WHAT WILL 206 BE LIKE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT•FOR DEMOCRACY•AND FOR THE BALANCE OF POWER.

STAY TUNED FOR THE FIRST IVORY TOWER OF THE NEW YEAR.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I'M BARBARA FOUGHT, FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

THE PROFESSORS JOINING ME FOR CONVERSATION ARE -- RICK FENNER FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.

ANIRBAN ACHARYA, FROM LE MOYNE COLLEGE JENNY STROMER GALLEY, FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, AND AARON STRONG FROM HAMILTON COLLEGE.

SINCE THIS IS THE FIRST SHOW OF THE YEAR IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S COMING IN 2026.

SO WE'VE CHOSEN THREE DIFFERENT AREAS OF CONCERN TO DISCUSS TONIGHT.

AND AS WE START, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW WE ARE RECORDING THIS DECEMBER 19, TWO WEEKS BEFORE YOU SEE IT, SO YOU WILL UNDERSTAND IF THE NEWS MOVES BEYOND OUR DISCUSSION.

OUR FIRST TOPIC, I WOULD LIKE TO START WITH THE STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

FIRST WITH THINGS HAPPENING HERE AT HOME.

THERE IS A CHIP PLANT GOING TO BE BUILT.

MAYBE A SMALL NUCLEAR REACTOR, ABOUT IT COIN MINING CONTINUES, BITCOIN MINING CONTINUES AND THE BAN ON GAS APPLIANCES THAT MIGHT GO INTO EFFECT.

WHAT IS OF CONCERN FOR YOU IN THE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE NEW YEAR?

>> THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG AND MOMENTOUS YEAR IN NEW YORK STATE FOR ENERGY AND CLIMATE POLICY.

I WANT TO FRAME IT A LITTLE BIT.

WHY DO WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT GETTING RID OF FOSSIL FUELS?

BECAUSE THE SCIENCE SAYS WE NEED TO DO THAT TO AVOID THE GENUINE REAL ECONOMIC AND HUMAN SUFFERING CAUSED BY THE CLIMATE CRISIS, AND WE STILL HAVE 40 TO 45% OF OUR ELECTRICITY IN NEW YORK STATE COMING FROM NATURAL GAS, WHICH IS A FOSSIL FUEL.

ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES IS THAT THE STATE HAS COMMITTED TO GETTING RID OF THAT BY 2040 TO A ZERO CARBON GRID.

THIS IS A BIG CHALLENGE.

WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF ELECTRICITY RIGHT NOW FROM NATURAL GAS.

WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THAT?

THAT'S WHY YOU ARE HEARING SO MUCH ABOUT THINGS LIKE NUCLEAR POWER, RIGHT?

NUCLEAR POWER WE HAVE 20% OF THE ELECTRICITY.

THE LIGHTS WE SEE RIGHT NOW ARE COMING FROM NUCLEAR POWER.

BUT IF WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET RID OF THAT NATURAL GAS, WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING.

WE CAN REPLACE A LOT WITH RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY BUT WE CAN'T REPLACE ALL OF IT BECAUSE THE SUN DOES NOT ALWAYS SHINE AND THE WIND DOES NOT ALWAYS BLOW.

THERE IS GOOD NEWS.

NEW YORK STATE IS AHEAD OF THE GAME ON DEPLOYING SOLAR POWER.

THE 2019 LAW HAD A TARGET OF 6 GIGAWATTS OF CAPACITY FROM SOLAR BY 2025.

HERE WE ARE AT THE START OF 2026 AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY ALREADY SURPASSED THAT.

WE DID THAT A YEAR AGO.

WE ARE AHEAD OF THE GAME.

>> AHEAD OF THE GAME.

>> A LOT OF SOLAR AND WIND BEING BUILT.

THAT'S TRUE NATIONALLY.

90% OF THE NEW ELECTRICITY GENERATION IS COMING FROM WIND AND SOLAR BUT YOU CAN'T DO IT ALL WITH WIND AND SOLAR.

THAT'S WHY THE GOVERNOR IS TALKING ABOUT NUCLEAR POWER AND THINKING ABOUT PUTTING NUCLEAR POWER IN AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE DOING TO HEAR, MY PREDICTION FOR 2026 IS YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR A LOT MORE ABOUT BATTERIES.

WE NEED TO ALSO INCREASE THE AMOUNT WARM FRONT GENERATING NOT JUST TO BALANCE OUT GETTING RID OF FOSSIL FUELS, GUT ALSO BECAUSE OF ALL THE NEW INCREASED DEMAND WE ARE SEEING.

