TNS Op-Ed Budget for Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022

Updated at 4:30 a.m. ET (0930 UTC).

TNS FORUM

Commentary: TSA faces ethical limits in use of AI. But work to improve the technology must persist

TSA-ARTIFICIAL-INTELLIGENCE-COMMENTARY:TB — Artificial intelligence has become a disruptive force in society. Terms such as machine learning, deep learning and neural networks have become commonplace among mainstream media, eliciting visions of innovation that has the potential to change our lives.

At its core, AI attempts to mimic the capabilities of the human brain. Whether it’s computer vision, which focuses on how computers understand the visual world, or natural language processing, which focuses on how computers recognize and interpret written text, the list of possibilities for AI use continues to grow.

746 words by Sheldon Jacobson, Chicago Tribune. MOVED

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Commentary: Negotiations can’t end the Russia-Ukraine war until one side has lost

UKRAINE-COMMENTARY:LA — In recent days we see an increase in calls for a negotiated solution of the war in Ukraine. From the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, from progressive members of Congress and from leading international relations scholars, a growing number of voices urge the U.S. to invest in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and to give peace a chance. According to some reports, the Biden administration is also warming up to the thought. It’s a dangerous idea.

Fears of nuclear escalation between Russia and NATO drive many to argue for negotiations, and although the impetus is well-intentioned, the suggestion is naive and impractical. In Ukraine, the choice is not between a costly, bloody war and diplomacy. The choice is between a bloody war and an equally bloody peace — which would itself lead to even larger confrontation. The sad reality is that not all military problems have political solutions. Any discussions of ending the war should recognize this fact.

878 words by Eugene Finkel, Los Angeles Times. MOVED

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Commentary: Gen Z and millennials turned out in the midterms. They have good reason to pay attention

YOUNGVOTERS-COMMENTARY:TB — Perhaps the youngest voters in our democracy are beginning to see that they can effect change. The midterm elections saw historic turnout among this voting bloc ranging in age from 18 to 29. Generation Z and millennials, as the youth like to say, “turned up.” The political party that zooms in on the Zoomers and millennials will likely be the one that leads this country for the foreseeable future.

They see what is happening in a country with a violence epidemic: In 2020, there were more than 45,000 firearm-related deaths in the United States. Members of younger generations are dying in unimaginable numbers. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that homicide is the leading cause of death for Black males in their 20s. Suicide also is a leading cause of death among the young.

710 words by Jerald McNair, Chicago Tribune. MOVED

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Commentary: Will Kevin McCarthy give in to the Freedom Caucus?

MCCARTHY-COMMENTARY:FUL — In the classic film “Citizen Kane,” there is a scene in which Charles Foster Kane refuses to abandon his run for governor after learning that details of his extramarital affair will be made public. Kane growls that no one was going to “rob him of the love of the people of this state.” His antagonist, political boss Jim Gettys, who had exposed the affair, is stunned since the scandal means certain defeat for Kane. (This was 1941 after all.) Gettys says to Kane, “With anyone else, I’d say it would be a lesson to you. But you’re gonna need more than one lesson ... and you’re gonna get more than one lesson.”

That brings to mind today’s Republican Party. Getting devastated in the midterms should have been a lesson, but whether the GOP will need more than one is open to question. Indications are they will. Already, the Freedom Caucus, named for its desire to deny freedom to anyone but themselves, is putting pressure on presumptive House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to engage in precisely the same behavior that cost the party a majority in the Senate, a commanding majority in House, and a stunning number of state and local offices across the nation. McCarthy, who wanted to be speaker badly enough to get the lead in Faust, will almost certainly give in.

1104 words by Lawrence Goldstone, The Fulcrum. MOVED

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Commentary: Age: Is it really just a number?

AGE-COMMENTARY:BZ — In 1957, the decade-old Centers for Disease Control prohibited individuals under 21 from receiving vaccines during the major influenza epidemic of that year unless they had signatures granting parental permission. A 20-year-old college junior at the time, I was miles away from home, and the necessary approval paperwork for the shot was lacking. I became gravely ill, spent 10 days in the college infirmary, necessitating not only doctors but a priest, and took weeks to recover fully.

That’s when I first realized the importance of making the right call in terms of eligibility based on age. Unfortunately, the only consistency in the history of age requirements in America is its inconsistency. Disunity on both ends of the age spectrum abounds.

846 words by Thomas V. DiBacco, The Baltimore Sun. MOVED

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POINT-COUNTERPOINT

EDITORS: The writers are addressing data collection.

POINT: Better data collection will reduce digital inequalities

DATA-COLLECTION-POINT:MCT — It’s become a popular talking point to list all the risks of data collection, whether it be privacy and surveillance or the lack of transparency that can come with data ownership. But rather than stay bogged down in the potential risks, it’s time to consider how a lack of data collection about some individuals and communities can negatively affect their quality of life.

In today’s digital economy, one significant barrier to opportunity is the data divide, the gaps between the data haves and the data have-nots, and the social and economic inequalities resulting from this lack of data collection and use.

