The facts
United States Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer (D‑NY) urged the Federal Communications Commission on Monday to reject a petition filed Aug. 31 by the conservative group Club for Growth that would permit AI‑generated political robocalls before the November midterm elections. Schumer warned that such calls could let campaigns use opponents’ voices to spread disinformation. The petition’s public‑comment period runs from Sep. 4 to the upcoming Monday. FCC Democratic commissioner Anna Gomez told Reuters that allowing AI‑robocalls close to Election Day would create chaos. In the 2024 presidential race, an AI‑generated call in President Joe Biden’s voice was sent to New Hampshire voters and later traced to a political consultant for a primary challenger. Club for Growth president David McIntosh argued the FCC should treat AI‑political speech the same as calls about package deliveries, bank accounts or doctor’s appointments. An FCC spokesperson said the commission is merely seeking comment on petitions and has no plans to act on this one.
Our take
Well, well, well. Chuck Schumer finally shouts at the FCC, begging the fucking regulators not to hand political operatives a voice‑cloning weapon of mass confusion weeks before an election. The conservative Club for Growth, a group that seems to exist solely to make rich‑talk‑shop grifters happy, filed a petition asking the FCC to let campaigns use AI to mimic opponents’ voices, potentially telling voters to vote on the wrong day or even that they’ve been arrested for something absurd. Their president, David McIntosh, argues AI‑generated political speech should be treated the same as a robocall about a package delivery or a doctor’s appointment. Right, because when Amazon says your parcel is delayed you don’t question reality, but when a trusted senator’s voice tells you the election is cancelled you should just roll over. The blueprint is already written: an AI‑Biden call hit New Hampshire voters in 2024, traced to a consultant for a primary challenger. Club for Growth wants the FCC to rubber‑stamp that playbook for a national shitshow by November. The FCC’s response is bureaucratic cowardice: a spokesperson says they are “seeking comment” and have no plans to move forward, essentially hiding under their desks while the problem grows. Commissioner Anna Gomez warns of “chaos,” a warning as useful as a tissue‑paper condom in a hurricane of lies. The triangle is clear: Schumer sees a weaponized disinformation tool, Club for Growth sees a new profit stream, and the FCC pretends the issue can be ignored until it becomes someone else’s headache. The system is a clown car, and the clowns just found a megaphone that can perfectly imitate the driver telling everyone to jump out. What a time to be alive, you absolute bastards.
