[ExI] Trump Says a Smart President Is All That’s Needed to Rein In A.I.

[spike at rainier66.com]

From: Keith Henson <hkeithhenson at gmail.com> 
Subject: Re: [ExI] Trump Says a Smart President Is All That’s Needed to Rein In A.I.

 

>…Outlawing abortion is not sound medicine.

 

Agreed.  Our state doesn’t outlaw abortion.  

 

>…Ectopic pregnancy requires an abortion or the mother dies…

 

I agree.  Abortion should not be illegal.  Overturning Roe vs Wade is not directly about abortion, it is about the limits of federal government power.

 

>…A state could outlaw antibiotics, do you think this would be sound medicine?


Keith

 

I agree with you, Keith.  The federal government does not have the authority to require states to enable or support sound medicine.  States have the theoretical power to outlaw antibiotics if they wish, for they control who gets medical licenses.  As far as I know, none of them do that.  

 

Overturning Roe vs Wade is not really about abortion, even if it is framed in that context.  The Roe decision was overturned because the fed overstepped its constitutional authority when it made a law  about abortion.

 

The fed cannot demand that the states allow data centers either, nor can it pass a law forbidding them.  All that gives me the notion that excellent investment opportunities will be in places like Nevada, Wyoming and West Virginia.  Nevada is open minded on environmental regulations and is close to California, as well as alternate markets for power (both California and Phoenix) Wyoming has a lot of coal (but not enough water) West Virginia has plenty of coal, natural gas and (unlike the other two states) plenty of water.

 

Of those three, my guess is West Virginia will be the most promising new place for new data centers.  When Pete and I become the fifth and sixth trillionaires, that’s where I propose putting mine.

 

spike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Wed, Sep 16, 2026 at 6:19 AM <spike at rainier66.com <mailto:spike at rainier66.com> > wrote:

 

 

From: Keith Henson <hkeithhenson at gmail.com <mailto:hkeithhenson at gmail.com> > 
Subject: Re: [ExI] Trump Says a Smart President Is All That’s Needed to Rein In A.I.

 

"

"Clarification: states have the authority to outlaw development of AI, but only IN THAT STATE"

 

>…I am not sure about that. States cannot pass capricious laws. I am fairly sure they would have to make a case that AI was somehow illegal or prove that it hurt people.

 

>… Not that it matters one bit. … I seriously doubt such a bill would pass …

 

>…Does anyone take exception to this analysis?


Keith

 

 

Not at all, Keith, I agree.  What I meant was states have the authority to make those kinds of laws, not that they would do it.  They can (and might) make it unprofitable to put a data center in that state.  But other states will welcome data centers (and are doing so.)  They welcome the jobs, the technology, etc.

 

The federal government cannot legally restrict AI development, analogous to the SCOTUS decision that the fed cannot legally restrict states from making abortion law.  The SCOTUS decision striking down Roe vs Wade also protects states which want data centers and states which do not.  It makes the kind of law Bernie Sanders proposed illegal.  That critical decision about abortion strikes down the notion that the federal government can do anything it wants.  It clarifies: no it can’t.

 

spike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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