>> JENNY, WHAT ABOUT THE MICRON CONSTRUCTION?

THAT WILL BE BEGINNING-- >> PRESUMABLY THAT WILL BREAK GROUND THIS YEAR GIVEN THE SET THEAMENT-- THE SETTLEMENT THAT JUST HAPPENED.

MY CONCERN ABOUT MICRON IS THE WETLANDS.

THEY HAVE TO BURY 200 ACRES OF WETLANDS IN ORDER TO BUILD THE FACILITY.

AND NEW YORK STATE POLICY REQUIRES THAT THEY HAVE TO THEN RESTORE WETLANDS SOME OTHER PLACE TO DO THAT.

THE PLANS FOR HOW THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, WHERE THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN ARE A LITTLE VAGUE AND THERE IS A LARGER REALITY THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING REALLY AS CREATING NEW WETLANDS THAT WILL HAVE THE SAME IMMEDIATE SORT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUPPORTS AS EXISTING WETLANDS.

AND I THINK IT'S JUST A TRAGEDY, FRANKLY.

>> ANIRBAN, WHAT ABOUT THE TRANSITION OF ENERGIES THAT AARON WAS TALKING ABOUT?

>> HERE IS-- I'M GOING TO TAKE A VERY UNORTHODOX VIEW AND I HAVE READ A BOOK CALLED "MORE, MORE AND MORE" ENVIRONMENTAL PERSON TO READ THIS.

THIS IDEA OF TRANSITION HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN HUMAN HISTORY.

IT'S A COMPLETE CONCOCTED LIE.

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A PLACE WHERE WE HAVE REPLACED ONE ENERGY AND TRANSITIONED INTO ANOTHER.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE USED TO HAVE PETROLEUM LIGHTS, RIGHT?

WHEN ELECTRICITY CAME IN, WE NOW THINK WE USE ELECTRICITY AS OUR MAIN LIGHTING SOURCE.

BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE.

IF YOU TAKE ALL THE CARS, WE USE STILL USE MORE PETROLEUM TO LIGHT OUR LIGHTS THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

EVERY CAR WE BUY HAS THREE TONS OF COAL IN IT, SEVEN TONS OF COAL IN IT.

SO THE IDEA THAT THERE IS AN ECONOMIC, YOU KNOW, MANIPULATION BY WHICH WE CAN SOMEHOW, YOU KNOW,GET RID OF FOSSIL FUELS, THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

WE HAVE ALWAYS SEEN THIS KIND OF SIM BRING ON THETIC EXPANSION-- SYMBIOTIC EXPANSION.

THIS IDEA THAT THIS IS MERELY A TRANSITION OIL TO-- COAL TO OIL, OIL TO SUNSHINE THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED AND WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN.

IN TERMS OF CAP AND TRADE, THESE ARE SMALL FIXES.

WE HAVE SEEN TREMENDOUS CORRUPTION.

WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO TALK ABOUT, RIGHT, IS HOW CAN WE BE SELF SUFFICIENT?

HOW CAN WE ACTUALLY REDUCE CONSUMPTION OVER TIME?

U.S.

CONSUMES 260 GIGA JEWELS PER CAP THAT.

INDIA CONSUMES 26.

CHINA CONSUMESES 112 GIGA JOULES PER CAPITA.

SO INSTEAD OF FINDING MORE TECHNOLOGIES USING MORE CAPITALISM, IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS NOT REALLY THERE.

SO I WOULD SAY THAT FOCUSING ON TRANSITION THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN WE SHOULD LOOK AT HOW TO REDUCE CONSUMPTION AS A SOCIETY AND IN WHAT WAYS WE CAN THINK ABOUT REDUCING CONSUMPTION >> WE HAVE NEVER REDUCED CONSUMPTION.

WE HAVE ALWAYS INCREASED IT.

IT'S A PIPE DREAM.

AARON MENTIONED THE VERY AGGRESSIVE TARGETS THAT NEW YORK STATE HAS SET FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS AND MY CONCERN IS THAT ONE OF THE PRIMARY WAYS WE WERE GOING TO DO THAT WAS THROUGH THE CAP AND INVEST PROGRAM.

AND I THINK THE PROBLEM HERE-- WHERE THE STATE WILL ISSUE A DECLINING NUMBER OF PERMITS OVER TIME TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF EMISSIONS AND WE WOULD TAKE THE MONEY WE WOULD TAKE FROM AUCTIONING IT AND PUT THAT INTO OTHER SOURCES.

THE PROBLEM IS HOCHUL SUSPENDED THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF 2025.