826 words by Gillian Diebold, InsideSources.com. MOVED

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COUNTERPOINT: Keep governments out of data debates

DATA-COLLECTION-COUNTERPOINT:MCT — With the increasing digitization of everything from social interaction to shopping to maps and our real-time locations, there are growing calls to regulate technology companies and pass privacy laws mandating how data can be collected. But private data collection during our use of products and everyday services can be done in a way that doesn’t violate consumers’ rights. A willing exchange of goods and services is one of the core forces driving free markets, including today’s technology and demand for personal data.

Before the internet and cellphones existed, consumers willingly exchanged access to their information for services and financial benefits. Shoppers have voluntarily signed up for retail outlet loyalty programs and grocery discount clubs that track purchasing decisions. Consumers don’t have to give up that information but choose to in exchange for lower prices and other benefits. Retailers used the data to learn how to serve and keep customers.

736 words by Spence Purnell, InsideSources.com. MOVED

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COLUMNS

Noah Feldman: New Trump special prosecutor isn’t the Mueller sequel

FELDMAN:BLO — To no one’s surprise, Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed a special prosecutor, Jack Smith, to investigate former President Donald Trump. You might think that you’ve seen this movie before. But there’s little reason to think this will be a repeat of the Robert Mueller investigation that declined to bring charges against Trump. Charges are more likely this time around — though that doesn’t guarantee they will stick.

Remember how worried we were about whether special counsel Mueller would be fired? And remember how then-Attorney General William Barr subverted Mueller’s report by misrepresenting its contents in advance of its release?

789 words by Noah Feldman, Bloomberg Opinion. MOVED

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Carl P. Leubsdorf: Will Biden run again? Should he?

LEUBSDORF-COLUMN:DA — President Joe Biden has been in an upbeat mood since the Democrats’ best first-term midterm showing in 60 years – and no wonder.

For a second straight election, he achieved his presidency’s overriding goal of protecting the nation’s democratic institutions from the Trumpian threat. And the results relieved any immediate party pressure for him to forgo a 2024 re-election bid.

938 words by Carl P. Leubsdorf, The Dallas Morning News. MOVED

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Mark Z. Barabak: Liars lose and deniers are denied. In the midterms, democracy comes out ahead

BARABAK-COLUMN:LA — Today we discuss liars, deniers and standing at the precipice.

1013 words by Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times. MOVED

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Bobby Ghosh: Iran’s regime is already a big loser at the World Cup

GHOSH-COLUMN:BLO — There is a long tradition of authoritarian states using soccer’s World Cup to distract attention — domestic and foreign alike — from their tyranny. The Islamic Republic milked buckets of self-serving propaganda out of the national team’s participation in the quadrennial competition, never more than in 1998 when Iran beat the “Great Satan” in Lyon, France.

Iranians, like much of the rest of the world, are soccer mad; the country comes to a halt when Team Melli, as the national squad is known, plays in the World Cup. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei himself stayed up late to watch the famous win in Lyon. When the team returned home, he reportedly invited Hamid Estili, who scored the first of two goals against the U.S., to his residence and kissed him on the forehead.

694 words by Bobby Ghosh, Bloomberg Opinion. MOVED

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Leonard Greene: Hakeem Jeffries, poised to lead House Democrats, would bring Brooklyn toughness to job

GREENE-COLUMN:NY — It wasn’t as good as President Barack Obama singing Al Green at the Apollo Theater, but U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries had his cool moment too.

His came on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2017, when he paid tribute to slain Brooklyn rapper The Notorious B.I.G. by spitting a few verses without the need of notes or music:

547 words by Leonard Greene, New York Daily News. MOVED

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Sandy Banks: Lessons of the LA City Council audio leak: Solidarity is dead. Let's ditch the label 'people of color'

BANKS-COLUMN:LA — It was the end of my first day at a new job on the campus of Cal State Los Angeles, and I boarded a bus for the long commute home with a crush of students jockeying for the few empty seats. I watched an elderly Asian woman slide over from her aisle seat and beckon a young Latina standing nearby to take the empty seat next to her.

The student plopped down gratefully, resting her backpack on her knees. Then she spotted me, weary in business clothes and heels, and popped back up, gesturing for me to take her spot. I thanked her quietly and sat down.

1467 words by Sandy Banks, Los Angeles Times. MOVED

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EDITORIALS

Editorial: Elon Musk’s impending destruction of Twitter has consequences small and large

MUSK-TWITTER-EDITORIAL:NY — The mercurial Master of the Universe who bought one of the world’s most powerful social networks made a rare decent decision over the weekend when Elon Musk let Donald Trump back on Twitter. There’s little doubt Trump violated the social network’s terms of service on and around Jan. 6, but indefinite bans should be based on the consistent application of rules. This was a bill of attainder aimed at the most popular Republican in America.

