The American Polity and Technological Singularity, 1: AI's

As this is the summer, I try to put Science (and science fictional) theories into Real Politics.


Here is an earlier post I did on The Technological Singularity. This summer, I'll do a little more detail (among the political, historical, and Goth posts).


What is the Singularity?

"The Singularity is the technological creation of smarter-than-human intelligence. There are several technologies that are often mentioned as heading in this direction. The most commonly mentioned is probably Artificial Intelligence, but there are others: direct brain-computer interfaces, biological augmentation of the brain, genetic engineering, ultra-high-resolution scans of the brain followed by computer emulation. Some of these technologies seem likely to arrive much earlier than the others, but there are nonetheless several independent technologies all heading in the direction of the Singularity – several different technologies which, if they reached a threshold level of sophistication, would enable the creation of smarter-than-human intelligence"

The Singularity/American polity posts breaks into three parts, which will be discussed month by month throughout the summer:


I. AI's (tonight)

II. Uploaded Minds (July)


III. Using American Politics to get there (August)


Now, let's go into the next frontier!


The best science fiction book and movies offer a hint to the future. Here are a couple of Artificial Intelligences that were imagined:

Ash, Alien



Bishop, Aliens



Holly and Talkie Toaster, Red Dwarf 



David, AI 



Now that I have shown you the future from the terrifying to the funny, how do we get there?

Giving Voice to the AI's: Voting and Census

In the American polity, if you can exist, you can be counted. If you can be registered (with a photo ID), you can vote.  Would it apply to AI's?

If a thinking AI exists, would it be counted?

I am not talking about AI's part of other computers, but walking, talking, thinking AI's.

In William Gibson's Sprawl Trilogy, there was the Turing Police to stop AI's from gaining sentience.  Depending on the political party in charge, the Turing Police will or will not exist.

An AI that can think, reason, walk and talk should be counted -- if it can be self-sufficient, why shouldn't it be counted as a US Citizen?  And what about gene-splicing clones or adaptations of humankind? Those I leave to the bio-ethicists.

If the AI can be counted and think for itself, why shouldn't it be allowed to vote?

Now the question becomes, which party will help the sentient AI's and which will harm?

Party Time: AI's and the Two Party Polity

As a political activist who understand the philosophy and people behind them, let me say if you were an AI, your (artificial) life would be a nightmare under Democrats.

Democrats believe in the overwhelming power of the State to fix things.  Sometimes the fixes cause other problems (see: Welfare, Urban neighborhoods)  In the early years of the Republic, Democrats made slaves of other Americans, imagine using the power of the State against "Things,"

In the Republican half of the Polity, when we cry "Freedom," we actually believe in it.  Democracy Overseas was supported full throatily by the Bush Administration, Gay marriage passed in a Republican backed State Senate;  and who supported getting rid of slavery in the American polity? Guess who?

An AI under power of Democrats would be slaves to the State, and the same AI under Republicans would be free to go about its business. 

A thoughtful AI who contributes to bringing mankind further along the intelligence ladder needs to survive and thrive.  President Obama has shut down the frontier -- only Republicans will open it again.  And the AI's should be participants in mankind's journey. (Hello Moore's law!)

My question: Describe the future as an AI under a Democratic and Republican Administrations.

The Singularity will rise!

How NOT to Negotiate Policy: A Lesson for Democrats

Speaker Tip O'Neill (D) and President Ronald Reagan (R)

Speaker Tip O'Neill (D) and President Ford (R)

The three men in the pictures above represent a different time in politics; No matter how far Speaker Tip O'Neill (D-MA) and Presidents Ford (R-MI) and Reagan (R-CA), they still worked out deals to move the country forward.

And in a span of 48 hours, National Democrats failed that test but New York State Democrats passed it. 

First let me say, good on New York.  They passed something good and they did it the right way. If the legislature or public support an issue, let them pass it.  If the public supports the cause, they will reward the legislators who passed it.  Or if by Plebiscite, they will feel the will of the people were heard.  So, again, kudos on New York State.

First, how did the national Democrats fail? 

