America’s overnight data center boom is becoming more controversial by the week, as local residents grapple with rising utility prices, polluted or dwindling ground water, and other complaints. This week in OtherWords, Melissa Garriga offers another reason to be wary of these massive projects: They keep the country hooked on fossil fuels — and wars waged over them.
“Fossil fuels provide almost 60 percent of the power for data centers,” she points out. And with rising gas prices, climate change, and new wars overseas, that’s a dependency we need to break. Plus, the military’s use of AI has already led to outrages like the missile strike on a girls’ school in Iran. Melissa asks, “Do towns that pride themselves on family values want to be behind a killing machine capable of murdering young girls?”
Maybe that’s why even a lot of political “moderates” are in a rebellious mood — and why the old politics of centrism no longer seem to work. Sonali Kolhatkar argues this week that progressive economic populism is a winner at the ballot box — and with Americans across the spectrum supporting universal health care, higher taxes on the rich, and action on climate, it’s the squishy centrists who are out of touch.
Also this week, Sarah Anderson explains why President Trump’s attack on mail-in voting is an attack on working-class voters. And Jim Hightower spotlights a bipartisan rebellion in Texas against the administration’s border wall.
New This Week…
The Dark Side of the Data Center Boom | Melissa Garriga
The data centers popping up across the South and Midwest don’t just pollute and raise utility bills — they keep Americans hooked on wars for oil.
Progressive Economic Populism is a Winning Issue | Sonali Kolhatkar
When voters support universal health care, taxing corporations, and addressing climate change, it’s the “centrists” who are out of touch.
The Attack on Mail-in Voting Is an Attack on Working Americans | Sarah Anderson
Trump’s executive order to restrict voting by mail would raise the economic barriers to exercising a basic democratic right.
A Local Rebellion Against Trump’s Border Wall | Jim Hightower
A diverse, nonpartisan rebellion in Texas’s Big Bend region has stalled the administration’s plans for “The Wall.”
In Case You Missed It…
I Served My Country, But It’s Leaving Me High and Dry | James Lee
The social safety net is frayed and full of red tape. But we learned during the pandemic that it doesn’t have to be.
Head Start Is a Stunning Success. Don’t Cut It. | Starr Dixon
For every $1 invested in Head Start, the economy receives returns ranging from $7 to $16. And the benefits for families like mine are priceless.
When We Disinvest in People, We All Pay the Price | Karen Dolan
President Trump’s budget proposal is a shocking departure from values most Americans hold.
Trump’s War Against Political Dissent | Jordan Liz
As the president’s approval rate plunges, his administration’s willingness to punish critics is becoming even more brazen.
Trump Declares Victory in Iran. Reality Disagrees. | Mitchell Zimmerman
Trump’s unprovoked war has killed thousands, strengthened Iran’s position, and made life more difficult for struggling Americans.
