls smirked when Elon Musk's Grok AI was caught 'propagating antisemitic talking points, fantasizing about rape, and blaming Mossad for the death of Jeffrey Epstein,' notes Mary Harrington at UnHerd, but the tech-besotted fallacy here is the faith that 'a big enough pattern-recognition engine will converge on both truth and consciousness.'
True wisdom is 'not just an ability to notice patterns'; it requires 'contextual awareness and common sense.' Sadly, we have 'bracketed' reflection on the meanings of truth and consciousness, and so 'are woefully short of mental tools for parsing these subtle questions.'
Advertisement
Conservative: Dems' Violent Rage
'We're just now learning how angry' Dems are about Donald Trump's 2024 victory, mourns the Washington Examiner's Byron York, as some 'are calling on their elected representatives to engage in violence against Trump's policies.'
One anonymous lawmaker even said, ' 'civility isn't working' and to get ready for 'violence . . . to fight to protect our democracy.' '
Advertisement
These Dems are past 'the defeat-them-at-the-ballot-box stage of politics, and even beyond the protest-by-civil-disobedience stage.'
Atop lionized-on-the-left Luigi Mangoine, the Free Palestine fanatic accused of 'killing two Israeli Embassy staff members' and the 'Democratic lawmakers or Democratic support groups' involved in the LA riots, 'a militant group broadly allied with Democratic views launched' an attack on ICE in Texas last weekend.
'It's a troubling picture, and nothing on the immediate horizon suggests it will improve any time soon.'
Nobel watch: Trump the Peacemaker
Advertisement
'President Donald Trump is the last person the Norwegian Nobel Committee would honor with its Peace Prize. Yet, it should,' argues USA Today's Nicole Russell. 'Trump has helped end an escalating war between Israel and Iran, a conflict that easily could have engulfed the entire Middle East, with a single military strike. Now, he is pressing for a lengthy ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as a bridge to a more permanent peace.'
The 2024 Peace Prize went 'to the Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo' for trying to rid the world of nukes; 'Trump, by heading off a nuclear-armed Iran, achieved that mission tenfold in June.' 'Trump's critics would melt into puddles of outrage, of course, if it were ever to happen.'
But, 'if Trump isn't a peacemaker, then who is?'
Libertarian: The Case for Pardoning Snowden
Advertisement
By pardoning Edward Snowden, President Trump 'could really give the finger to the D.C. establishment' and also 'do the right thing,' urges Reason's Zach Weissmueller.
The documents Snowden leaked proved that then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper 'lied in his Senate testimony' in March 2013 when he claimed that the NSA wasn't 'wittingly' collecting data on Americans and 'revealed numerous illegal intrusions on the private communications of millions of Americans,' including 'the existence of the secret electronic surveillance program known as PRISM, whereby the NSA forced companies like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Apple to turn over their users' personal information with secret court orders.'
Snowden's actions 'inspired Congressional reform and, most importantly, brought public awareness' to the feds' surveillance. 'We owe Snowden an enormous debt, and Trump should let him come home.'
From the left: For Dems, OBBBA Reality Sinks In
Democrats saw passage of President Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' as 'a big political gift,' but that sense 'has clearly begun to fade,' observes The Bulwark's Lauren Egan: 'The euphoria Democratic leaders felt is now colored by fear that Republicans may not pay that steep a political price for the bill.'
Dem officials worry 'the party has failed to present its own policy alternative' and 'may fumble the midterms because of a misreading of this moment.'
Democratic advisers urge party leaders to develop 'a new agenda' to avoid 'defending the status quo' in a 'never-ending doom loop.'
Advertisement
Some Dem electeds may even want to join Republicans 'in bringing attention to the benefits' tucked into Trump's bill.
— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
17 minutes ago
- Axios
21 Democratic AGs demand Congress end masked ICE arrests
A coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general is urging Congress to ban federal immigration agents from wearing masks or plainclothes during enforcement operations. Why it matters: It's the latest flashpoint in a growing national effort by blue-state officials to curb what they see as overreaches by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and stop tactics they argue are designed to sow fear. It comes amid a spike in reports of ICE officers snatching people from streets, homes, workplaces and courthouses while concealing their identity and using unmarked vehicles. State of play: In a letter to congressional leaders on Tuesday, the attorneys general called on Congress to pass legislation prohibiting federal immigration agents from hiding their faces and requiring them to display identification and agency insignia — with exceptions only in narrowly justified cases. They argue the tactics erode public trust, create confusion with criminal kidnappings, and violate core democratic values. What they're saying: "We have watched these detentions with alarm, as the imagery evokes comparisons to repressive tactics that have no place in a free country," the letter states. ICE officers' "now routine practice of carrying out arrests in public spaces through masked agents who do not identify themselves as law enforcement has the effect of terrorizing communities rather than protecting them," it adds. For the record: The letter was signed by attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
Chicago Tribune
17 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Mike Waltz pledges to make UN ‘great again' at Senate confirmation hearing
WASHINGTON — Mike Waltz painted an image for lawmakers Tuesday of what the United Nations would look like as the U.S. — its largest donor — reviews its support, opting to go 'back to basics' under a Trump administration push to 'make the U.N. great again.' During his Senate confirmation hearing to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Waltz echoed the priorities of his bosses — President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — of pursuing major reforms to the 80-year-old world body. It was the first time senators could grill Waltz since he was ousted as Trump's national security adviser in May after he mistakenly added a journalist to a private Signal chat used to discuss sensitive military plans. He denied Tuesday that he was removed from the post, while laying out his plans to bring 'America First' to the U.N. 'We should have one place in the world where everyone can talk — where China, Russia, Europe and the developing world can come together and resolve conflicts,' Waltz told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the U.N. 'But after 80 years, it's drifted from its core mission of peacemaking.' The U.N. is pursuing its own reforms while the Republican administration has spent the last six months reshaping American diplomacy and working aggressively to shrink the size of the federal government, including recent mass dismissals at the State Department. On the agenda for Waltz would be combating China's influence, reviewing U.S. funding to U.N. agencies with 'often duplicative and wasteful mandates,' as well as rooting out what Waltz called deep antisemitism within the U.N. system. The U.N. post is the last one to be filled in Trump's Cabinet following months of delay, including the withdrawal of the previous nominee. The Signal episode — in which Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other high-level officials faced intense criticism — didn't come up at the hearing for more than an hour. It was revealed in March that Waltz added The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to a private text chain on an unclassified messaging app that was used to discuss planning for strikes on Houthi militants in Yemen. 'We both know Signal is not an appropriate and secure means of communicating highly sensitive information,' said Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, who was first to raise the issue. He added that Waltz shared 'demonstrably sensitive information' in an improper manner. Fellow Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia called it 'an amateurish move.' Waltz, a former Florida congressman, said the chat met the administration's cybersecurity standards, 'no classified information was shared' and the military was still conducting an ongoing investigation. Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey blasted what he called a 'lack of accountability' from Waltz and other administration officials. 'I've watched this hearing, and I've been really disappointed,' Booker said. 'What's been troubling to me about your nomination from the beginning is your failure to just stand up and take accountability for mistakes that you made.' If confirmed, Waltz would arrive at the U.N. at a moment of great change. The world body is reeling from Trump's decision to slash foreign assistance — affecting its humanitarian aid agencies — and it anticipates U.S. funding cuts to the U.N. annual budget. Facing financial instability, the U.N. has spent months shedding jobs and consolidating projects while beginning to tackle long-delayed reforms. The U.N. is also facing growing frustration over what critics describe as a lack of efficiency and power in delivering on its mandate to end conflict. 'With Waltz at the helm, the U.N. will have what I regard as what should be its last chance to demonstrate its actual value to the United States,' said Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah. 