The Autopen #365
By Hank Silverberg
Commentary
What's all the fuss over an autopen? Every president since Thomas Jefferson has used one from time to time to sign letters, documents and pardons. Jefferson even invented one.
President Trump, now keenly aware that he cannot just raise his voice or wave his hand and negate anything he doesn't like, is now threatening to wipe out anything his predecessor signed with an autopen. Of course,. they are more sophisticated now than in Jefferson's era. Here's a look at the one he used at Monticello in 1803.
Trump maintains that Biden was not present when a 21st century version of the autopen was used to sign some executive orders, pardons and some rule changes and that everything signed with such a device was illegal. But there is plenty of history to say otherwise. John F. Kennedy used it extensively. A book written in 1965 called The Robot That Helped Make a President, says Kennedy used it so much in his correspondence that an actual Kennedy signature is very rare.
But signing a letter is one thing, signing an executive order or a pardon is another. In 2005 former President George W. Bush asked the Justice Department to check on what was legally required to sign a bill. The DOJ said he could use an autopen if he wanted to, though he chose not to. President Obama used it to sign an extension of the Patriot Act in 2011 when he was overseas, and a second time in 2013 from Hawaii.
The issue of course, is that anybody can technically use the pen. But there is no evidence Biden used it for anything important. Biden often signed legislation with the cameras rolling.
Of note, these days all kinds of documents are signed by computer and by some thing, rather than someone.
I doubt Trump is going to have much luck negating anything with Biden's signature, real or autopen.
But Congress, looking for any way to revert back to the old days without actually doing any work, is going to "investigate" the autopen.
You would think they have better things to do, like maybe some changes in health care or passing a budget?
AI Chaos
Who should control the use of Artificial Intelligence? It's not just fake videos, fake news or impersonations of celebrities that has produced concern. AI is already driving cars and could soon be controlling water and power systems, traffic lights and many manufacturing facilities as well as social media. So the question is, how can we use AI without humans with nefarious plans or the
In The News?
I started watching the news at age nine, the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated. And as I advanced in school, I payed closer attention. Who, what, when, where, how and how much were ingrained in my training as a journalist from the start.
But these days getting a young person to pay attention to any news is almost impossible. The News Literacy Project asked teenagers between 13 and 18 to describe today's news with one word. Eighty-four percent of them responded with something negative with words like "biased, crazy, boring, fake, bad, depressing, confusing", and "scary" among the answers.
More than half the teens surveyed believe
This is particularly disturbing because there are similar attitudes among Gen Z, and even some Millennials.
Why has this happened? Journalists themselves are partially responsible for not speaking truth to power more often, and for not challenging our leaders when they mislead or flat out lie. Media moguls are partially responsible for not separating journalism from commentary or entertainment.
But much of the blame rests with those in public office who treat the media as an enemy and don't understand that in a free society, the press represents their constituents as much or if not more than they do, or that the politicians have an obligation to speak the truth and be transparent.
Something needs to be done about this fast, or another generation will grow up ignorant of their civic responsibility and the price of freedom.
Dumbest Quote of The Week!
This week's dumb quote comes from President Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, who during his appearance on Fox News (where else? ) said MOST "third world immigrants" will be deported.
"I think most of them will end up being deported because we won't be able to properly vet them all. There's no way to clearly vet these people 100% that they're safe."
There is also no way to deport them all without a massive and very expensive roundup of people who are mostly guilty of nothing. Note he did not say "illegal immigrants." He said "third world immigrants."
Read that as people with brown skin.
(You suggestions and comments are welcome)
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