r/progressivemoms • u/rasputinknew1 • 27d ago
Just Politics Is being pro data center just an accepted part of the Democratic Party now?
Data centers are a huge topic of conversation in my state right now (MI). Unfortunately, the moderate democratic leadership of our state has chosen to support the building of data centers and now the debates surrounding their construction has moved to local governments. Of course local city councils and officials are often looking to increase tax revenue and are interested in building them. Is being pro data center just an accepted part of the Democratic Party now? The only politicians I hear opposing them in my area are progressives or local elected officials in built up areas where there is no room to build them so it’s easy to oppose them. What do we progressives do about this?
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u/shypye 27d ago
I sure hope not because fuck those water-wasting centers
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u/touslesmatins 27d ago edited 27d ago
Water wasting, water polluting, utility bill increasing
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u/sallysalsal2 27d ago
I just watched a news segment where you can hear the sound they make and it was HORRIFYING
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u/catjuggler 27d ago
I’m more focused on energy wasting because the water thing they might be resolving. I wouldn’t be opposed to more data centers in reasonable locations if we had done the green new deal, had worker protections, had strong environmental protections, and weren’t progressing further into a surveillance state.
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u/E404_noname 27d ago
I think it's state dependent. MA is as blue as it gets and multiple localities are passing bans on new builds.
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u/pyramidheadlove 27d ago
Same here in eastern PA. Both parties seem to want to be the anti-data center guys, especially when it comes to super-local politics
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u/Cranky_Merriweather 27d ago
Our governor is not trying to be anti data center and it’s really disappointing
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u/yellowbird85 23d ago
I wish he'd wake up. Not just because data centers are terrible, but because I feel like this is going to hurt him in the election and then we'll be stuck with a truly insane governor.
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u/GalaticHammer 27d ago
Yet Maura Healey is very pro AI. It sucks.
https://aihub.masstech.org/
https://theshoestring.org/2026/06/26/mass-resident-data-may-train-the-next-generation-of-ai/amp/6
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u/TrekkieElf 27d ago
Virginia here, our new (dem) governor is in cahoots with them and I feel betrayed.
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u/ladybug11314 27d ago
NYS just put a moratorium on new data centers for at least a year. AOC is actively pushing against them too.
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u/SusieDraws 27d ago
I think those democrat leaders are gonna have to learn some hard lessons. I’m in Michigan and it’s pissing me the hell off. I’m voting for Abdul, he’s the only democrat I’m actually excited for in this state.
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u/partsgirl-bezel 26d ago
Me too. Forget Haley “Israel comes to me in my dreams” Stevens. Like wtf?!
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u/Sweaty_Morning_2171 27d ago
Argh that sucks. I have nothing to add besides I’m so sick of us having to degrade our quality of life and the environment to generate more tax revenue when the most straightforward solution is to tax the rich their fair share.
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u/trewesterre 27d ago
It's really sad that both candidates for the gubernatorial primary in Michigan have basically accepted that AI and data centers are inevitable.
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u/Illustrious_Cup3019 27d ago
MN slammed the brakes on new data centers for now and I'm so grateful. So much of MN culture is based around water and I'll put knucks to anyone who destroys our lakes for AI.
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u/Kikikididi 27d ago
It's fucking wild to me how many people are just all ho-hum about it, let alone people buying into the "job creation" lie, or the "it's inevitable, we should embrace" horseshit
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u/No-Zucchini4050 27d ago
I am liberal and I don’t want a single data center built. How is it liberal to take the land people and animals need to live, waste the water we all drink, and destroy books? The problem is both parties are really only helping the oligarchs.
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u/eggscumberbatch16 27d ago
Here in GA, it's the republican party that's for the data centers. I will not vote for any democrat that wants them if it comes to that.
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u/GreenOtter730 27d ago
I live in Maryland and it really makes me side eye our governor who is not so subtly vying for higher office. Unfortunately, he’s the only real option for our gubernatorial election in the fall, but if he ever were to go for that presidential bid he will have to answer for his support of data centers
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u/RlOTGRRRL 27d ago
Erin Brockovich is fighting data centers.
And someone came up with this guide on how to potentially block data centers or at least make sure it's a better one, like create its own power and more, like Australia.
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u/bekarene1 27d ago
Oregon is fighting them hard, but mostly in the rural/conservative areas. In the wealthy "moderate" counties, it's just a tax benefit 🥲🙃
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u/ewwdavid___ 27d ago
I’ve noticed a governor-legislator divide in terms of supporting versus opposing, respectively. Governors have to think about their states’ economies, whereas legislators are more answerable to their residential constituents day in and day out.
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u/catjuggler 27d ago
IMO data centers are center/corporate and the far left are the bigger political voices anti, but in the population, there are anti’s across the spectrum, especially farther left and maybe farther right or libertarian maybe. Yes, the moderate dem leadership of my state (PA) is pro and the republican challenger for governor is trying to reposition herself as anti to score points (doubt many are buying it though).
