Podcast Summary: The MeidasTouch Podcast – Alex Bores Discusses House Race and Threats from AI

Date: February 10, 2026
Host: MeidasTouch Network (Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas)
Guest: Alex Bores, New York State Assemblyman and Congressional Candidate

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the intersection of politics, economics, and technology, focusing particularly on how artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the American workforce and economy—and the significant social, economic, and political threats arising as a result. The Meiselas brothers invite New York assemblyman and congressional candidate Alex Bores to discuss his campaign against powerful pro-AI super PACs, his advocacy for regulation, and the broader implications of unchecked AI and data center expansion. The discussion also tackles Donald Trump’s diminishing support among key voter groups and the manipulative ways in which AI-driven wealth and influence are warping American democracy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Political Fallout from AI-driven Economic Change

• (03:12–08:38) The hosts discuss polling showing Donald Trump is rapidly losing support among his base, particularly among non-college voters—many due to AI-fueled job losses and economic anxiety.
• Clips from economic analysts and commentators highlight how AI-driven productivity is juxtaposed with lagging job growth, wage stagnation, and rising inequality.
• Notable Quote:
  • “The open question really is what's going to happen to jobs as productivity goes up?...job creation lags, productivity skyrockets, profits skyrocket ... that person has to find a new job. I think that that kind of transition could happen.”
    —Economic Analyst, (05:00)

2. AI as a Central (but Under-discussed) Political Issue

• (08:38–10:29) Ben Meiselas introduces Alex Bores, calling out the lack of wide discussion about AI's dangers outside of a few figures like Bernie Sanders.
• AI is presented as both a vital, transformative technology and a threat to workers, democracy, and social stability.

3. Alex Bores’ Platform: Fighting AI Risks and Oligarchy

• (10:29–11:34)
  • Bores explains why AI—and especially its unchecked, billionaire-driven deployment—is central to his campaign:
  • “People are seeing AI in every part of their lives ... they're seeing their jobs get replaced ... their utility bills go up because of data centers... with few exceptions, people in D.C. are just cheering on the industry.”
    —Alex Bores, (10:29)
• Bores highlights how a handful of AI billionaires are funding super PACs to oppose him, framing it as a battle for control over the future of American society.

4. The Broader Impact of AI: Affordability, Jobs, and Democratic Integrity

• (11:34–13:49)
  • Bores connects AI to broader affordability crises:
    • Outsized wealth is being channeled into the hands of a tech oligarchy.
    • Even blue-collar work is at risk due to the advance of AI and robotics (referencing Elon Musk’s investments in humanoid robots).
  • AI’s influence extends into information warfare—deepfakes, misinformation, and targeted propaganda are eroding democratic conversation and fair elections.
  • Notable stat: Three AI billionaires who strongly back Trump have committed $125 million to a super PAC with at least $10 million aimed just at defeating Bores.

5. Campaign Dynamics: Grassroots vs. Mega Donors

• (13:49–14:38)
  • Bores’s campaign is out-fundraising all other candidates except the billionaire super PAC fighting him.
  • His donations overwhelmingly come from small individuals, as opposed to the three-donor-funded PAC.

6. The Financial Engineering Behind the AI Boom

• (14:38–18:49)
  • Ben and Bores expose how tech companies are masking debt with complex financial arrangements (e.g., “special purpose vehicles,” capex disguising debt), drawing parallels to the 2008 subprime crisis.
  • Public transparency is elusive, as AI firms like OpenAI and Anthropic avoid public reporting.
  • “This is... reminiscent of what we saw with... what happened with the subprime mortgages.” —Alex Bores, (16:38)
  • OpenAI’s Greg Brockman: 2025’s largest Trump donor—evidence of tech industry efforts to buy political influence.

7. Bipartisanship and the Path Forward

• (18:49–21:42)
  • Bores notes that anxiety over AI data centers is bipartisan among regular voters, even if political elites lag behind.
  • He stresses the need for both courage and technical expertise in government to address AI challenges.
  • “I'm going to be the second Democrat ever in Congress with a degree in computer science, following Ted Lieu from California... Voters are hungry to see real action here.” —Alex Bores, (20:15–21:15)

8. Final Message to Voters

• (21:42–24:25)
  • Bores frames his campaign as a fight on three fronts: affordability, anti-corruption, and giving regular Americans a stake in AI’s future.
  • He points to his personal record—walking away from Palantir over ICE contracts, standing up to super PACs—as evidence of his willingness to do the right thing even when costly.
  • He encourages listeners to “judge me by my enemies,” and invites national support at alexbores.nyc.
  • “I will take the hard path, but the right path. And those are the people that we need in office right now.”
    —Alex Bores, (24:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Trump's economic net approval... it was his best issue arguably, but now it's one of his worst ... 52% of Americans say that [Trump's] policies have made the economy worse.”
  —Political Commentator, (06:16–06:56)

• “You have incredible wealth being concentrated in these AI billionaires, whose explicit goal often is just to replace all labor.”
  —Alex Bores, (12:26)

• “The use of deepfakes, the use of hyper targeted misinformation is making it impossible to have real democracy and real conversations.”
  —Alex Bores, (12:55)

• “Three of the big AI oligarchs and three big mega donors to Donald Trump have put together a super PAC... At least 10 million of that just to defeating me.”
  —Alex Bores, (13:34)

• “If you're in New York 12, I would say, and you're choosing who to vote for, judge me by my enemies.”
  —Alex Bores, (24:11)

Key Timestamps

• 03:12 – Host lays out the AI/jobs crisis, Trump’s economic polling collapse
• 05:00 – Clip: Economic analyst on jobs vs. productivity and AI
• 08:38 – Introducing Alex Bores, his background and anti-AI super PAC fight
• 10:29 – Bores on why AI is a core campaign issue
• 12:26 – Discussion on AI’s widening inequality and information warfare
• 13:49 – Super PAC spending breakdown and Bores’ grassroots fundraising
• 14:38 – AI industry’s financial schemes and lack of transparency
• 16:38 – Dangers of hidden leverage, parallels to 2008
• 18:49 – Bipartisan voter anxiety over AI, elites' inaction
• 21:42 – Bores’ closing pitch: affordability, anti-corruption, AI regulation
• 24:11 – “Judge me by my enemies”—Bores closing message

Tone and Language

• The episode employs an urgent, passionate tone, mixing analytical seriousness with accessible, direct language—especially in Bores’s responses.
• Political commentary is sharp, often sarcastic toward right-wing figures and “AI tech bro oligarchs.”
• Bores comes across as earnest, principled, and determined, leveraging both personal experience and policy depth.

Summary Takeaway

This episode makes a compelling case for why AI and its expansion are not just tech stories but core political, economic, and social issues—impacting jobs, wealth distribution, transparency, democracy, and the future of American self-determination. Alex Bores emerges as a rare candidate with the technical expertise and moral backbone to take on AI oligarchs and calls for a new era of democratic, people-driven tech oversight. The hosts and guest warn that unless more leaders take a stand, American workers and voters will be out-maneuvered and out-spent in the rush to automate and concentrate power.