Rational Security: The “Make Daguerreotypes Great Again” Edition

Aug 22, 2024

Molly Reynolds, a U.S. politics expert, and Kevin Frazier, a political commentator, dive into the implications of President Biden's potential replacement by Vice President Harris as the Democratic ticket for the upcoming election. They explore the contrasting nature of the recent DNC compared to the RNC, emphasizing party dynamics. The conversation takes a turn toward California's controversial AI safety law, debating its potential impacts on innovation and public safety, highlighting the ongoing tension in tech regulation.

Ask episode

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 3min

Political Conventions Unveiled

03:22 • 9min

Navigating Democracy: Legislative Strategies and Challenges

11:58 • 20min

Party Politics in Flux

32:27 • 9min

Party Dynamics and Wardrobe Woes

41:03 • 4min

Navigating Party Dynamics and AI Regulation

45:20 • 23min

Exploring the Relevance of Classic Literature

01:07:56 • 2min

Twins, Activism, and the Intersection of Sports

01:10:01 • 7min

Personal Reflections and Humorous Conversations

01:17:13 • 2min

This week, Alan and Quinta sat down with Molly Reynolds and Kevin Frazier to talk about the week’s big developments, including:

“It can always get worse…” Although President Biden’s replacement by Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the Democratic ticket has reenergized the Democrats’ bid to retain the White House, the race is still a tossup, and former President Trump could well reenter the White House in 2025. Have we successfully “Trump-proofed” the government in anticipation?
“Run DNC.” The Democratic National Convention is taking place this week in Chicago, and it’s a striking contrast to last month’s Republican convention. That event was largely a celebration of one person, Donald Trump. By contrast, the DNC is as much about the party as it is about its nominee, Kamala Harris. What does it say about the relative strengths of America’s two parties and what that means for the future of American democracy?
“Making the Three Laws of Robotics Actual Laws?” California’s SB 1047, the controversial AI safety law, is set to pass the legislature this month and head to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for his signature or veto. Many in the AI industry, as well as even some members of California’s own congressional delegation, oppose the bill on the grounds that it will harm innovation. Others, on the other side, worry that the bill doesn’t do enough to protect against AI harms. What’s actually in the bill, and what would its passage mean for the future of AI?

For object lessons, Alan introduced us to his favorite flower. Kevin recommended the classic John Steinbeck novel “East of Eden,” while Quinta has been listening to a podcast about sex testing in elite track and field. And fresh off the appearance by Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr at the DNC, Molly dusted off this 2016 NYT Magazine profile of Kerr for those interested.

Additional Links:

Quinta’s Atlantic article on the failure to Trump-proof the government
Molly and Quinta’s article on the limitations of the Jan. 6 Committee as a model for future investigative efforts

Promotion: Use code RATIONALSECURITY at the link here to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan: https://incogni.com/rationalsecurity.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.