SO MY QUESTION FOR 2026 IS IS SHE GOING TO TAKE THAT BACK OFF THE TABLE AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT?

>> PRELIMINARY GENERALLY HIVE POLITICALLY YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF ATTENTION TO WHAT HOCHUL IS DOING WITH CLIMATE.

SHE PUT A BAN ON THE BAN ON NEW GAS AND CONSTRUCTION.

NATURAL GAS IS USED TO HEAT MOST OF OUR BUILDINGS IN NEW YORK STATE.

31% OF THE STATE' EMISSIONS COME FROM HEATING.

YOU HEAR ABOUT COOK STOVE, IT'S REALLY ABOUT HEATING HOMES.

JUST REMEMBER THAT.

BUT I THINK THE BIG PLAY IS HOW DOES THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY PLAY OUT FOR GOVERNOR WITH THIS BECAUSE DELGADO IS GOING TO SAY A LOT ABOUT CLIMATE AND HOCHUL HAS PUT PAUSES ON SOME MAJOR PIECES OF CLIMATE LEGISLATION COMING OUT.

CAP AND INVEST AND THE GAS BAN.

>> BUT LOGISTICALLY THOSE THINGS ARE REALLY CHALLENGING TO IMPLEMENT.

THE COSTS ARE REAL.

THE OTHER THING I THINK WE WILL WATCH IN 2026 IS THE PRESSURE ON DATA CENTERS.

SO THESE ARE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT SUPPORTS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE , BITCOIN MINING,.

>> LIKE IN THE FINGER LAKES.

>> LIKE IN THE FINGER LAKES EXACTLY.

THERE IS A REALLY BIG DATA CENTER THAT IS GOING UP IN BUFFALO CALLED TERA WOLF AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF SEVERAL WE WILL SEE COMING INTO >> WHEN IT COMES TO OUR GOVERNMENT, IT SOMETIMES SEEMS MANY OF THE INGREDIENTS IN THE RECIPE FOR DEMOCRACY ARE EITHER IN SHORTER SUPPLY• OR BEING LEFT OUT.

I'M WONDERING, WHERE YOU THINK WE ARE RIGHT NOW•AND WHAT WE CAN DO IN THIS YEAR TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.

2026.

>> LET'S TAKE THE FIRST PART.

SO I'M GOING TO REFER TO THIS WONDERFUL PAPER BY BENJAMIN JILLIANS PAGE IN PERSPECTIVES IN POLITICS HER THEY TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHO YIELDS MORE POWER IN POLITICS AND THEY FIND OUT THE ECONOMIC AND THE ORGANIZED GROUPS THAT REPRESENT BUSINESS INTERESTS HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL INDEPENDENT IMPACT ON U.S.

GOVERNMENT, WHILE AVERAGE CITIZENS AND MAST-BASED INTEREST GROUPS HAVE LITTLE TO NO INDEPENDENT INFLUENCE.

SO WHAT THIS SHOWS IS THAT BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AFTER FEC, THE MONEY THAT CAME INTO U.S.

POLITICS MAINLY BY BUSINESS CORPORATIONS RATHER THAN LABOR UNIONS, ALTHOUGH LABOR UNIONS ARE FREE TO DO EXACTLY THE SAME, WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT PEOPLE'S TRUST IN DEMOCRACY HAS ERODED.

THEY CAN SEE THAT,YOU KNOW, THE POLITICIANS ARE IN THE POCKETS OF LARGE DONORS, CORPORATE DONORS.

IN SOME CASES THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THE DONORS ARE.

THEY CAN SPEND UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY VILIFYING OR SAYING LIES ABOUT THE OTHER CANDIDATE.

SO THIS HAS BECOME JUST A BIG MONEY GAME.

AND I THINK WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE PROPER POWER VESTED IN THE PEOPLE IF WE DO NOT MOVE AWAY FROM THIS KIND OF YOU KNOW, DARK MONEY, FUNDING TO MORE PUBLIC CAMPAIGN FINANCE.

SO I MEAN I WILL TAKE IT IN LITTLE BITS.

IT'S A LARGE TOPIC.

I WOULD SAY THE FIRST THING WE SHOULD DO IS ABSOLUTELY OVERTURN FEC VS.

THE UNITED STATES AND GO BACK TO PUBLIC FINANCING OF CAMPAIGNS.

>> THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE THAT'S A SUPREME COURT DECISION.