Of course, true to form, Musk in this case did even the right thing in the wrong way. Just three weeks ago, he said he was creating a council of wiseheads to advise him on content moderation before making any rash judgments. Friday, he conducted an unscientific poll of Twitter users on his feed and Saturday cited the results of that poll feed to justify the Trump decision.

368 words by New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News. MOVED

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Editorial: Memo to the new Congress: Ukraine needs your help, not your grandstanding

CONGRESS-UKRAINE-EDITORIAL:TB — When Vladimir Putin unleashed Russia’s military might on Ukraine in February, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy was incensed. Just like the rest of America.

“Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is reckless and evil,” McCarthy said on the day of the invasion. “The United States stands with the people of Ukraine and prays for their safety and resolve. Putin’s actions must be met with serious consequence. This act of war is intended to rewrite history and, more concerning, upend the balance of power in Europe. Putin must be held accountable for his actions.”

934 words by Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune. MOVED

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Editorial: Cheap oil talks louder than justice in Biden's diplomacy with Saudi Arabia

USSAUDI-JOURNALIST-EDITORIAL:SL — When President Joe Biden screws up, he deserves to be called out just like any other American president. He had already generated considerable controversy with his hat-in-hand visit to Saudi Arabia during the summer to plead for more oil production to ease pressure on oil prices. The valid question at the time was whether Biden was doing it in a sincere effort to help American motorists or to deprive his Republican critics’ of a major point of attack heading into the fall election season.

Either way, the visit entailed a high-profile meeting with the de facto Saudi leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom Biden had promised to hold accountable for the 2018 murder of U.S.-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The full public extent of Biden’s get-tough accountability gestures consisted of a punishing fist-bump greeting with the crown prince. A full-blown handshake was seen as giving people the wrong idea that things were all cordial and friendly.

492 words by St. Louis Post-Dispatch Editorial Board, St. Louis Post-Dispatch. MOVED

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Editorial: Why is it so hard to build in America? Blame red tape

REGULATIONS-EDITORIAL:BLO — President Joe Biden says the Inflation Reduction Act, which contains some $370 billion in climate spending, represents the most sweeping government investment in clean energy “ever, ever, ever.” To ensure that investment is worthwhile, he’ll need an equally unprecedented overhaul of federal rules and regulations. Congress should make such reforms a top priority.

Building anything in the U.S. requires navigating a rainforest of red tape. A primary impediment is the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires federally funded projects to undergo a laborious environmental-review process. Mandated impact studies can run for hundreds of pages, cost millions of dollars and take years to complete. Faced with such costly busywork, many projects don’t get off the ground at all. Others endure seemingly endless legal challenges.

659 words by The Editors, Bloomberg Opinion. MOVED

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Editorial: DeSantis’ ‘dystopian’ idea of free speech

FLA-WOKE-ACT-EDITORIAL:PT — The hypocrisy of Florida’s freedom governor was on display again last week after a federal judge halted enforcement of a state gag order at Florida’s colleges and universities. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mark Walker of the Northern District in Tallahassee called Florida’s new Stop WOKE Act, which restricts speech on college campuses in the name of promoting it, “positively dystopian.” The ruling was an unbridled rebuke to Florida’s increasingly authoritarian strain and a warning to everyone who cares about democracy.

The ruling came in two lawsuits — one filed by a University of South Florida student and professor and another led by Florida A&M law professor LeRoy Pernell — both alleging that the law illegally prevents frank discussions about the nation’s racial history in classrooms. (The same judge issued a ruling in August that blocked the law from applying to workplace training.) The legislation prohibits advancing concepts that make anyone feel “guilt, anguish or other psychological distress” related to race, color, national origin or sex because of actions “committed in the past,” and in college settings, the state has proposed rules tying compliance with the law to tenure reviews of faculty members.

638 words by Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board, Tampa Bay Times. MOVED

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Editorial: Where did $1.4 million in migrant flight money go? DeSantis won’t tell Floridians

FLA-MIGRANTS-FLIGHTS-EDITORIAL:MI — Maybe you think it’s OK that Gov. Ron DeSantis used taxpayer dollars to fly migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in the Northeast as a way to raise the alarms about border security and potentially embarrass President Joe Biden. Maybe you think enticing migrants with fake job offers is fine because they didn’t come here legally, and what can they expect?

But even if you agree with the governor gleefully using people as pawns — and we certainly don’t — there’s now the matter of $1.4 million in taxpayer money that remains unaccounted for after those September flights.

735 words by The Miami Herald, The Miami Herald. MOVED

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Editorial: Musk’s Trump move gives power to the people

TWITTER-TRUMP-EDITORIAL:YB — It says a lot about the times in which we live when a decision reached by democratic process elicits outrage.

Elon Musk, the controversial billionaire behind Tesla, SpaceX and now Twitter, reinstated Donald Trump’s account on Twitter Saturday, reversing a ban that has kept the former president off the social media site since a pro-Trump mob attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as The Associated Press reported.

535 words by Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald. MOVED

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