'Instead of progressive political virtue signaling, the Security Council has the chance to prove its value, and settling disputes and brokering deals.' Waltz said U.N. revenue 'has quadrupled in the last 20 years' but that it hasn't been commensurate with increased peace. 'The U.S. must ensure that every foreign aid dollar and every contribution to an international organization, particularly the U.N., draws a straight and direct line to a compelling U.S. national interest,' Waltz said. He said the administration's diplomatic strategy would be focused on cutting costs to what he called 'waste, fraud, and abuse that are endemic to the U.N. system.' Waltz also accused the U.N. of 'pervasive antisemitism.' He testified that the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has been promoting 'antisemitic hate' in its schools in Gaza. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed a British human rights activist on Tuesday to carry out a strategic review of UNRWA. Israel has alleged that 19 out of UNRWA's roughly 13,000 staffers in Gaza participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that launched the war. UNRWA said it fired nine workers after an internal U.N. investigation. Israel later alleged that about 100 other Palestinians in Gaza were Hamas members but didn't provide evidence to the United Nations. Waltz has spent the last few months on the White House payroll despite departing as national security adviser. The latest list of White House salaries, current as of July 1, includes Waltz as an adviser earning an annual salary of $195,200. A White House official, granted anonymity to discuss personnel matters, said Waltz stayed on to 'ensure a smooth and successful transition given the extreme importance of the role of NSA.' Sen. Jacky Rosen, a Democrat from Nevada, questioned why Waltz was still being paid by the administration. 'Throughout this year, you've made (assertions) that, if confirmed, you would root out waste and unnecessary overhead at the U.N. So can you confirm for us whether you've been receiving a salary from the White House since being let go as the NSA?' Waltz denied the fact that he had been fired, saying he was being paid as an adviser 'transitioning a number of important activities.'
Miami Herald
18 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Were Texas flood deaths avoidable? Here's what Americans said in a new poll
Many Americans believe the deaths caused by recent floods in Texas could have been prevented, and most think that the government's response was imperfect, according to new polling. The YouGov/Economist survey — conducted July 11-14 — comes after central Texas was pummeled by flash floods beginning on July 4, when the Guadalupe River surged over its banks, sweeping away homes and leaving at least 134 dead and about 100 missing, ABC News reported. Among the worst affected areas was Camp Mystic, a Christian camp in Kerr County, where NBC News reported 27 campers and counselors lost their lives. President Donald Trump traveled to Texas on July 11 and met with the families of victims. He said he wished to express 'the love and support and the anguish of our entire nation,' CBS News reported. 'I've never seen anything like it,' he added, 'a little narrow river that becomes a monster…' In the aftermath of the devastating disaster, multiple organizations and individuals have faced scrutiny over their preparedness. Among them were Kerr County officials, who did not install a comprehensive flood warning system despite being aware of its necessity, according to the Texas Tribune. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has also faced criticism over its response, and the New York Times reported that it failed to answer thousands of calls from Texas flood survivors Here is a breakdown of the findings. Were deaths avoidable? In the survey — which sampled 1,680 U.S. adults — 52% of respondents said that most of the deaths could have been prevented if the government had been more adequately prepared. Twenty-nine percent said the deaths were unavoidable, and 19% said they didn't know. On this question, there was a sizable partisan divide. Most Democrats and independents — 74% and 53%, respectively — called the deaths avoidable, while just 28% of Republicans said the same. Government response The poll — which has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points — also asked respondents to judge the government response to the flooding. A plurality, 38%, labeled the overall government response as poor, while smaller shares described it as fair (14%), good (19%) or excellent (14%). Individual officials received somewhat similar marks. When asked about Trump's response, 42% said it was poor, while fewer said it was fair (11%), good (15%), and excellent (21%). Meanwhile, 36% said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's response was poor. Eight percent said it was fair; 14% said it was good and 13% said it was excellent. Presidents visiting disaster sites Additionally, respondents were asked about presidents visiting disaster sites (the survey began on the day Trump traveled to Texas). A majority, 64%, said presidents should visit locations of disasters because it demonstrates their solidarity. Just 17% said they should not do this 'because it takes resources away from the disaster response.' The results broke along similar lines when respondents were asked specifically about Trump. Sixty-five percent said they believed Trump 'should travel to Texas to survey the damage and meet with people affected by recent flooding.' Meanwhile, 20% said he should not do this, and 15% said they were not sure.