Let's hear from someone who understands the Conservative, Republican and Tea party mindset, Rush Limbaugh:


Obama still runs the White House. The Democrats still have the Senate.  The Democrats had the whole show for 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.  And that's when all of this damage happened.  The Republicans didn't have one -- well, they had the White House with Bush, but he was neutered for the most part.  This is quite telling.  A Senior Democrat Senate aide tells me, the estimable Greg Sargent, the Democrats "will not shy away from making that case in the weeks to come, if the Republicans keep blocking their efforts to spur job creation."  So the Republicans are purposely destroying the economy and the Republicans are purposely blocking the effort to create jobs.  My friends, as I've said, we now know, and we have the answer:  The Democrat Party is purposely sabotaging the private sector of this economy, job creation, and they are purposely sabotaging the creation of private sector jobs.  The answer is in, both of them.  Thank you, Mr. Sargent. Thank you, Democrats.  

 
"Senators Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin made the charge in remarks to reporters today. Durbin said: 'Unfortunately our Republican colleagues in the House and Senate are driven by putting one man out of work -- President Obama.'"  It's exactly right.  That will equal economic recovery for everybody else.  Senator Chuck-U Schumer said, "Do Republicans really oppose a tax cut for businesses that created jobs?" You are hearing me right.  Chuck-U is out there now trying to tell people Republicans oppose business tax cuts.  Yeah, I know, it's brazen and it's audacious, but this is who they are.  I think isn't it that the Republicans have actually proposed tax cuts for businesses?  Isn't that in their budget, a budget, by the way, that Democrats nor Obama have even presented in two budget cycles now? 

-- Rush Limbaugh, June 23, 2011, First Hour.

If you start the negotiations ready to speak to the press on "How evil/nasty/etc your negotiating partners are," don't expect love back from the other side of the table.

What modern Democrats and Liberals don't understand is that Conservatives, Republicans and tea partiers have different priorities but share some fundamental views: Less taxes, more commerce, more freedom. 

When the GOP left the Biden led talks over tax hikes, what did they expect the Republican leadership to do? Roll over?

Negotiating means telling your political tribe to cool it with the attacks (that's why Rep. Weiner had no support, no coalition builder he) and something might get done. 

This is business 101 -- and it looks like the Obama White House with all their smarts, skipped that class.

Now, to New York:

First off, I'm a Social Libertarian, so yay on doing the Right thing. 

And they did it the Right way!  Every state should follow that lead.  You want the public behind the issue, do it so the public can hold the players accountable.  

Now, how did the New York Democrats get it right?

A simple use of the carrot and stick approach.

And this is a good lesson for those who feel the GOP does not listen to them. If you feel your Political view (again related to less taxes, more commerce and more freedom) are related, get involved in expanding in both parties. 

The reason the Gay marriage issue fails federally is because the gay groups have already endorsed President Obama the year before the election.  If you want bi-partisan support, give funds and support to both parties. 


As a Jew and Goth who has hung around the high levels of the Conservatives and Republicans, let me say that we don't bite (well, maybe as a Goth, I might).  The Jews have a presence within both parties and it pays dividends galore. 


My question: why do Democrats jump to attack first rather then negotiate in good faith?

Fareed Zakharia, The Politico Xenomorph (Or Ripley's Alien)

Once upon a time, in Modern Post-Cold War politics, ex-pats who were not even citizens (or citizens who left America like Glenn Greenwald) would play a small role in the Polity.  Very few ex-pats made it within Government, save for Henry Kissinger (R) and Zbigniew Brzezinski.(D).


To understand the American polity is to believe in the Two party system, and within each Party is a hodge podge of interests and interest groups.  Most active partisans have figured that out.  Ex-pats who refuse to understand the American Gumbo, deserve to be mocked and laughed out of any important position.


Andrew Sullivan for one (and his nasty campaign against Former Governor Palin and Israel), and Fareed Zakaria on the other.


I am also tempted to follow the quote from Wanda in a Fish called Wanda to Otto, but I won't.  Instead, I'm going to show that Zakaria (also an Israel hater) is more like a Xenomorph on the American polity then a Kissinger.

What is a Xenomorph?  This is:

 

Xenomorph from Alien (1979)

Now let's go and see Fareed Zakaria perform an EPIC FAIL:

This is his current article in Time magazine. 

Sun Tzu says: 

If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril.

Zakaria is ignorant of his role upon the partisan field (uninfluential), and  the role we partisans who are upon it.


"Many Republican businessmen have told me that the Obama Administration is the most hostile to business in 50 years. Really? More than that of Richard Nixon, who presided over tax rates that reached 70%, regulations that spanned whole industries, and who actually instituted price and wage controls?

