the attitude with arnie arnesen the monday edition April 20
Arnie Arnesen
opening thoughts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/attitude-with-arnie-arnesen/id1634055179
“The bill, LD 307, would create a limitation on data centers with electric loads of at least 20 megawatts by preventing the state, local governments, and quasi-governmental agencies from issuing permits or other approvals until November 2027,” according to the Portland Press Herald. “In the meantime, a new Data Center Coordination Council—also created in the bill—would get time to study the centers’ potential impact in Maine and issue policy recommendations.”
In addition to calling for a national moratorium on constructing new AI data centers, the advocacy group Food & Water Watch (FWW) has fought for related proposals in not only Maine but also California, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
“Great credit to the people and state legislators of Maine for being at the forefront of a large and swelling national movement to put a halt to the reckless, unchecked explosive growth of hyperscale AI data centers,” Mitch Jones, FWW’s managing director of policy and litigation, said in a Tuesday statement.
“These massive facilities suck up unimaginable amounts of water and electricity, and wreak havoc on the everyday Americans in nearby communities that are forced to foot the bills for this irresponsible, profit-hungry industry,” Jones stressed. “Gov. Mills should listen to the people and legislators of Maine, and sign this smart, nation-leading bill into law immediately.”
However, as Maine Public detailed on Monday:
Mills has said the measure needs to have an exemption for a proposed $550 million project at the former Androscoggin paper mill in Jay to get her support.
“The people of Jay need those jobs, with appropriate guardrails on preserving water resources, electricity resources, local generation and all those things,” Mills told reporters during an event in Bangor last week.
Mills’ office did not respond to an email Monday asking if the governor intends to veto the bill.
After the votes on Tuesday, The Washington Post similarly noted that legislators had rejected an amendment for the exception sought by Mills, and a spokesperson for the governor “did not immediately respond to a query about whether she plans to approve the legislation.”
rethink the week:
Lincoln Mitchell teaches in the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.He covers the politics of NYC and San Francisco as well as International politics. He is the author of seven books and is a frequent contributor to CNN Opinion, the San Francisco Examiner and Brussels Morning.
Laura Jedeed is a freelance journalist who primarily focuses on the American conservative movement. Her bylines include The New Republic, Rolling Stone, and Politico, and you can find her newsletter at BannedInYourState.com
Stephen Pimpare is Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Master in Public Policy program at Vermont Law and Graduate School. He is the author of four books, numerous articles, and the Host of the New Books Network's public policy channel.
Jamie Rowen is a professor of Legal Studies at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and the founding director of UMass' Center for Justice, Law, and Societies. Her work focuses on both domestic and international criminal law. Her book, Worthy of Justice: The Politics of Veterans Treatment Courts in Practice, was recently published with Stanford University Press in December 2025.
topics:
Why Americans Hate Data Centers: Let Us Count the Ways
American Politics Is Already Inundated With AI Deepfakes. It’s Only Getting Worse.
Democracy Depends on Broad-Based Taxation—History Is Clear About That https://observatory.wiki/Democracy_Depends_on_Broad-Based_Taxation%E2%80%94History_Is_Clear_About_That
On Tax Day, Mamdani Taxed the Rich
Billionaire Blues https://harpers.org/archive/2026/05/billionaire-blues-thomas-frank/
The House Had a Logjam of Bad Actors. Here’s How Two of the Worst Got Pushed Out. For better or for worse, the chamber is changing the way it deals with misconduct. https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/04/swalwell-gonzales-resignations-what-next.html
It Turns Out, the President Can’t Get Away With Insulting the Pope and Portraying Himself as Jesus https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/04/trump-jesus-post-pope-attack-maga-reaction.html
Trump’s Quest for a Mar-a-Lago Papacy A schism that leads to a Mar-a-Lago papacy would be the perfect allegory for Trumpian spiritual rot. https://newrepublic.com/article/209128/trump-war-pope-leo-iran
Trump Starts Making Up Things the Pope Said as He Breaks With Reality President Trump isn’t willing to give up this fight—even if that means lying about what the pope said. https://newrepublic.com/post/209178/trump-makes-up-what-pope-said-fight
House Narrowly Defeats Iran War Powers Resolution as Thousands More US Troops Head to Middle East Antiwar
House Narrowly Defeats Iran War Powers Resolution as Thousands More US Troops Head to Middle East Antiwar
Corporate America Aims to Preserve Profit Streak During Iran War New York Times
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