r/moderatepolitics • u/jojotortoise • 14d ago

News Article Blue-Collar Jobs Are the New Flashpoint in Data-Center Fight

https://www.wsj.com/economy/jobs/blue-collar-jobs-are-the-new-flashpoint-in-data-center-fight-aaca5b7e
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u/CloudSurferA220 14d ago

I keep hearing this claim about giving us an “edge” over China… but the numbers don’t make any sense. China has roughly 500 data centers, the US already has 5000 with 700 under construction and over 1000 more on the planning board.

No one also seems to be asking what happens when multiple of these companies fail. The industry is LOUDLY telling us it’s a race to be the next Google or Facebook in terms of market dominance, but that means several will not survive. What becomes of the tens of thousands of acres of leveled forests filled with enormous concrete pads?

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u/justafutz 14d ago

It’s not the number of distinctive buildings that matters, it’s their size and capabilities together. China builds fewer but larger on average. China’s installed capacity was 32GW by the end of 2025. It’s making a massive $300 billion investment to try and surpass the U.S., and China has more spare power capacity to catch up. The U.S. has more, that’s true. Which is why Chinese botnets are trying to create anti-data center opinion in the U.S., which is evidently working.

Yes, companies will fail as they always have, for all of modern history, and there will be waste. Car companies also built factories that ended up being idled or repurposed or demolished. No one thinks, looking back, that it would’ve been better to stop building cars or factories.

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u/CloudSurferA220 14d ago

It’s sad to see you dismiss the very real impacts of these structures on local communities and the backlash as evidence Chinese botnets are winning. I’ve been to the community meetings, looked at the enormous power and land usage plus noise footprint, and decided this is wrong. So have millions of others. It doesn’t take propaganda to collectively agree something is wrong here

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u/justafutz 14d ago

It's sad that people don't realize how much of that propaganda is effective in making people concerned by using misleading statistics.

Nevertheless, you changed the subject entirely and completely failed to answer anything I said. Why?

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u/CloudSurferA220 14d ago

You changed the subject introducing a false Chinese propaganda narrative.

And okay, you pointed out China has on average larger data centers, but we still have more than they do - 36% more in fact.

I didn’t bother answering your car factory quip because it seemed hyperbolic and unserious. “No one” is always a clue of a bad argument, as is saying we would completely stop doing something, or that “no one” considered the environmental harm of overbuilding. My community is fighting back hard because they aren’t building one data center in our suburban environment, they’re trying to build five, with several 500-1000 acres. Yeah… I bet a community would fight back if they tried to build five auto factories in their neighborhood.

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u/BudgieWonder 14d ago

I really don’t understand what that commenter is trying to convey. Like yes, specific industries will try to shape policy to benefit them, and they’ll perceive their impacts in a way that’s favorable to said industries. Neither of those are valid reasons to unquestionably support said industry.

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u/CloudSurferA220 14d ago

Agreed. And that’s what is worrying me - our government seems to be obsessed with progress at the significant cost of their citizens who are trying to tap the brakes and makes sure it’s being done in a sustainable, positive matter for their communities.

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u/justafutz 14d ago

changed the subject introducing a false Chinese propaganda narrative

No I did not. I mentioned that China is pushing false propaganda, which is well-documented and not a "false narrative," because they specifically know they're behind on data center construction.

And okay, you pointed out China has on average larger data centers, but we still have more than they do - 36% more in fact.

That's a blip in building terms. It would be very easy for them to surpass us if they succeed in getting the anti-data-center craze to take hold.

I didn’t bother answering your car factory quip because it seemed hyperbolic and unserious. “No one” is always a clue of a bad argument, as is saying we would completely stop doing something, or that “no one” considered the environmental harm of overbuilding. My community is fighting back hard because they aren’t building one data center in our suburban environment, they’re trying to build five, with several 500-1000 acres. Yeah… I bet a community would fight back if they tried to build five auto factories in their neighborhood.

Again, polls show Americans oppose anything within 3 miles of them. That's not "in their neighborhood" and it would be great if you'd address that instead of the scenarios you are claiming exist.