The SAVE Act, Sunny's and the AI Wake-Up Call We All Needed

From Jamie’s Desk:

As we were getting ready to send this newsletter, I got the news alert that Pam Bondi had been fired as Attorney General. Like many, I can happily say good riddance. It just goes to show that there’s no true loyalty in Trump-world, and the chaos is neverending. Every day it feels like there’s a headline that’s meant to distract us from the pressing issues: war, the crumbling economy, AI threats, and something I want to dive in a little deeper on – voting rights.

Right now, many families are finishing up their spring break, and Congress is no different. While I understand that even lawmakers need time away with their families, there is a critical bill waiting for them in the Senate that could fundamentally change how Americans vote. It's called the SAVE Act. And if you haven't heard of it, or if conflicting information has made it hard to keep up, that's by design. 

In summary, the SAVE Act requires documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. That sounds reasonable until you realize what it actually does: it kills online voter registration, effectively ends mail-in registration, wipes out voter registration drives, and threatens election workers with up to 5 years in prison for registering someone without the correct paperwork — even if that person is a citizen. 

This bill is the response to an issue manufactured by Donald Trump and the GOP, created out of desperation and pure ego. He’ll never admit that he lost in 2020; instead, he’s continuing to push the false narrative that non-citizen voting and voter fraud have overtaken our country. While it would be naive to think the problem doesn't exist, it is nowhere near as big as he states. The Heritage Foundation — the conservative organization behind Project 2025 that actively hunts for voter fraud — has found 1,561 proven cases in 44 years. That's only 35 cases a year out of 150 million votes. It's already a federal crime for non-citizens to vote.

This bill is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist and a transparent attempt to disenfranchise voters, including those with low incomes, voters of color, rural voters, older voters, first-time voters, and even the 69 million American women who changed their name after marriage. 

But why now? Trump is backed into a corner – flailing and desperate to dilute the power of the American people. Prices are skyrocketing, unemployment is high and GDP is low. He entered a war with Iran that has no end in sight, and his approval rating is at just 39% – the lowest of this term (only beaten by 34% at the end of his first term). Democrats have flipped 30 Republican seats since he took office, signaling a shift and promise for November. The tide is turning, and he knows it. 

Trump has worked hard for his low approval rating. From $4 dollar gas prices ($6 here in California) to rising inflation and unemployment, to our drop in standing around the world, the list goes on and on. Plus, we have a government where bribery and grift operate openly on a scale we’ve never seen. The anger of the American people is rising – evidenced by the more than 8 million people who took to the streets at Saturday’s No Kings Protests. While that action is incredible and protest is at the very core of our democracy, we also need our leaders to provide us with hope through messaging. 

If Democrats (and even Republicans) don’t start offering inspiring messages of affordability, common sense laws, healthcare, human rights, AI regulation, and decency (while also promoting law and order and practical immigration policies), we are going nowhere fast. Yes, this is a challenge to the few Trump voters who are left: if not to stand up against Trump, at least to step up against this racist and completely fraudulent bill masquerading as a voting rights act. Ask for things that will actually clean up our democracy – anti-gerrymandering, campaign finance reform, and anti-voter suppression laws are great places to start. Not policies that will make it harder for the average American to actually vote – because at the end of the day, free and fair elections are the backbone of our society. 

We’re already seeing challenges to the SAVE Act, including the lawsuit filed immediately after Governor Desantis signed the Florida version of the act into law. It’s going to be an uphill battle, but our voting rights are worth protecting. The good news is that as Bill Clinton once said, “there’s nothing wrong with America that can’t be fixed by what’s right with America”.

Let’s all work together to prove that – and you can start by telling your Senator to vote NO on the SAVE Act.

Discussed in this issue: Sushi in Beverly Hills, Mei Lin x Kiko, and my pleasantly surprising simple salad in New York.

Have a restaurant rec, cultural gem, can’t-miss event, or a hot sauce that changed your life? Send it my way: [email protected]

🎧 Lunch With Jamie is available as a podcast—perfect for easy, on-the-go listening. Follow along on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Podcasts, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, share, and comment. We want to hear from you!