>> I THINK WE HAVE SEEN-- >> WE CAN PASS A NEW LAW TO-- >> WELL, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN CHIPPING AWAY AT THE FOUNDATIONS OF DEMOCRACY.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AVOID THE CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS TO DATE, ALTHOUGH I THINK THERE IS SOME REASONS TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT IS COMING AHEAD IN 2026.

WHAT CAN FORESTALL THIS?

I THINK THE BEST BET IS THE ELECTORATE IN THE 2026 MID TERMY ELECTIONS.

SAVING DEMOCRACY WAS NOT A GOOD RALLYING CRY IN 2024.

I DON'T THINK IT ITSELF GOING TO BE IN 2026 BUT ENOUGH DEMOCRATS CAN BE VOTED SO WE FLIP ONE OR THE OTHER HOUSES, AT LEAST I THINK THERE CAN BE AN ATTEMPT TO SLOW DOWN SOME OF THE EROSION.

MY FEAR IS THAT IF THAT OCCURS, WHAT HAPPENS THIS TRUMP DECIDES HE IS GOING TO DISREGARD A DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS.

WILL THAT END UP TRIGGERING A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS?

>> I THINK I'M A LITTLE MORE SANGUINE ON THIS.

IT'S 2026 AND WE STILL HAVE A DEMOCRACY.

BACK IN 2025 THERE WERE MOMENTS WHEN I WAS REALLY CURIOUS WHETHER THAT WOULD BE THE CASE.

NOW WE ARE HERE IN A NEW YEAR.

WE HAD THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS IN VIRGINIA AND NEW JERSEY THAT WERE STRONG.

I THINK WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THAT THE STRATEGY FROM THE RIGHT IS GERRYMANDERING, RIGHT, WHICH NOW HAS A SORT OF GOLD STAMP, GOLD STAR FROM THE SUPREME COURT.

THE OTHER STRATEGY IS DISENFRANCHISING VOTERS, TRYING TO PURGE THE VOTER ROLLS THAT JUST HAPPENED IN TEXAS WHERE AMERICAN CITIZENS ARE SUDDENLY FINDING OUT THEY'RE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE FOR NO APPARENT REASON.

BUT I THINK THAT'S THE STRATEGY FROM THE RIGHT.

I DO THINK THAT THERE WILL BE ELECTIONS WHERE PEOPLE CAN VOTE AND I THINK THOSE RESULTS WILL MOVE FORWARD IN 2026.

AND I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO COME DOWN TO ULTIMATELY WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS A DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS, WHAT DOES THAT LEAD TO IN TERMS OF A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS?

THAT'S THE TOPIC FOR LATER THIS YEAR.

>> I THINK THE OTHER DIMENSION, GOING BACK TO THE MID TERMS AGAIN, SO IN ADDITION TO CONCERNS ABOUT THE VOTERS BEING DISENFRANCHISED I'M CONCERNED ABOUT VOTER MANIPULATION; THAT IS THE PUBLIC BEING MANIPULATED THROUGH PROBLEMATIC ADVERTISING.

I HAVE RESEARCHED EVIDENCE FROM 2024 THAT ELON MUSK AND OTHER POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES SPENT INORDINATE AMOUNTS OF MONEY ON DIGITAL ADVERTISEMENTS BASICALLY TELLING PEOPLE FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS CLAIMS ABOUT ISRAEL AND THE GAZA CONFLICT.

WITH DEEP FAKES NOW, SORA-2, WHICH IS OPENING EYES, VIDEO A.I.

PLATFORM, THE ABILITY TO CREATE CONTENT THAT LOOKS AS IF IT'S REALLY FROM SAY A POLITICIAN POLITICIAN WHEN IT'S COMPLETELY MANUFACTURED IS A HUGE ISSUE AND THE REGULATION ON THIS-- THERE IS NO REGULATION AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

>> IS THERE A SOLUTION THERE THAT CAN GUN THIS YEAR?

>> THE STATES, ALL OF THE STATES, 47 STATES NOW HAVE POLICIES AROUND DEEP FAKES.

THERE MUST BE, FOR EXAMPLE, STAMPS, WATER MARKS ON VIDEOS BUT OF COURSE THAT'S EASY TO GET AROUND.

OR OTHER DISCLOSURES LIKE A.I.

CREATED THIS CONTENT.

BUT AGAIN THERE IS REALLY ENFORCEMENT.

AND IT'S STATE BY STATE.

SO DESPERATELY WE NEED FEDERAL REGULATION, ESPECIALLY AROUND FEDERAL RACES.

THERE IS BASICALLY NOTHING WITH REGARD TO THE PRESIDENCY.

SO THAT WORRIES ME A LOT.