"In fact, right now any discussion of government involvement in the economy — even to build vital infrastructure — is impossible because it is a cardinal tenet of the new conservatism that such involvement is always and forever bad. Meanwhile, across the globe, the world's fastest-growing economy, China, has managed to use government involvement to create growth and jobs for three decades,".

Or to translate: Who cares what you are actually living through? Nixon (or Bush or any Republican Emmanuel Goldstein of the hour) is the TRUE enemy of Conservatives!


And relying on China? That is not a Democratic Government.  They have a command and control economy on what to spend funds on with a mix of Capitalism.  But that is not the equivalent of American Economy.

The President and Congress do not define how much output any industry does.  Know who did that? The former USSR.  Does Zakaria want us to re-learn from them?

Let's keep going:

"Conservatives used to be the ones with heads firmly based in reality. Their reforms were powerful because they used the market, streamlined government and empowered individuals. Their effects were large-scale and important: think of the reform of the tax code in the 1980s, for example, which was spearheaded by conservatives. Today conservatives shy away from the sensible ideas of the Bowles-Simpson commission on deficit reduction because those ideas are too deeply rooted in, well, reality. Does anyone think we are really going to get federal spending to the level it was at under Calvin Coolidge, as Paul Ryan's plan assumes? Does anyone think we will deport 11 million people?"

In an era where the deficit has ballooned (More under Obama then under Bush fils), see chart:

Heritage Foundation Information

FDR's programs worked because the country and the Government were smaller at the time.  

Zakaria wants a "mythical" Republican who believes President Obama is a Conservative.  Hah!  He is failing in his role of understanding the American polity.

So, why do I compare Zakaria to a Xenomorph?

This of James Cameron's Aliens: The Democratic parties allies are filled with ex-pats.

Who are the Bloggers that understands Republican politics? Robert Stacy McCain,  Little Miss Attilla and Glenn Reynolds ? or Glenn Greenwald,  Andrew Sullivan and Fareed Zakharia?

I'll give a couple of hints:

Here is Zakaria calling one party names; And here is Sullivan going after Palin's family (again).

You choose.

The Xenomorphs in the original Alien started as eggs, hatched within a host and grew to the picture above.

The Democratic party used to be the home of failed haberdashers and  the working class -- now it is the home the Ivy league intellectual who hates Israel or Union protester.

The ex-pats have hatched many Xenomorphs within the Democrats.  If the democrats were as smart as they said they were, the unemeployment rate would have dropped during the last Congress.

That did not happen.

Fareed Zakaria, the ex-pat, does not know or understand the American polity, hates Bush fils and Former Governor Palin and Israel.

And CNN and Newsweek trusts that the American political sphere would trust him?

No.

To quote Dillon (Charles Dutton) of Alien 3 (NSFW)
You're all gonna die. The only question is how you check out. Do you want it on your feet? Or on your fuckin' knees... begging? I ain't much for begging! Nobody ever gave me nothing! So I say *fuck* that thing! Let's fight it!
(H/t to my friend Jeff for finding the articles) 

My questions: Why do ex-pats control the thinking of the Democrats? Why not failed habradashers? And which Alien film was your favorite?

The Human Re-Boot

Sorry for going missing, but I took some time away from the Valley (but not from Twitter or Facebook); The Writers Block was just a way of saying "Step away from the keyboard and smell the Palm Trees,"


I went to one (beautiful) friends Birthday Party, I made peace with my other friend, Douglas Day, and I've still been dancing at Ruin.


While I've been away, no one hit the Tip Jar for June (Sad face).  Again, still asking (Tip here).


When the Weiner situation went down, I knew he was going to resign.


And if you've been a follower of the Valley, you would know that I owe a debt to the Hevesi's, and since the NYGOP cannot win in New York City, I suggest that we on the Right support a Dem who is Honorable:  Say hi to Assemblymen Andrew Hevesi.  Support him; I went to High School with him, a good guy.



I know we can win in Los Angeles, that's why I support every GOP and Tea Party candidate from the Antelope Valley on down to the South Bay.


Right now Craig Huey is running for the 36th Congressional District.  Support him here.