📍Miami: Sunny’s
Cuisine: American
Crew: Marc Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, Eater, Michelin Guide, New York Times, The Infatuation, Time Out
Good For: Date Night, Business Dinner, Good Drinks, Small Group, Large Group
Pro Tip: Reservations are available up to 30 days in advance, but their indoor and terrace bar operates on a walk-in basis only.
What to Order: Hiramasa Cruso, Tuna Tartare, Wedge Salad, Thick Cut Bacon, Parker House Rolls (1 per person), Steak (whichever cut you are a fan of), Creamed Spinach, Mushroom Chitarra, Kouign-Amann Ice Sandwich
Notes: I have to say that since it was so hard to get a reservation here, it had a big hill to climb for me to be a fan. I had to call in a favor that I then had to harass him for – which if you know me, was pretty annoying for that person. I honestly had no idea what the place was going to look like before arriving, I assumed a dark steakhouse vibe, so I was instantly thrown off by the big courtyard, slightly out of the heart of the city, that I walked into. The entire restaurant opens up to the courtyard so even if you are inside, you are outside. I couldn't have loved our table more, with a gorgeous view of the courtyard. Plus, this menu truly had something for everyone, which I always appreciate, even when I hit my most “hole in the wall" spots, it's nice when they have at least one option for everyone (vegans excluded–sorry). The bottom line is this place is great, it is everything you want from a restaurant (except the ability to easily get a res). From the unique plates to the wedge salad to the parker house rolls to the ice cream Sandwich and everything in between. I even enjoyed my dirty martini, which is saying something. Next time you plan a trip to Miami, the first thing you should do is try and get into Sunny's.

📍Los Angeles: Miura (reviewed by Max Shapiro for Mad Food World)
Cuisine: Japanese
Crew: The Infatuation
Good For: Date Night, Small Group, Solo Dining
Pro Tip: Make a reservation while you can, I guarantee they’ll be more difficult to get soon.
What to Order: 25 course tasting menu, curated by acclaimed sushi chef Derek Wilcox.
Notes: When Sushi Yamamoto closed in Beverly Hills, I found myself wondering who would take over that space and whether anyone could fill those shoes. That’s when Derek Wilcox stepped in, and Miura was born. For those unfamiliar with Derek, a little context matters before we get into the food. He is not just some white guy making sushi. He is the first and only Westerner to complete a full seven year apprenticeship at Kikunoi in Kyoto, one of the most revered three Michelin star kaiseki restaurants in Japan. That is not a credential handed out. That is a credential earned over thousands of hours in a kitchen where almost no foreigner has ever been trusted to stay for more than a season, let alone seven years. From there he moved to Tokyo and worked at Ginza Sushi Aoki, a Michelin starred sushi counter. He speaks Japanese fluently. He has put in the work in a way that very few people, Japanese or otherwise, ever do. We had 25 courses, and I am not going to walk through each one because that would be insane and I have things to do, dude. What I can tell you is that the sourcing is operating at the highest level. At $320, Miura is delivering value that is hard to argue with given the caliber of sourcing and the depth of the chef behind the counter. Los Angeles is an embarrassingly good city for high end sushi. With Miura now open, we got even more spoiled.

To see the rest of Max’s review, as well as other hot LA dining picks, subscribe to Mad Food World.

This week’s Lunch With Jamie is maybe the most urgent conversation we’ve had in a while. You all read my push to get you to see The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist, and that message still stands – you should get to theaters this weekend and watch. But this conversation went even deeper than that. I was joined by the film’s producer Jonathan Wang, who you might recognize from when he won the Oscar for producing Everything Everywhere All At Once, and Tristan Harris, one of the country’s most prominent AI risk experts and co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology. 

One thing that was immediately solidified during this conversation: AI is here to stay. We can’t get off this train, but it’s our responsibility as humans to create infrastructure to avoid catastrophe. Like I said – urgent stuff. 

Jonathan shared with me the genesis of the film, comparing it to the 1983 television event The Day After, which highlighted the danger of nuclear weapons and scared Ronald Reagan into trying to enact guardrails. We’re facing yet another existential crisis – but this time, it’s less clear cut. There are two conflicting narratives about AI: either it’s amazing or disastrous.

The promise of AI is undeniable. Medical breakthroughs, automating menial tasks, and giving access to those who may not have had it before. Students can access high-level tutors regardless of their district’s financial situation, and scientists can rely on this technology for research in ways we never thought possible. But as Tristan said, all of that is moot if AI is anti-human and we head toward catastrophe. 

“The promise and the perils are inextricably linked,” he shared, comparing it to taking a steroid that makes you strong but kills your organs. The race for AGI (which we explain in the podcast) and the lack of incentives, goalposts, and safety regulations that these CEOs have are creating conditions where the future is anti-human. Jobs will be lost, the economy will rely on AI, and these machines will continue to try and gain power (it sounds like a sci-fi plot, but as Tristan explains, this is already happening). 

It might all sound hopeless. But that’s never the goal of these conversations. We always want to walk away with action items, and Tristan and Jonathan gave some great ones. The best thing you can do is make your voice heard: use any influence you may have to encourage elected officials to create safeguards for AI and hold these companies accountable. Humans must be considered in the future – and the human movement is pushing for that. 

AI isn’t going anywhere. There’s no shame in becoming familiar with it – in fact, that will likely be an asset. But it’s also up to us to demand our elected officials protect our humanity by regulating this industry that has the potential to upend the world. Go see the documentary, educate yourself, and call your representatives. 

You can listen to the full conversation on Youtube, or as a podcast on Apple and Spotify.

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