IF THE VOTERS CANNOT MAKE GOOD DECISIONS IF THEY DON'T HAVE GOOD INFORMATION AND THEY DON'T TRUST THAT INFORMATION.

WE ARE IN A TRUST DEFICIT RIGHT NOW.

>> VERY IMPORTANT.

ANIRBAN.

>> WITH THE TRUST DEFICIT, I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE APPROVAL RATING FOR DEMOCRATIC PARTIES SO SEVERELY LOW IT'S ALMOST LAUGHABLE.

AND YOU KNOW-- >> FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, TOO THOUGH.

>> THE DEMOCRATS ARE BEHOLDEN TO CORPORATE MONEY AND THAT CORRUPT INFLUENCE AND VOTERS HAVE SEEN THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND THEY'RE JADED ABOUT MANY DEMOCRATS LIKE CHARLES SCHUMER AND THE LOT.

THEY DON'T HAVE A SPINE.

THEY DON'T-- THEY CANNOT STAND UP TO THE ISRAELI GENOCIDE THAT IS HAPPENING.

THEY'RE IN THE POCKETS OF IPAC SO WHAT ARE THE DEMOCRATS SAYING?

I KNOW MANY, MANY, MANY DEMOCRATS THAT EXTREMELY JADED WITH THIS PARTY AND THE LEVEL OF CORRUPTION AND THE SAME THINGS, EXACT SAME THINGS THAT THE REPUBLICANS DO.

I DON'T SEE MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE TO MATTER TO ME.

>> I WOULD NOT USE THE WORDS EXACT SAME THINGS.

WE COULD SPEND A LONG TIME TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THE TRAIRGSES HAS DONE AND I'M NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW,DEFEND THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AND WHAT HAS GONE ON IN THE PAST, BUT TO SAY EXACT SAME THINGS, I WOULD HAVE STRONG DISAGREEMENT WITH THAT.

>> WHAT, AARON, IS GOOD?

WE ARE RANKING PRETTY HIGH IN THE WORLD PERSPECTIVE WITH DEMOCRACY AND YOU WERE A LITTLE MORE SANG WINNING-- SANGUINE.

>> NOT ALL OF DEMOCRACY IS ABOUT THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS AND THE BIG PARTY AND CHUCK SCHUMER AND EVERYONE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

A LOT OF IT IS GRASSROOTS AND LOCAL LEVEL.

AND I THINK SPENDING TIME IN SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES, YOU SEE FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACIES, YOU SEE PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN MEETINGS.

YOU SEE INFRASTRUCTURE WORKING.

AND A LOT OF THE ELECTIONS THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE PLACE ARE LOCAL ELECTIONS WHERE WE STILL HAVE A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY AND THAT MATTERS FOR A LOT OF THE SERVICE IS DELIVERED.

I AGREE WITH ANIRBAN WHEN YOU GET TO THE NATIONAL LEVEL, IT REALLY IS ABOUT THE LARGE CORPORATE INTERESTS BECAUSE OF THE MONEY THAT'S FLOATING BUT DON'T FORGET A LOT OF OUR DEMOCRACY IS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND I THINK THAT'S STILL FUNCTIONING WELL.

>> WELL, RELATED TO DEMOCRACY, IS THE CHANGING BALANCE OF POWERS BETWEEN STATES AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

IT SEEMS THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION WANTS STATES TO DO MORE IN FUNDING HEALTH CARE, DISASTER RELIEF AND PROTECTING CIVIL RIGHTS AMONG OTHER THINGS.

SO I'M WONDERING, RICK, HOW DO YOU ASSESS THE CURRENT BALANCE BETWEEN THE STATES AND THE FEDS THIS YEAR?

>> I THINK IT'S CORRECT THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS ASKING STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO TAKE ON MORE RESPONSIBILITY, BUT THAT'S NOT THE SAME AS GIVING THEM MORE POWER.

I THINK THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS SHOWN, JUST AS THEY WANT THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH TO BE OVER BOTH THE JUDICIAL AND LEGISLATIVE BRARN, THEY WANT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO BE OVER STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

THEY ARE MICROMANAGING FROM, YOU KNOW, SENDING IN TROOPS TO CITIES TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, THE CRIME WAVE, TO TELLING NEW YORK CITY HOW IT CAN CONTROL TRAFFIC CONGESTION, TO, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGING LOCAL ENERGY LAWS.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO DO WHATEVER IT WANTS TO DO AND SO I THINK WHAT YOU ARE SEEING IS EROSION OF ANY, YOU KNOW, POWER TRADE-OFF BETWEEN FEDERAL AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SIMPLY WANTS TO DO WHAT IT WANTS TO DO.

