9/5 Playbook: “AI Is Going to Be Disruptive”

September 5, 2025 | 8:22 AM EDT

Steve Ulrich

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????️ In Today’s Edition. McCormick: “AI Is Going To Be Disruptive.” Thompson, Shapiro Administration Lob Accusations Over SNAP. Hungry in Rural PA. PA Teachers Spend Big On Supplies For Students.

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???? What We’re Hearing. “If we’re not paying school districts and nonprofits then we should be taking the same medicine we’re making others deal with,” said Rep. Jeremy Shaffer (R-Allegheny).

????️ What’s Happening This Weekend. Pennsylvania Democrats convene in Lancaster where they are expected to select Eugene DePasquale as the group’s new chair.

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Top Story

1. McCormick: “AI Is Going To Be Disruptive”

“Speaking during a telephone town hall on Wednesday night, Sen. Dave McCormick conceded that artificial intelligence will be “disruptive” and will affect jobs in the Commonwealth.

The freshman senator addressed AI near the conclusion of the hour-long call, saying that the race for energy dominance and AI dominance go hand-in-hand.

“You can’t have AI dominance without energy dominance,” he said. “And our No. 1 adversary is China. This is a fight that America has to lead and win.”” (PoliticsPA)

Elsewhere

PA Rep. Reschenthaler Stays Away From Past Support of Term Limits. “Being a champion of congressional term limits means learning to live with disappointment. Just ask Scott Tillman. Sure, people like them: Polling cited by U.S. Term Limits, where Tillman serves as chief operating officer, suggests that nearly 9 in 10 voters want to limit the number of years a legislator can serve.” (WESA Politics)

House Republicans Launch Bill to Extend Health Subsidies Past Midterms. “The legislation would extend the subsidies for one year, punting the issue past the 2026 midterms. The current roster of Republican co-sponsors is composed of some of the most vulnerable incumbents of this election cycle, including Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania.” (POLITICO)

Rising Electric Bills Become Political Problem For Trump, GOP. “A recent Consumer Price Index report found that electricity prices were rising at double the rate of inflation, having increased 5.5 percent over the last year. And the general public may be starting to take notice.” (The Hill)

White House Pans Shapiro For Questioning National Guard Deployments. “The White House dismissed Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s opposition to President Trump potentially deploying National Guard troops to Philadelphia to fight crime, touting the results of the deployments elsewhere.” (TribLIVE)

State

2. Thompson and Shapiro Administration Lob Accusations Over SNAP Program Management

“Accusations over Pennsylvania’s management of a federal nutrition program are being lobbed back and forth between a committee-leading Pennsylvania Republican congressman and the administration of Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Following publicity over a letter dated Tuesday in which Valerie Arkoosh, the Pennsylvania human services secretary, said he had “misstated key facts,” a spokesperson for Republican U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Centre, fired back.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Elsewhere

Pennsylvania’s $25M Solar For Schools Program Is A Hit, But Budget Uncertainty Threatens Its Future. “Advocates are pushing for another round of funding, but it comes amid a tricky time for state government.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Small Programs Like Rape Crisis Centers Bear Heavy Burden of PA’s Budget Impasse. “Safety net programs across the commonwealth are laying off staff, cutting back services, or taking out loans.” (Spotlight PA)

PA-10: Douglas Joins Central PA Congressional Contest. “Democrat Justin Douglas, commissioner of Pennsylvania’s Dauphin County, filed FEC papers to run for Rep. Scott Perry’s (R-Pa.) seat, Bloomberg Gov’s Greg Giroux reports.” (Bloomberg)

The Race to Succeed U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans Is Getting Crowded. Here’s Who Is In So Far. “The biggest names attempting to succeed him so far all serve in the state legislature.” (Penn Capital-Star)

A Handful of State Reps Are Suspending Their Pay During the PA Budget Impasse. “A small group of Pennsylvania lawmakers are forgoing their paychecks as the state’s budget impasse prevents money from flowing into schools and other crucial services.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Around The Commonwealth

3. Hungry in Rural PA

“Hunger is a subjective feeling caused by not having enough food to eat. It can be hard to measure.

Low food security reflects a person’s reduced access to nutritional food, due to poverty, transportation, disability or other issues.

In Pennsylvania, food insecurity rose 26% to 1.71 million people from 1.35 million people between 2019 and 2023, despite the start of free school breakfasts for all elementary and secondary school students three years ago, courtesy of the General Assembly.” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Elsewhere

Work Requirements Begin For Food Benefits, PA Offers Online Guide. “New work requirements took hold this week for federal food assistance, mandating that most able-bodied recipients throughout Pennsylvania work, volunteer or study to maintain the benefit.” (New Castle News)

SEPTA Service Cuts Must Be Reversed Immediately, Judge Says. “The order does not include a prohibition on fare increases. A spokesperson said SEPTA hasn’t decided whether it will appeal, but that it plans to comply.” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Senate Fight Stalls Confirmation of Daryl Heller Prosecutor in Eastern Pennsylvania. “The federal prosecutor who filed charges this week against disgraced Lancaster County businessman Daryl Heller is the subject of parliamentary fireworks in the U.S. Senate.” (LNP)

Lackawanna County Judges Choose Sacco As New County Commissioner. “The common pleas court judges’ appointment teams Brenda Sacco with a colleague, Commissioner Bill Gaughan – who, along with Matt McGloin, dismissed her 20 months ago as county planning and economic development director.” (WVIA)

Editorial

4. What Do You Think?

We Are Witnessing the End of American Public Health. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Jefferson Understood the Free Press. Trump Hates It. (Dennis Jett)
Moving On From the Keystone Assessments. (Thomas Smith)
The Story of How PA Turned Red—But Will It Last? (Oliver Bateman)

1 Thing

5. Snacks, Pens, Alien Headbands: Pennsylvania Teachers Spend Big On Supplies For Students

“Shanna Danielson, a music teacher at Bermudian Springs Middle School near Gettysburg, admits she spent a “stupid amount” of her own money on artificial plants to transform her cinderblock-walled classroom into a cozy jungle.

During the 2024-25 school year, Pennsylvania teachers spent, on average, $979 of their own money on cleaning supplies, prizes, snacks, decorations, books, pens, paper, hand sanitizer and more.” (USA Today Network)

Thanks for starting your weekend with us.
Watch some football – we’re back on Monday. #GoBills

Steve Ulrich

Ulrich has worked as managing editor of PoliticsPA since January 2022 after spending two years as the Director of Elections in York (Pa.) County. Prior to that, he spent 35 years as a college athletics administrator. Send email to [email protected]