'The Democrats mid-term boogeyman' by Vincent

 

For the last thirty years or so, every generation of Democrat eventually discovers the same ancient campaign playbook; identify something, then attach words like “existential threat,” and then demand voters give you power before anyone has a chance to ask questions. Such is the case with artificial intelligence (AI). And while some of the particulars may change depending on the audience, the political message remains remarkably consistent; you’re too frightened and uninformed, so vote for us.

At present, the public is constantly told that AI could potentially destroy civilization as we know it, eliminate human judgement, erase our democracy, steal every job, and perhaps awaken some digital overlord that will enslave us all. The pattern is painfully obvious and all part of their fear monger strategy. COVID was going to kill grandma, so this justified endless emergency lockdown authority. “Climate change” or “global warming” has repeatedly been used, not merely as a serious threat or crisis, but one that has an ever-expanding apocalyptic clock; one that requires resetting every election cycle. When the internet emerged in the 80s, Democrats warned that society itself might collapse under the weight of too much information. And the list goes on and on. 

To be fair, AI does raise some valid questions and should require constant oversight and continuous vetting. There are some valid concerns about privacy, fraud, cybersecurity, misinformation, surveillance, and especially the use of autonomous systems in warfare. These issues deserve rigorous scrutiny, competent analysis, and most importantly, open public debate.

The notion of sitting on our hands or “hitting the pause button” to allow other nations to play catch up or potentially surpass the United States technologically is simply detrimental to America’s security and economic suicide. The Democrats making these declarations cannot even explain how AI systems actually work. Yet, they confidently demand sweeping reforms and restrictions based on the most theatrical possibilities imaginable. This is the same old playbook and political theatre; scare the daylights out of people first, then attempt to define the potential issues later. This isn’t leadership, it’s the peddling of fear and nothing more. 

You don’t need a long memory to know that we’ve seen this movie before. COVID policy concerns were repeatedly treated as something beyond criticism. Questioning a mandate, a lockdown, a school closure, or an alternative data model was portrayed as reckless or immoral. Democrat elected officials invoked “the science” as a hammer to bludgeon anyone in its power-hungry path.

The result was not simply damage to public health’s reputation along with economic disaster; it was a complete collapse of the people’s trust. We watched their predictions fail, rules change without evidence-based explanations, experts contradict one another, and Democrat politicians exempt themselves from restrictions they imposed on everyone else.

Every major innovation creates disruption. It also creates opportunities, efficiencies, new forms of communication, and new ways of problem solving. The correct response is neither blind obedience nor hysterical prohibition; it’s somewhere right in the middle. It is creating practical governance; establishing clear ethical standards and guidelines, identifying specific harms, enforcing existing laws, and revising policies when evidence presents itself.

But that approach is too boring for Democrat candidates with nothing substantive to run on. Boring does not produce terrified donors. Boring does not generate viral social media posts. Boring does not allow Democrat politicians to pose as the heroic guardians standing between the public and the digital apocalypse. Their tactic is actually quite simple; accept our moral superiority or be blamed for any future catastrophe.    

Voters are not children; they do not need government appointed narrators to interpret new technologies. They need honest transparency, measurable goals, and the ability to hold both public and private sectors accountable. They need leaders that can distinguish between a real present danger, and a speculative nightmare. Using fear as a substitute for competence is the only thing todays Democrats seem to be capable of.   

AI must be governed intelligently, not worshipped as a miracle, or demonized as the end of humanity. Additionally, we must protect privacy, punish fraud and abuse, secure critical systems and infrastructure, protect civil liberties, and ensure that automated decisions can be challenged and corrected by humans. None of this requires screaming from the rooftops that civilization is about to end. It simply requires responsible adults in the room providing oversight like every other industry.   

Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer. Cover image courtesy Grok