|
Paint the town green for Climate Week NYC.
The wait is over: Climate Week NYC is right around the corner, starting on September 17th! In order to celebrate this great planet we call Earth, come join us for a discussion on how we can make a real difference in climate at the state level.
For a great, eco-friendly time, register here.
Here are some other highlights from DFP this week:
It's shutting down, we're yelling timber.
Another day, another government shutdown! The Democrat-controlled Senate recently passed its own bipartisan funding bills out of its Appropriations Committee and is expected to pass a full stopgap funding package with bipartisan support in the coming days. Surprise, surprise – the Republican-controlled Mojo Dojo Casa House of Representatives is a different story. The House has yet to debate and pass its own spending package, and it’s looking unlikely that they will reach an agreement by the funding deadline of September 30. To add insult to injury, the House Freedom Caucus is going rogue and threatening to shut down the government unless Kevin McCarthy concedes to their extreme right-wing demands. Democracy at work!
The government runs some pretty important programs that people rely on, and although House Republicans may not be too pressed, voters are concerned about what would happen to these programs if the government were to shut down.
Data for Progress finds 75% of voters are concerned about the Supplemental Food and Nutrition Program (SNAP) losing its funding 30 days after a shutdown and 71% of voters are concerned about the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration temporarily halting inspections for potential human and environmental safety risks. Putting this on the record now: if we all get food poisoning because Kevin McCarthy couldn’t get the House in order, his office is going to get a series of strongly worded letters.
So, yeah, shutting down the government is a pretty bad idea and maybe if House Republicans actually did their job, we could avoid this debacle. Data for Progress finds a majority of voters, including 73% of Democrats and half of Independents, think that McCarthy should quickly encourage the House to pass spending bills that match bipartisan Senate bills to prevent a shutdown. However, shout out to 53% of Republicans who think that McCarthy should hold out to reduce spending and include other priorities in these bills, even if that means risking a shutdown. To those Republicans: we implore you to see the light and realize that shutting down the government is not the solution to our nation’s problems, regardless of what the Freedom Caucus and Friends may tell you.
Read the full brief and polling here.
ChatGPT is starring as Mr. Steal Your Job.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved from humbling top chess players to writing legal briefs (fictitious cases aside). From OpenAI’s ChatGPT to Google’s Bard, tech companies are hustling to develop new AI programs, and while AI may be great for drafting awkward break-up texts or tedious cover letters, it also may be coming for our jobs. Which obviously isn’t ideal.
Data for Progress finds 60% of voters believe advancements in AI will decrease the number of jobs in the United States. This includes 56% of Democrats, 60% of Independents, and 65% of Republicans. Hey, at least AI would probably be a pretty chill co-worker until it tries to take over the world.
As people are becoming increasingly worried about AI, it seems time for the government to get involved and do what it does terribly: regulate Big Tech companies. Members of Congress have proposed creating a federal agency to regulate AI technology, and we find that voters across party lines support this proposal — including 72% of Democrats, 61% of Independents, and 52% of Republicans.
While it may be scary to watch the prophecies of RoboCop and Terminator come to fruition before our very eyes, government regulation can help prevent AI technology from beating us out for promotions (and boyfriends, à la Her).
Read the full polling here.
Vax, vax baby.
If you’re like us and too lazy to find a primary care doctor (apparently it’s “weird” and “inappropriate” to go to your pediatrician in your 20s), use this as your reminder to get vaccinated. Rooftop season may still be in swing, but winter is in fact coming, and new COVID-19 and flu variants will surely come along with it.
In a new poll, Data for Progress finds 80% of voters believe the COVID-19 vaccine booster should be available to everyone who wants it, rather than limiting availability to seniors over 65 and those who are immunocompromised. This includes 83% of Democrats, 79% of Independents, and 76% of Republicans. Thankfully, the CDC announced Tuesday that the new COVID-19 vaccine will be available to everyone aged six months and older.
All Americans, especially those who plan to have a Feral Girl Fall or Wild Girl Winter, should seriously consider making an appointment to get their shot ASAP.
|