>> JENNY, HOW DO YOU SEE IT?

>> WELL, YEAH, IT'S A VERY COMPLICATED MIX IN TERMS OF WHERE THE BALANCE OF POWER LIES.

ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS YEAR-- WELL BACK IN 2025 THAT IS, IS THE EROSION OF OUR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE NOW THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO SEVERELY RESTRICT THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WILL GO TO BIO MEDICAL RESEARCH AND REALLY ANY KIND OF BASIC RESEARCH.

AND SO IT 2-S RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT ROLES THE STATES MIGHT PLAY IN HELPING SUPPORT THAT.

NEW YORK STATE, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S GOING TO THE SUNYS TO SUPPORT RESEARCH AND THERE ARE SOME EFFORTS TO CREATE A BIO MEDICAL INSTITUTE THAT WOULD FUND BIO MEDICAL RESEARCH, BUT THE ENGINE OF RESEARCH WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT TO OUR NATIONAL ECONOMY, OUR LOCAL ECONOMIES, THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT, YOU KNOW, RESEARCH IS AN $8 BILLION ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN NEW YORK STATE ANNUALLY, AND SO THERE IS REAL IMPORTANCE TO THAT WORK.

AND THE STATES ARE GOING TO HAVE TO RNLINGS I THINK, STEP UP IN WAYS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ABDICATING.

>> BUT CAN THEY STEP UP, ANIRBAN?

THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY TO MAKE UP.

>> SO I'M GOING A LITTLE POLITICAL SCIENCE.

WE HAVE DIFFERENT PHRASES OF LIBERALISM, LAYER CAKE FEDERALISM.

>> LAYER CAKE FEDERALISM?

>> WHICH IS BASICALLY CLEAR DEMARCATION ABOUT WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT CAN DO.

THEN WE WENT TO THE MARBLE CAKE FEDERALISM 1933-1981, BLOCK GRANTS WORKING IN COOPERATION WITH THE STATES AND THEN WITH NIXON AND REAGAN WE WENT INTO SUPER SWIRL CAKE FEDERALISM.

>> WHAT IS THAT?

A FEDERALISM WHERE THERE IS PARTISAN FIGHT OVER I.R.S.

DEMOCRATS WANT FEDERAL CONTROL ON CERTAIN ISSUES LIKE ENVIRONMENT AND SO O. THE REPUBLICANS WANT FEDERAL CONTROL AND MOVING AWAY FROM STRAIGHT BUT FOR DIFFERENT ISSUES.

IT BECOMES THIS WEIRD PARTISAN GRIDLOCK FIGHT WHERE EVERY ISSUE IS CHALLENGED IN COURT AND RECHALLENGED IN COURT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD BE THE BALANCE BETWEEN FEDERAL AND STATE BUT I WILL AGREE WITH RICK HERE.

I THINK WE ARE SEEING SOMETHING NEW.

I HAVE RUN OUT OF CAKE NAMES SO I WILL CALL IT JUST ACTIVIST FEDERALISM, WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING THAT I WILL DENY YOU FUNDS IF YOU ARE FROM A DIFFERENT PARTY.

IF YOU HAVE VOTED AGAINST ME IN AN ELECTION, I WILL GO AGAINST YOU.

THAT IS A VERY NEW KIND OF FEDERALISM, WHICH IS VERY SELECTIVE ACTIVIST FEDERALISM THAT IF YOU ARE NOT ON MY LINE, IF YOU DON'T TOW MY LINE, I WILL RESCIND FEDERAL FUNDS.

>> SOUNDS PUNITIVE.

>> JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE WINNING AN ELECTION, I WILL WITH HOLD MONEY.

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH RICK HERE, IT'S MORE OF A PUNITIVE FEDERALISM TO SAY.

I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT WORDS FOR IT.

>> MAYBE IT'S THE EXPLODING VOLCANO CAKE.

>> VOLCANO CAKE.

THAT'S THE ONE.

>> ONE THING I WANT TO ADD TO THIS.

I THINK ONE THING TO PAY ATTENTION IN THIS SPACE IS A.I.

IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN ALL THREE SEGMENTS SO FAR SO FORESHADOWING 2026, YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR A LOT ABOUT IT.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION JUST MOVED TO ACTUALLY STRIP THE STATES OF THE ABILITY TO REGULATE A.I.

WHICH I THINK IS VERY MUCH ABOUT POLITICS.

EVERYTHING THAT JENNY SAID BEFORE.

WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DEMOCRACY.

I THINK THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO GO PIECE BY PIECE ON EACH ONE OF THESE THINGS AND THINK WHAT CAN WE GAIN FROM TAKING POWER AWAY OR FROM FORCING THE STATES TO DO THIS?

WE'LL WATCH WHAT CALIFORNIA DOES.

GAVIN NEWSOME IS MAKING A LOT OF NEWS OUT THERE.

YOU WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

>> FOR BUSINESSES, IT WOULD BE EASIER IF THERE WAS ONE FEDERAL RULE, RIGHT?

>> YES, QLOARLY, YOU-- CLEARLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN CALIFORNIA SETS REGULATIONS THAT'S GOING TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT I THINK BUSINESSES HAVE, ONCE THEY KNOW THE RULES, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FUNCTION.

AND THAT HASN'T BEEN AS BIG A PROBLEM.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE CONTRADICTIONS, THE AMBIGUITY, THE UNCERTAINTY WITH WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS MUCH MORE DAMAGING TO BUSINESSES.

>> YEAH, BUT IF ONE STATE HAS ONE RULE AND ANOTHER STATE HAS ANOTHER RULE, AS A BUSINESS, I WORK ACROSS THE COUNTRY... >> FOR REGULATING AIR POLLUTION FROM VEHICLES, CALIFORNIA SET THE STANDARDS AND THE OTHER STATES AND ULTIMATELY THE CAR MANUFACTURERS FOLLOWED THOSE AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO ROLL BACK AND STRIP CALIFORNIA'S OF ITS ABILITY.

>> WHAT IS CHALLENGING WHEN YOU HAVE DIFFERENT STATE POLICIES ON THINGS LIKE THE INTERNET, SOCIAL MEDIA, A.I.

BECAUSE IT IS MORE UBIQUITOUS, AND SO DO YOU FOCUS ON WHERE THE CONTENT ORIGINATED OR WHERE THE CONTENT CIRCUMSTANCE LAILT-- CIRCULATED BECAUSE THAT CAN BE DIFFERENT STATES.

>> THE BEAUTY OF FEDERALISM.

ONE STATE TRIES OUT SOMETHING AND IT WORKS AND OTHER STATES ADOPT.

>> IT'S ALWAYS A CAKE.

>> THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF FEDERALISM.

>> IT'S TIME FOR US TO MOVE TO AS AND FS,ATION CHANGE FOR THIS SHOW.

BEFORE YOU COULD SAY HELLO TO SOMETHING, HAVE YOU TO SAY GOODBYE.

SO FOR FS RICK, WE WILL START WITH YOU, WHAT ARE YOU READY TO SAY GOODBYE TO?

>> I'M READY TO SAY GOODBYE TO THE JUVENILE NARCISSISTIC DISRESPECTFUL WAY OUR PRESIDENT SPEAKS.

I MEAN JUST IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS HE SAID THAT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAD COMMITTED TREE TREASON PUNISHABLE BY DEATHS.

THE RHINERS WERE KILLED BECAUSE OF THEIR VIEWS AND TRUMP DESERVES AN A PLUS, PLUS, PLUS FOR THE HANDLING OF THE ECONOMY.

I KNOW THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY BUT I WOULD SURE LOVE TO LEAVE THIS BEHIND IN 2025.

>> ANIRBAN.

>> THE SMALLER SCALE, I AGREE WITH RICK COMPLETELY.

BUT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF THEFT OF MONEY FROM SNAP BENEFICIARIES, MANY PEOPLE IN SYRACUSE GOT CAUGHT UP WITH THAT AS SOON AS THE MONEY CAME IN, IT VANISHED AND GOT CHARGED IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF CHICAGO, BROOKLYN AND SO ON AND THIS IS BECAUSE THE SNAP CARDS DO NOT HAVE A CHIP AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT PASSED THE LAW TO RENEW THE LAW THAT COMPENSATES FOR THESE THEFTS.

THOSE ARE TWO SMALL THINGS WE CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, SECURE SNAP CARDS AND YOU KNOW, RETURNING THE THING THAT WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM SNAP BENEFICIARIES.

>> JENNY, YOUR F.

>> MY-- I'M READY TO SAY GOODBYE TO REVENGE PORN, THAT USES DEEP FAKE TECHNOLOGY TO HARM PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WOMEN.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PASSED THE TAKE IT DOWN ACT IN 2025.

MAKING IT A FELONY TO CREATE AND SHARE REVENGE PORN ONLINE AND IT REQUIRES TECH COMPANIES TO REMOVE REVENGE PORN WHEN IT IS NOTIFIED.

