The Machines Have Lobbyists and We’re Paying the Electric Bill

John takes aim at the AI boom and Anthropic’s IPO disclosures, which warn that the technology could pose catastrophic or existential risks even as investors are promised world-changing breakthroughs. He questions the race to commercialize potentially dangerous systems, and argues that the costs are already landing on ordinary people: higher electricity bills, dwindling water supplies, and communities asked to subsidize data centers while billionaires reap the rewards. Then, podcaster and broadcaster Tara Dublin joins John to discuss the Oregon governor’s race, down-ballot contests, and the stakes of the midterms. Founder of the National Democratic Training Committee Kelly Dietrich shares what to watch on election night, from early returns in Virginia and Florida to close races in Texas, Iowa, Kansas, and Ohio. Comedian Alonzo Bodden stops by to talk about finding fresh angles in political comedy, the Supreme Court, and the state of American media. And then, the God Squad, Desimber Rose and Dillon Naber Cruz explore Christian nationalism, the politics of “toxic empathy,” and how scripture is used to justify racism and cruelty. Listeners call in with their questions about faith, history, and the Bible.

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