[ExI] but i say what we really need is really smart ai to rein in potus, was: RE: Trump Says a Smart President Is All That's Needed to Rein In A.I.

[Ben Zaiboc]

On Wednesday, 16 September 2026 at 17:02, spike at rainier66.com <spike at rainier66.com> wrote:

> >...> On Behalf Of Ben Zaiboc via extropy-chat
> Subject: Re: [ExI] Trump Says a Smart President Is All That's Needed to Rein
> In A.I.
> 
> On Wednesday, 16 September 2026 at 01:03, spike at rainier66.com
> <spike at rainier66.com> wrote:
> 
> >
> > ...> On Behalf Of Ben Zaiboc via extropy-chat
> 
> > >...Your confidence in the constitution's ability to rein him in has to
> boil down to your confidence in the people and institutions that have the
> job of upholding the constitution. Do you agree?
> >
> > Ja.
> >
> > >...They seem, from my perspective, to be doing a poor job so far.
> > --
> > Ben
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > Ben passing a law is difficult.
> 
> 
> >...Ok, but I'm not just talking about passing laws (and presidential
> executive orders seem to be capable of completely bypassing any laws (which
> is a plausible reason for him issuing so many)).
> 
> >...I'm talking about Trump exceeding his authority...
> 
> >...I'm talking about the kinds of thing mentioned in this document:
> 
> https://www.nycbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/20221532_AbuseOfPresidenti
> alPower-1.pdf
> 
> ...
> ---
> Ben
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> Hi Ben, I am OK with most of this.  I read thru the linked document and
> noted several things.  I want to go on memory rather than cite specific
> comments in the document.
> 
> I see all this thru the lens of a taxpayer who notes that the current
> federal budget deficit is two trillion dollars a year.


Umm, veering off the topic big-time here, but ok. I know nothing about economics generally, and less about US national debt, etc.

...

> It cannot continue to operate the way it has for very much
> longer, unless....
> 
> Unless... AI generates unimaginable wealth.  John tells us it will.  I
> certainly hope so


So do I, but how do we avoid it also creating unimaginable inequality?



 > Do allow me to finish this missive on a hopeful note (as is my wont):
> consider that AI task I have been for many years hoping would show up in
> time for my own elderly relatives, an AI voice recognition chat companion.
> That showed up in time for my father in law.  I am surprised that most of
> the current inhabitants of the assisted living aren't using it.  But he is.
> It is good, not great yet, but good.  I will take good.  Note that it is
> also in time for us, and by the time we need it, it might be great.  


That's not what I regard as a hopeful note. That's more like a slightly ameliorated capitulation.

I don't hope for AI to comfort the aged, I hope for it to cure them!

Can we get back to the original topic though: The constitution etc., Three+ term presidents etc.?

I'd like to know who/what actually enforces the constitution (assume I know nothing about the american governmental system. It will be an accurate assumption), why you seem to have such faith in it, when it seems, up to now, to be largely impotent?

I'd like to know how all those abuses of power detailed in that document (plus the many more since it was written) can possibly have occurred, without anyone seeming to be able to do anything effective about them?

I'd like to know (as would many, many other people) why King Donald isn't already wearing an orange suit and spending the rest of his life in a very small room?
---
Ben