SO HERE IS TO A BIT LESS VIAL CONTENT HIVE VILE CONTENT ON LINE.

>> THAT WOULD BE GOOD.

AARON.

>> I'M READY TO SAY GOOD RIDDANCE TO DO OJ, THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY.

REMEMBER WHEN THEY TOOK A SLEDGE HAMMER UPENDING THOUSANDS OF JOBS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLES OF LIVES?

ALL TO SAVE A NEGLIGIBLE AMOUNT OF MONEY?

DOG CEASED TO EXIST IN 2025 AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO SEE MORE OF.

WHAT DO WE SAY HELLO TO IN 2026.

>> HELLO TO THE CONTINUED RESILIENCE OF OUR COUNTRY AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH A VERY CHALLENGING AND EVEN BRUTAL YEAR AND AS AARON MENTIONED IN THE SEGMENT ON DEMOCRACY, WE HAVE MADE IT THROUGH AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE THAT IN THE FUTURE.

WE WANT TO BUILD AS MANY BRIDGES AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A COALITION THAT BELIEVES THE CURRENT PATH WE ARE ON IS NOT THE CORRECT PATH.

>> BUILDING ON THE THEME OF RESILIENCE, HIGHLIGHT THE CATHOLIC CONFERENCE OF BISHOPS WROTE A SPECIAL MESSAGE ABOUT IMMIGRATION SAYING THAT WE ARE DISTURBED WHEN WE SEE AMONG OUR PEOPLE A CLIMATE OF FEAR AND ANXIETY AND WE SHOULD NOT VILIFY IMMIGRANTS SO WE WANT TO SEE MORE OF THE, YOU KNOW, GOOD DISCOURSE ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND IMMIGRANTS RATHER THAN VILIFYING THEM AS I GROUP.

>> AN ISSUE FOR YEARS WE HAVE NOT COMPLETELY SETTLED.

JENNY.

>> IMMIGRANTS ARE THE LIFE BLOOD OF THIS COUNTRY.

SO I WANT TO SAY HELLO TO SEEING FEDERAL LEGISLATION PASSED THAT WOULD MAKE IT A CRIME TO DISTRIBUTE OR CREATE DECEPTIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WHEN USED TO MANIPULATE VOTERS AND UNDERMINE ELECTION INTEGRITY.

I FEAR FOR OUR DEMOCRACY WHEN WE CAN NO LONGER TRUST WHAT WE SEE OR HEAR.

>> THIS IS AN AREA YOU RESEARCH.

SO YOU KNOW-- >> THIS IS CLOSE TO MY HEART.

>> IT'S VERY CONCERNING.

AARON.

>> SO HERE COMES THE SUN IN 2026.

2026 WILL BE THE YEAR OF THE GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSITION AND YES, ANIRBAN, IT IS HAPPENING.

NOT SO QUICKLY IN THE UNITED STATES ANYMORE BUT AROUND THE ENTIRE WORLD, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THE TRANSITION THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE GLOBAL ENERGY LANDSCAPE.

A COUPLE YEARS AGO THERE WAS ALMOST NO SOLAR POWER IN PAKISTAN, A COUNTRY WITH 250 MILLION PEOPLE.

TODAY 20% OF THEIR ELECTRICITY COMES FROM SOLAR AND MANY PARTS OF THE YEAR THEY ARE GENERATING MORE ELECTRICITY THAN THERE IS DEMAND FOR.

THAT'S AN UNBELIEVABLE TRANSITION THAT HAS HAPPENED IN JUST A HANDFUL OF YEARS.

THIS IS HAPPENING ALL OVER THE WORLD.

I AGREE IT MAY NOT BE HAPPENING IN A JUST WAY.

IT MAY BE HAPPENING IN A WAY THAT IS LINING A LOT OF PEOPLE'S POCKETS BUT IT'S FUNDAMENTAL TO ADDRESSING THE CLIMATE CRISIS.

I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK OUT THE BOOK THAT JUST CAME OUT.

>> AS WE CLOSE, WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU ABOUT YOUR HOPES AND FEARS FOR 2026 OR YOUR IDEAS FOR TOPICS WE CAN DISCUSS.

AT DRESSES ARE ON THE SCREEN AND REMEMBER THE SHOW AIRS FRIDAY NIGHTS AT 8, SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT 5:30 AND STREAMS ANY TIME ON WCNY.ORG.

FROM ALL OF US AT "IVORY TOWER," HAPPY NEW YEAR AND GOOD NIGHT.

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