Not even on his best day (updated)

Depending on your time zone/the severity of your insomnia you may have read about Small Digits’ latest executive order, which says states can’t make their own laws governing laws AI, and if they do, he’ll send his gang of really super successful attorneys after them and possibly withhold federal funds for rural broadband.

NPR’s coverage includes this quote, which I think should get more notice:

“We have to be unified.,” said Trump, “China is unified because they have one vote, that’s President Xi. He says do it, and that’s the end of that.”

I think it warrants highlighting, but not because I think people should run around screaming “Stercus, stercus, stercus, moriturus sum!” We know he plans to stay in the White House, slowly piling up more shiny objects until people can’t move for all the tchotkes, until he croaks. He plans a lot of things.

But I hate to see a good lede buried and in this article that lede is “Confused pervert on a power trip thinks he’s a quarter as capable as any other world leader, including the severely inbred ones who were incontinent and had teeth growing out of their cheeks.”

Open thread.

Update: Some additional thoughts about this EO, aside from the whole L’état c’est moi-ness of it all. If you look at the picture at the link you’ll have noticed something missing from the photo. That’s right hordes of adoring Republicans standing around like the magi. A blanket ban on AI laws isn’t universally popular with Republicans, including professional level suckups like Gov. DeSantis.

Many Republican governors are also opposed to the move. Earlier in the day, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox posted on X that he preferred an alternative executive order that did not include barring state laws. “States must help protect children and families while America accelerates its leadership in AI,” he wrote.

“An executive order doesn’t/can’t preempt state legislative action,” posted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on X Monday in response to Trump’s Truth Social post announcing the upcoming order, “Congress could, theoretically, preempt states through legislation.” DeSantis has recently proposed a series of AI-related measures.

I don’t think these people care about states’ rights in general any more than they care about children or whatever they’re hollering about this week. I do know they care very deeply about being in power and being seen as having power. You think we only run to one dipshit dictator at a time? This is the United States of America, damn it. However, when El Shambles lays down the law – without even a token public consultation/photo op – it shits on that image in a very public way.

Plus the smarter coattail riders must know it would be harmful for their health if the violent, heavily armed maniacs they’ve been courting for years got the idea that they were surplus to requirements, Dear Leader can do all the law making.