South Dakota's data center debate: A question of power, not technology
By
Brad Johnson
Slow-proofed and worth the wait. Worth its weight in flour.
Summary
The article argues that South Dakota's debate over data centers is not about technology but about power and decision-making regarding rural land, water, and infrastructure. It criticizes the state for rushing to approve projects before establishing proper rules and regulations. The piece frames skepticism as a form of risk assessment and practical conservatism, not anti-business sentiment, and calls for communities to have a real voice in decisions that affect them.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledThis is not a debate about technology. It's a debate about power — who gets to decide what happens to rural land, water and infrastructure when billion-dollar industries come calling.
Too many of those decisions are being made everywhere except in the communities expected to live with the consequences.
Skepticism is not anti-business. It is risk assessment — and it may be the last remaining form of practical conservatism in politics.
The artificial intelligence economy is coming whether South Dakota participates or not. The real question is whether the state enters that future with a plan, or rushes to approve projects before the rules are written.
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