The dust is still settling over the fight for and against AI data centers, but liberals have pretty much coalesced around opposing them. As our own Gordon K reported last week, Rep. Yassamin Ansari posted that the "top of the Democratic agenda on Day 1 needs to be a pause on advanced AI development, regulation of this out-of-control industry, and a ban on artificial superintelligence."
Activist Taylor Frazier McCollum is getting a lot of attention for gathering over 25,000 signatures to block the development of a $5 billion data center on the site of a dead mall in Maryland. The lot has stood vacant for 24 years and will now remain vacant, thanks to her tireless efforts.
5 Billion Dollar Data Center Blocked by Maryland Activist "I was like, 'Oh, hell no,'" said Taylor Frazier McCollum, describing the moment she learned about the project. https://t.co/8K1maCHe6i
— TaraBull (@TaraBull) November 10, 2026
JUST IN: Maryland activist helps block a $5B AI data center planned for the site of an abandoned shopping mall that closed 24 years ago, after gathering over 25,000 signatures. https://t.co/yFK43jI6XL
— Polymarket (@Polymarket) November 9, 2026
I don’t think the former site of the Landover Mall needs to be an untouchable memorial to the Build a Bear it once housed
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) November 10, 2026
No AI data center is worth losing this. https://t.co/BkD62FdqDG
— Jeremy Stamper 🇺🇦 🇨🇦 (@jeremymstamper) November 10, 2026
A true American hero. Thanks to her tireless efforts, an abandoned shopping mall can remain an abandoned shopping mall for generations to come.
— Julie Borowski (@JulieBorowski) November 10, 2026
It's the biggest self-own since AOC scared Amazon away from her district.
Yes the county is running a huge shortfall. Yes this slab of concrete has been abandoned for more than two decades and is merely a useless eyesore. Yes, this nitwit's "victory" is going to cost the county and state millions of dollars in tax revenue. And yes, this brain donor and others like her will be screaming about how underfunded their preferred social programs are. Willful stupidity is a choice
— Physics Geek (@physicsgeek) November 10, 2026
The post continues:
… others like her will be screaming about how underfunded their preferred social programs are. Willful stupidity is a choice
Third worldism in action: facing a $150M deficit, the county is turning down a $5B project to keep a mall lot that's been abandoned for 24 years. 25,000 signatures for $0 in revenue. I guarantee the same people will be complaining about underfunded social programs next.
— Anthony Mansfield, M.S. (@mechamansfield) November 10, 2026
The movement opposing the data center began with a social media video she posted talking about the racially disproportionate rates of bronchitis and asthma exacerbated by the pollution given off by data centers. She said in an interview that she was originally approached by the Party for Socialism and Liberation to make the Instagram reel, which was probably hosted at a data center.
Turns out this was an op spearheaded by the pro-China "Party for Socialism and Liberation," using Instagram Reels to convince residents the investment would harm the black community. Bleak stuff. https://t.co/rSctBpuOJW
— johnny maga (@johnnymaga) November 10, 2026
We guess her "Poor People's Army" T-shirt indicates that she intends to keep people poor any way she can.
@Polymarket Crumbling infrastructure and shrinking revenue. Not the brightest of the bunch.
— V for Vendetta 🌵 (@TexasTweetsonX) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket Why celebrate this? That mall has sat empty for 24 years. The developer projected $53.5M a year in local taxes. The county is $147M in the hole. Now it stays a vacant lot. Who exactly won here? 🤨
— Chris Nichols (@chrisnichols) November 9, 2026
@Polymarket Just in: Obese low IQ woman steals thousands of high paying jobs from the community, in order to protect an empty lot
— p3quod (@p3quod) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket She's literally physically blocking it
— mustard (@MustardFren) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket Did she eat the data center?
— Moke (@Moke1966758) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket Victory for blight. 25,000 people blocked thousands of construction jobs and 500-3,000 permanent jobs (with good pay). It's like people want urban decay, crime and joblessness. They celebrate it. So bizarre. That we let them impose these values.
— Steve Stanton (@stevestantonsot) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket Wow.... wow. Shooting yourself in the foot to ensure generational poverty continues. Amazing!
— Daedalus (@Daedalus_Sy) November 9, 2026
@Polymarket Good for her. It's important that America preserves its abandoned shopping malls.
— Robert A. Hahn (@Robert_A_Hahn) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket Someone said be scared of data centers, so now they’re scared of data centers. There are a lot of stupid people out there. Sometimes I wonder how they get anything done.
— Dillen (@TheDillen) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket Yeah leave it as an empty lot with a chain link fence around it. Much better.
— ESchwaa (@ESchwaa) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket Wow that looks like pristine nature behind her, great job 😭😂
— stitchings (@chineseyakub) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket So instead of tax income to help the city they want an empty ugly lot. Makes sense.
— geistedc 🇺🇸 (@geistedc) November 9, 2026
@Polymarket Never underestimate the stupidity of people in large numbers. Here’s to that site sitting empty another 24 years. Brilliant!
— Jason Svoboda (@jasonsvoboda) November 9, 2026
@Polymarket here's the deadmall that's "right down the street from where people live, work, play" https://t.co/94nO23yi2b
— dr. mike (@drmikexo2) November 10, 2026
"Residential neighborhood."
@Polymarket We must protect all abandoned spaces
— Dagnum² (@Dagnum_PI) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket Blocking the build doesn't reopen the Sears.
— Mister Dividend (@MisterDivi) November 9, 2026
@Polymarket Wow that abanonded parking lot will really help the community
— AlienWisconsin (@AlienWisconsin) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket A mall that's been dead for 24 years finally gets a buyer and the town says no thanks. Wild.
— JT (@TriggJustin21) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket Oh, perfect. So she tanked a massive data center project without having a clue how they actually work, lost the community a fortune, and kept everyone trapped in poverty. Brilliant.
— Cah (@Sugarlandpookie) November 10, 2026
@Polymarket A closed shopping mall is the perfect spot to build them, now they’ll just put it somewhere else and cut down a thousand trees and add a few hundred tons of blacktop somewhere else. Good job🤦♂️
— Decentralize Ξverything (@RRT2032) November 9, 2026
The data center is going to be built — just not here. The developers will find a city that wants the investment, the tax revenue, the jobs, etc. Landover can keep its vacant lot.
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