While I have been away, sweating in my non-air conditioned car (Tip jar help, please), I have been playing the album Quadraphonia by The Who. (because of The Who, my late Dad went to Woodstock. When he came back, he met my Mom.  I came by a year later -- the rest is history.)  Here are two of my favorite tunes from the album:

The Who, The Punk and the G-dfather


The Who, Love Reign O'er Me




And finally, before I get back to Blogging full time, I am taking the Proust Questionnaire given at the Actors Studio:

(Cue James Lipton onstage)

1.       What is your favorite word?
Content

2.       What is your least favorite word?
Hatred
 
3.         What turns you on?
Dancing with my Muses.


4.          What turns you off?
Closed Mindedness.



5.           What sound or noise do you love?
Music with good bass tones


6.            What sound or noise do you hate?
People in pain


 7.            What is your favorite curse word?
G-ddammit.

8.             What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Painting


9.             What profession would you not like to do?
Any rote job -- I die inside whenever I'd have a job that doesn't require me to use my mind.


10.           If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
"Welcome back my friend to the show that never ends," 

I'm back to Blogging!

Hit the Tip jar, ask me any question.

See you in the next post!


And yeah, I missed my Dad for Father's day.

To Take California in 2012, the GOP MUST Enroll in The Electoral College

(As we are in  the June Fund Drive for the Valley, please help by hitting the Tip Jar for $300 -- Thank you)


Election 2012 is coming and California's 55 Electoral votes are up for grabs!

There are many ways of taking California, and going through the Popular vote only is not one of them.

According to Shawn Steel (h/t for noting this), there are Republicans testifying that the Electoral College is outdated and not useful.

Let me say a few words to those Republicans who think that:

I SAY NO, NO, NOOOO!

Here is the article from Shawn Steel, in the Washington Examiner:

NPV would replace the state-by-state electoral system with the direct election of the president by guaranteeing an Electoral College majority to the popular vote winner. This would be accomplished by convincing states to enact legislation binding them to award their electoral votes to the national popular vote winner – even if that candidate fails to carry the state.


Once the number of states enacting NPV laws have at least 270 electoral votes among them, they will have imposed de facto direct presidential election on the rest of the country. So far, eight states, representing 77 electoral votes, have enacted NPV laws.

....
NPV was birthed from the womb of the Left and is being financed by Tom Golisano, a billionaire who supported John Kerry for president and previously spent $93 million on three campaigns for New York Governor as the nominee of the Independence Party (which he created).



Golisano is using his vast wealth to employ GOP lobbyists and politicians to sell this liberal brainchild to Republicans (he doesn’t need to convince liberals). Some simple online research of the issue makes clear that Golisano is bankrolling on extensive PR campaign targeting Republicans.
....

In my home state of California, NPV is being carried by the Assembly Republican Caucus chairman.
What would possess any Republican leader to propound a scheme so clearly contrary to the Founding Fathers’ constitutional design?

In my state of California, is justified to Republicans with complaints that we are “taken for granted” by presidential campaigns that in 2008 raised $150 million here but spent a scant $28,000, and promised National Popular Vote will magically make us relevant again.

What we aren’t told is how NPV will restore a state GOP that is shut out of every statewide office, or why future presidential campaigns will spend more of their finite funds on California’s very expensive media markets, rather than push for a popular vote majority in less expensive states – and still get California’s 55 electoral votes under NPV rules.

Here's the thing to keep in mind, California 55 Electoral Votes is our Pandorica.  If we don't stand up for the Electoral College now, we will lose in EVERY election thereafter.

The simple reason to keep the Electoral College is because it is keep all the states in play during a Presidential year.  California has the most Electoral votes, and if CAGOP and RPLAC are funded, the Presidential candidates will fight here in the Fall.  It allows the small states to remain in play.

Most Cities don't vote to the Right (yet); If Republicans give up the Electoral College, we give up the voting rights to Zombie Voters (seen in Chicago, and other major population centers). 

If you are a Presidential candidate, the Electoral College is the way to go - our Founders were smarter then our current set of leaders. This is the same group of people who want to get rid of the US Senate, the Filibuster and whatever does not work when Democrats lose.

No, no and no!

And this video shows how we must stand up against the faddish tides of the NPV. Watch and learn:





The Electoral College is our Pandorica, defend it with everything we have!

My question: Why are Republicans trying to sell out the Founders on Electoral Politics?

