‘The staggering environmental toll of artificial intelligence’
Liza Featherstone in The New Republic
The threat that artificial intelligence could worsen “misinformation, democratic dysfunction, and systemic racism” could be “obscuring the more direct” problems the technology creates, says Liza Featherstone. AI data centers use an “unconscionable” amount of water to cool their computers, “in desert regions that can ill afford to squander it.” Generative AI also voraciously consumes energy and critical minerals, and generates mountains of toxic “e-waste.” All this puts our planet “under existential threat, for no good reason.”
‘Trump’s running mate will make 2024 a different contest from 2020’s Biden matchup’
Daniel McCarthy in the New York Post
“Donald Trump is beating Joe Biden” in polls, although “the race is close,” says Daniel McCarthy. But Trump’s running mate pick could increase his edge. Leaders on his short list — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott — could boost Trump’s appeal with suburban women or Black voters. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are the same old 2020 Democratic ticket, “four years worse for wear.”
‘No, Oregon’s drug decriminalization law was not a failure’
Robert Gebelhoff in The Washington Post
It’s unfair to write off Oregon’s drug decriminalization as a “disaster,” says Robert Gebelhoff. Measure 110 protected people from arrest for minor drug possession and called for $100 citations instead. Critics argue that turned bus shelters into “smoking dens” and worsened the state’s addiction epidemic. Drug overdoses surged, but no worse than in other states. And the law undeniably reduced imprisonment for substance use, which is important because people face “higher risk of overdose after incarceration.”
‘There’s another way Trump could get immunity’
Mona Charen in The Bulwark
The Supreme Court sided with former President Donald Trump by ruling states can’t keep him off the ballot, says Mona Charen. His “presidential immunity claim is another matter.” Backing Trump on that “would essentially gut the Constitution” and let presidents take bribes, torture critics — you name it. But there’s another way Trump can get immunity. If he wins in November, voters will be granting him “absolution” for everything from mishandling secret documents to threatening election officials.