The Plutopia team examines the rapid expansion of AI and cryptocurrency data centers, focusing on growing bipartisan opposition in Texas to their enormous demands for electricity, water, land, tax subsidies, and transmission infrastructure, as well as the threat of eminent domain to rural communities. They question whether the AI boom can justify this costly construction—or will leave behind abandoned industrial sites if the bubble bursts—before widening the conversation to political and institutional disorder under Trump, public-health failures, strained relations with Canada, the Epstein controversy, executive power, and uncertainty surrounding the midterm elections. Throughout, they return to a broader concern: an attention-driven media environment that encourages sensational headlines, misinformation, influencers, and speculation at the expense of context, accuracy, and informed public judgment.
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Jon Lebkowsky:
And one of the things that I picked up from going to the State Democratic Convention here. There were people from West Texas there, and they’re saying that like Republicans are showing up at the meetings of Democrats there and not necessarily because they’re ready to. Jump from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party, but at least they understand that the Democrats are more likely to have their back in opposition to data centers.
Scoop Sweeney:
Governor Abbott, for once, has finally done something. That is somewhat helpful. He set up a moratorium on new data center construction, and they’re supposed to address that in a more serious way. Way during a special section, a special session of the legislature.
Wendy Grossman:
Data centers are kind of the physical manifestation of everyone’s discontents with the entire technology industry, with billionaires, with, you know. Having their own local interests overridden, and they all come together in this one monstrous building that is a terrible, terrible neighbor.