From the 'Verse to DC: Space Colonies and the American Polity

Welcome to the first Summer posting! (Don't forget to help me raise $300 for this month).  In the Summer, I do the silly and the serious.  The interesting is proposed and debated. Please join in.

When I hang out with my friend Ron (usually at Ruin), we end up talking obscure Star Wars references (Movies only, other canon not at all). From the Tarkin Doctrine to Siths, everything is in play.  (And George Lucas should have stuck with his original trilogy, much more adult, and dare I say, human) 

Some sci-fi movies and TV shows don't even have Earth  as a base (see: Firefly/Serenity), others, Earth is the goal (Battlestar Galactica 1977 and 2005); But what about those few movies and TV shows that discuss humankind expanding from Earth towards the great unknown?

How is American politics affected?



The 'Verse from Firefly



 I. The Dutch West India Company revived

In the Alien movies, Weyland-Yeutani was the large multinational with fingers in many pies.  In Outland, the Jupiter moon, Io was corporately run. 

When the colonies were first founded, New York was backed by the Dutch West India Company.  The Weyland-Yeutani of its day. Eventually, the Dutch (State) sold it to the British and the rest is history.

Since NASA is shutting down it's Space Shuttle program, the SETI program and the ISS is going nowhere -- private companies will fill the gap of humans wanting exploration.  As documented, Hollywood is Liberal (and water is wet).

If Companies know that their constituents are dying or hurt, their families back home will raise a fuss.

However, if Company-Colonies achieve Statehood status (that is, unless each planet declares Independence from Earth), then do they get Electoral votes and Congressional seats in a census?  

II. Idealistic Colonies

If you read Neuromancer, there was the Zion Cluster.  Mechanics who decided to create their own (Rastafarian) habitat.  In the Martian Chronicles, colonies on Mars were done by individuals.

For these colonies in Space and on planets (or asteroids), the American dream of the frontier continues. (Another reason why President Obama will lose in 2012, he pushed away the American Dream of The Frontier)

With the rise of Private Enterprise to create access to Space (and since the ISS is not a Bridge to other worlds), the idealistic among us will try to make the journey.  If the idealists are smart, they will hire pragmatists to help create functioning colonies.

The Cold War gave us "The Race to Space," And with the rise of Economic Giants of BRIC [Brazil, Russia, India and China], who is to say if they won't have the frontier bug? The next American President should make Space Colonization a key plank.  The American Frontier must grow!

The 'Verse of Star Wars

 III. The American Polity and the 'Verse

Space law is still growing.  Property rights? Census? Representation locally and back on earth? 

In Star Wars, all of the differing worlds met in a Unicameral Senate (which became an Empire because of corruption); In Star Trek, there is a United Federation of Planets -- a UN based in San Francisco. 

The 'Verse of Star Trek

If mankind moves beyond the Moon and into the Black, will America fight for added population? Only if materials are fading.


In the early lives of colonies in Space, the colonists will be Americans (if we get out there first).  Independence comes later. 




The next President should help promote Private and Public travel to the Stars.  The next President should promote living in the 'Verse.  A fully Republican Congress will help promote both of these dreams.  


It is a jobs program based in the United States: Florida, Texas, Arizona, Nevada and Southern California (Los Angeles) can help create these new worlds.

The American public will enjoy the added tax revenue from the Stars (especially if they are Company-Colonies); The idealistic Colonies will err to the Right and Libertarianism because of their desire to create their frontier.

President Obama closed the American frontier, it is time to re-open it after 2012.

My question: Will Americans reach into the 'verse first? What happens after the first colonies are made? Does Congress gain more seats? Or are they independent nations? 

June 2011 Tip Jar Love

The trend continues.....

As this is the beginning of the month,

As I am a full time Blogger,

I need some Tip Jar love so I can continue writing and stay on top of everything. 

Everything, you ask?

Well, how does California Politics, California Republicans, Los Angeles Politics and Republicans, Goth music, Sci-fi movies, Doctor Who and whatever seems interesting. Plus I am writing a book about how to re-take Los Angeles and California for the Right.  

(And I have started moving out of AOL soon towards Gmail)

The Valley is trying to raise $300 -- You will find the reminder on top of every post until I can get that number.

So, please, please, please donate.

Thank you.

And now, a movie to enjoy while I write and you donate.... (Again, thank you)...

The Breed (2001) Alternate History Neo-Noir with vampires.