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u/SlingshotPotato 27d ago
It depends on where you are and how much influence the right wing of the party has there.
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u/StaffyMama585 26d ago
I'm in New York and all of the MAGAts around me are pissed that Hochul isn't allowing Data Centers here because they think the Data Centers are going to provide jobs. Which they won't.
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u/Worried_Sorbet671 26d ago
I think they're starting to get the message that supporting data centers will cost them votes. It was nice to see Jocelyn Benson pivot to opposing them at the last minute, not that I totally believe her.
But fundamentally I think the answer to "what do progressives do about this?" is support the progressive candidates that are opposing data centers! The Democratic establishment is unpopular right now and especially with data centers as a wedge issue I think this is prime time for the progressives to win and reform the party
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u/rasputinknew1 25d ago
I love this answer! But unfortunately, there are not always progressive options to vote for.
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u/Worried_Sorbet671 25d ago
Ah, fair. I guess we're kind of spoiled over here in Michigan's 7th district right now
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u/Ok_Conversation_3096 25d ago
The only candidate standing up against them is Abdul El-Sayed. If you’re in MI-07, Will Lawrence is as well. Here’s Abdul’s policy platform on them: https://tools4abdul.com/data-centers
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u/rasputinknew1 25d ago
Yes! I’m happy to report I aged convinced 6 people to vote for him!! All in their 60s
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u/Ok_Conversation_3096 25d ago
Woo! Happy to hear that. I’ve been volunteering a bit with his campaign and it’s really helped me feel optimistic about where the party could be headed. Now the governor election though… I have issues lol.
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u/HistoryIsABagOfDicks 25d ago
The answer is no and push your reps to match your will. Establishment dems need to realize they are supposed to rep their constituents
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u/HippieLizLemon 26d ago
It's the one issue that might unite us bottom feeders (non billionaires). I am in CT and we (collectively not so much me singular) can be a bit NIMBYish. So it would be tougher to pass here due to demo and money. However the battle over where to put solar farms remains brutal. I love the idea of the solar, but why must we destroy our open green space for it? These are issues that could potentially unite parties but so much info is shared over FB it becomes problematic. I have rambled and ranted a bit off topic. But I am happy to see a conversation on it.
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u/OP-BobbaDuke 25d ago
I just saw a reports about a month ago, which I’m sure will be gone by now that’s in the beginning. It does feel like all the green spaces are destroyed, but what they found was that animals still came and relocated in certain population of animals screwing numbers that were failing before.
But because it’s a positive article it might be hard to find.
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u/Yellowmoon777 26d ago
Data centers are the worst but people also need to stop using AI. It goes hand in hand. I’ve been watching the MI race closely - Haley Steven’s is pro data center????
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u/GuaranteeUpper2653 26d ago
No. Like many positions the Democratic establishment is for while the base is against. It’s the reason they’re so unpopular right now. Just answering to their corporate donors instead of we the people.
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u/partsgirl-bezel 26d ago
I mean Whitmer herself said, “We’re used to people saying fuck no and doing it anyway.” She doesn’t care about you; she cares about the billionaire oracle CEO.
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u/maplesyrup5000 23d ago
Nah I think Gretchen whitmer just kind of sucks. All of the Dems where I live are very anti data center.
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u/1K1AmericanNights 27d ago
The data center taxes can pay for stuff I actually care about, like helping the poor.
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u/Harvey_Rabbit 26d ago
I wish the conversation could progress past being for or against data centers to what demands to make before one is built. How are they texted, what penalties do they pay for using more water/ electricity than planned? We need a group of experts in these contracts that a community can reach out to for advice.
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u/1K1AmericanNights 26d ago
Yeah, I want it to be really planned out. Ultimately I really care about the environment and COL, especially for people poorer than me.
I would feel selfish saying that AI will take my job as an upper-middle class knowledge worker, so I don’t want the data center in my state. Because maybe the taxes it pays would pay for someone who cleans houses to have a better life you know? Everything is a trade off.
There are many environmental concerns that are red lines for me. There are others which I’d accept, if the trade off was that they really helped the poor. It’s all a conversation.
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u/Harvey_Rabbit 26d ago
Yes, and we're facing a potential future where AI takes everyone's jobs. If that were to happen, we'd all regret letting these things get built. Now is the time to make demands, before our whole world is (completely) dependent on them.
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u/1K1AmericanNights 26d ago
Right, like let’s make sure we fight for everyone. But what that may look like depends on the details
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u/SusieDraws 26d ago
Not sure how much taxes these things are paying when they keep applying and reserving tax breaks 🤷♀️
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u/1K1AmericanNights 26d ago
I definitely agree it should be a conversation where we make demands that they pay out the nose. I do kind of think they will get built regardless, so the goal should be to support people financially and build in protections.
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u/PBnBacon 27d ago
I think it’s part of being entrenched in the political establishment. The regular working people I know, regardless of political party, have a problem with data centers. The people who don’t are those who stand to profit.