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HB 524 warns of dangers of AI and self-harm

(This item discusses suicide and self-harm. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline is available by calling or texting 988.) Ohio House Bill 524 aims to address a problem few could have imagined a decade or two ago: Artificial intelligence chatbots encouraging people to harm themselves or others. State Rep. Christine Cockley, D-Columbus, is lead sponsor on the bipartisan bill, which would allow for imposing penalties for AI models suggesting harming self or others. It now sits in the House Technology and Innovation Committee. Testimony earlier ...

Americans vote with their feet

It may seem that it’s impossible to get anything done in Washington these days. Nevertheless, the free spirit of Americans cannot be suppressed. Americans are voting with their feet. Per the Census Bureau’s just released annual report on population growth and migration in the U.S., Americans are packing up and moving from anti-growth blue states to pro-growth red states. Top five in population growth from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025: South Carolina, Idaho, North Carolina, Delaware, Tennessee. Top five in population loss: New York, Hawaii, Alaska, District of Columbia, ...

Trump steals pride and joy of Washington

You can’t just shut down a city’s beating heart for the arts for two years, especially in times of turmoil. People should hear a Brahms symphony, played live in a concert hall, to feel alive again. Make that a capital city’s shimmering marble center by the riverside, with a terrace. It packs a punch of red-carpet glamour with vibrant shows scheduled every day. It’s named to honor a beloved and slain president’s memory, deeply mourned the decade he died, in the 1960s. Everything changed in a fatal instant that autumn day, when the country went from exhilaration and grace to ...

Stephen Miller’s mass deportation plan backfires on GOP

How does a Republican lose by 14 points in a safe conservative Texas state Senate seat that President Trump carried by 17 points in 2024? Answer: When there’s a voter backlash against the Trump administration, notably its mass deportation debacles. That’s what happened Saturday in a special election to fill a GOP seat in Tarrant County in the Fort Worth area. Democrat Taylor Rehmet, a labor union leader and veteran, romped over Republican Leigh Wambsganss, who had a Truth Social endorsement from Trump and vastly outspent Rehmet. The election timing was awful for Republicans in ...

Constructive language often yields constructive results

Ancient proverbs can be helpful in adjusting our language and behavior in ways that can benefit every generation. They have become ancient because they work. One example: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger “ (Proverbs 15:1). It means calm, patient and kind words can deescalate conflict, while harsh, angry responses provoke further rage. Try it sometime when you are in an argument with someone. Display humility, or say “I can see how you feel that way, but may I share my view?” The language we use to communicate with one another can heal or wound, ...

Chaos is the point of Trump’s war on immigrants

There’s something uncomfortably familiar about President Donald Trump’s jackboot approach to the immigration debate. It brings to mind a memorable off-the-cuff stumble by Chicago’s legendary late Mayor Richard J. Daley when he was asked about allegations of excessive force by city police officers. “The policeman isn’t there to create disorder,” he said. “The policeman is there to preserve disorder.” Say, what? Well, as Earl Bush, the mayor’s press secretary for 18 years, memorably advised reporters on another occasion, “Don’t write what the mayor says; write ...