Wisconsin Town Goes To Polls Today To Hobble Future Data Centers
Sarcastic Mockery
How They Deceive You
Propaganda
The article heavily misleads through sarcastic loaded language, factual errors on project scale, unverified claims, and omissions of economic benefits and local approvals.
Main Device
Sarcastic Mockery
It uses mocking sarcasm like 'broligarchy's AI Ponzi scheme' and 'Don't threaten me with a good time, Brad!' to ridicule industry concerns and celebrate anti-data center activism.
Archetype
Left-populist anti-Big Tech agitator
The hyperpartisan progressive blog and author frame the referendum as a grassroots win against Trump-backed 'hulking AI factories' and corporate overreach.
This article deceives readers by mixing facts with sarcasm, factual errors, and omissions of jobs and approvals to hype an anti-tech populist narrative.
Writer's Worldview
“Anti-Tech Populista”
Left-populist anti-Big Tech agitator
8 findings · 3 omissions · 4 sources compared
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Narrative Analysis
Verdict: This Crooks and Liars article mixes factual reporting on a Port Washington, Wisconsin referendum with heavy sarcasm and opinionated framing, understating the data center project's scale while omitting key economic details and local pushback, which amplifies an anti-tech narrative over balanced analysis.
Key Techniques and Evidence
The piece employs sarcastic asides and loaded phrasing to editorialize:
- Terms like "kneecap data center development", "hulking artificial intelligence factories", and "broligarchy's AI Ponzi scheme" cast industry opposition in a mocking light.
"Oh darn. You mean the local pollution and rising utility costs... Don't threaten me with a good time, Brad!"
- This follows a quote from Data Center Coalition's Brad Tietz, an industry advocate with a pro-development background (e.g., led Illinois data center incentives), dismissing his economic and security concerns without rebuttal.
Factual inaccuracies undermine credibility:
- Describes the project as "1.3-gigawatt", but sources like Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Ozaukee Press report up to 3.5 GW power demand—understating scale amid utility cost debates.
- Claims the vote is "the first time any U.S. municipality will go to the ballot to kneecap data center development", unverified by searches; Politico notes at least four similar measures nationwide this year.
Framing choices prioritize drama:
- Leads with town "upended by a data center backed by Trump", implying victimhood without evidence of disruption; local outlets describe council-approved incentives.
The article does note the referendum targets future projects (requiring voter approval for TIF incentives over certain thresholds) and won't derail the current $15B Vantage campus for OpenAI/Oracle—accurate on those points.
Critical Omissions of Verifiable Facts
These gaps alter reader understanding of tradeoffs:
- City council approved a $459M TIF for public improvements tied to this Vantage project (FOX6 Milwaukee, Ozaukee Press)—contextualizes the referendum as forward-looking, not a block on the immediate development.
- Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce sued to challenge referendum validity (FOX6)—shows business opposition and legal risks, beyond grassroots momentum.
- Expected jobs: Thousands in construction, ~1,000 permanent (Wisconsin Public Radio, TMJ4)—omitted despite article's sarcasm on "pollution and rising utility costs", for which no project-specific evidence appears.
- No mention of developer Vantage Data Centers; focuses on "OpenAI and Oracle" and "Big Tech" for broader villainy.
No evidence found for implied local harms like pollution or utility spikes tied to this site.
Source and Author Context
- Crooks and Liars: Progressive blog known for partisan critiques of Republicans and conservatives.
- Susie Madrak: Frequent contributor with left-populist, anti-Republican pieces; this reads as opinion despite news-like format.
- Tietz quote: Transparent industry voice, but sarcasm neutralizes it without counter-facts.
Coverage Comparison
Other outlets provide more neutral, detailed takes:
- Politico emphasizes national "revolt" against Trump/AI boom, noting multiple ballot measures—opposition-focused like this piece, but omits TIF/legal details.
- FOX6 Milwaukee sticks to local facts: $15B project, $459M TIF approval, MMAC lawsuit—balanced dispute without sarcasm.
- WUWM (NPR) offers procedural explainer on TIFs—purely informational, no framing.
- Ozaukee Press quotes both sides, specifies $10M thresholds and Great Lakes Neighbors United group—most comprehensive local view.
Bottom Line
Strengths: Highlights a rare voter-driven referendum on tech incentives, correctly notes its limited scope, and surfaces industry concerns via quote. Weaknesses: Sarcasm, errors (e.g., power capacity), and omissions (jobs, lawsuit, TIF approval) make it more advocacy than journalism, potentially misleading on a nuanced economic debate. Solid local reporting elsewhere fills the gaps effectively.
Further Reading
Investigation Log · 50 steps
Starting investigation...
Investigating crooksandliars.com
Investigating Susie Madrak
Investigating Brad Tietz
Searching for ""Port Washington Wisconsin" data center referendum vote"
Verify if the vote is happening, date, and details of the referendum
Searching for ""Port Washington" OpenAI Oracle data center Stargate Trump"
Verify the proposed data center project details and Trump connection
Searching for "first US municipality ballot referendum data center tax incentives"
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Source: crooksandliars.com
Crooks and Liars is a progressive political blog founded in 2004 by John Amato, self-describing as providing progressive news and media coverage while positioning itself as anti-fake-news. It has a track record of video blogging awards and recognition from outlets like The Hill and The New Yorker for exposing political issues. However, it is hyperpartisan, with content heavily focused on criticizing Republicans and lacking equivalent scrutiny of Democrats.
Source: Susie Madrak
Susie Madrak is a self-described 'award-winning journalist' and early progressive blogger who contributed opinion pieces to HuffPost criticizing Republican policies and served as managing editor of Crooks & Liars. Her personal blog aggregates social media posts from left-leaning accounts with minimal commentary and no evident fact-checking or sourcing beyond embeds. No independent fact-checking ratings or specific awards are detailed, indicating a focus on partisan advocacy rather than neutral reporting.
Source: Brad Tietz
Brad Tietz is the Director of State Policy at the Data Center Coalition, with over 16 years of experience in Illinois state government affairs, including roles as Senior Legislative Analyst in the Illinois House of Representatives, Legislative Director at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity under both Republican and Democratic administrations, and Vice President of Government Relations at the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. He led passage of the Illinois Data Center Tax Incentive and advocated for data center industry interests, such as opposing new restrictions. His expertise is in economic development and lobbying, but as an industry advocate, his public statements align with Data Center Coalition members' incentives, raising questions about independence from commercial interests.
Searching for ""Port Washington" Wisconsin "data center" OpenAI OR Oracle OR Stargate OR Trump"
Verify specific claims about OpenAI, Oracle, Stargate, and Trump connection to Port Washington data center
Searching for ""Port Washington Wisconsin" data center developer OR company OR project name"
Identify who is actually behind the proposed data center in Port Washington
Searching for "Port Washington Wisconsin referendum data center "first" OR ballot OR voter approval"
Confirm if this is the first such referendum and details
Searching for "Port Washington WI data center $15 billion OR 1.3 gigawatt"
Verify the scale: $15B, 1.3GW
Comparing coverage of "Port Washington Wisconsin data center referendum vote"
Searching for "site:foxnews.com OR site:breitbart.com OR site:dailywire.com "Port Washington" data center"
Check right-leaning coverage of the story
Coverage comparison completed
Emotional Manipulation
Uses loaded, sarcastic language like "kneecap data center development," "hulking artificial intelligence factories," "broligarchy's AI Ponzi scheme," and "Oh darn... Don't threaten me with a good time, Brad!" to mock industry concerns and celebrate the referendum.
Paints opposition to data centers as heroic local resistance against villainous Big Tech/Trump, dismissing economic/national security arguments as absurd, turning neutral reporting into partisan cheerleading.
Source Credibility
Published by hyperpartisan progressive blog Crooks and Liars and author Susie Madrak, known for anti-Republican, left-populist critiques without neutral fact-checking.
Readers get advocacy disguised as news; outlet's track record of criticizing conservatives while ignoring similar issues on the left skews perception of the story.
unverified_claim
Claims this is "the first time any U.S. municipality will go to the ballot to kneecap data center development."
Elevates local vote to historic "blueprint" without evidence, potentially exaggerating national significance to amplify anti-tech narrative.
Missing Context
The data center is being developed by Vantage Data Centers for OpenAI and Oracle; the city council already approved a $459 million TIF for public improvements related to this specific project.
Clarifies the referendum targets only future projects over $10M TIF, not derailing the current one (as article notes but downplays); identifies actual developer omitted in favor of "Big Tech" framing.
Missing Context
The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce filed a lawsuit challenging the validity of the referendum.
Indicates organized business opposition and legal uncertainty, balancing the article's portrayal of unanimous local resistance.
Framing
Frames the data center as "backed by Trump" and part of his "Stargate" projects, using snarl words like "hulking AI factories" while celebrating referendum as "aggressive new tactic" against "Big Tech."
Implies direct Trump causation/maliciousness (Stargate announced under Trump, but project pursued independently); zooms in on anti-AI resistance while omitting pro-development benefits like jobs.
Missing Context
The project is expected to create thousands of construction jobs and about 1,000 permanent jobs for OpenAI and Oracle.
Provides economic upside omitted, countering implication of pure downside (pollution, costs) in sarcastic author commentary.
unverified_claim
Claims the data center is "1.3-gigawatt"; no sources confirm this specific capacity for the Port Washington site.
Inflates project scale without verification, heightening alarm over "hulking" factories and utility strain.
Framing
Describes town as "upended by a data center backed by Trump" without evidence of disruption, framing it as victim of imposition.
Creates aggressor-victim dynamic favoring anti-development side, omitting local council approval and economic incentives.
Searching for "Port Washington Wisconsin data center power capacity OR gigawatt OR MW"
Verify 1.3GW claim specifically
Searching for ""Port Washington" data center pollution OR utility costs OR resident complaints"
Check basis for implied downsides (pollution, rising costs)
Factual Error
States the data center is "1.3-gigawatt"; actual planned capacity is up to 3.5 GW according to multiple sources.
Understates the project's scale, potentially downplaying economic/national security concerns raised by industry while article mocks them.
Missing Context
Implies local "pollution and rising utility costs" as established downsides without evidence; no resident complaints or data found.
Author's sarcasm assumes harms to justify mockery of industry, but lacks backing, misleading on tradeoffs.
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