Podcast / Fighting Fascism / Oct 12, 2026

Dispatch From the Front Lines of the Data Center Wars—With Ben Inskeep & Bryce Gustafson

Ben Inskeep and Bryce Gustafson join Fighting Fascism to discuss grassroots resistance to data centers in Indiana, the backlash against Big Tech, and its political implications.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Dispatch from the Frontlines of the Data Center Wars w/ Ben Inskeep & Bryce Gustafson / Fighting Fascism
byThe Nation Magazine

Data centers and AI, AI and data centers. We all know how pivotal these issues have become. But lots of the analysis on these topics has been coming from pundits who are the farthest removed from them.

That’s why we wanted to speak with Ben Inskeep and Bryce Gustafson from Citizen Action Coalition. Bryce and Ben have been helping communities on the frontlines of data center fights in Indiana organize and stand up against Big Tech, and their on-the-ground insights—about what’s motivating the backlash, the potential for a broader political realignment, and more—are critical to understanding what’s actually going on right now.

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Audience members walk out of the Metropolitan Development Commission meeting on March 4, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana, after a one-month continuance was granted for the hearing of the Metroblocks data center in the Martindale Brightwood community.

(Brett Phelps / Mirror Indy/CatchLight via Getty Images)

Data centers and AI, AI and data centers. We all know how pivotal these issues have become. But lots of the analysis on these topics has been coming from pundits who are the farthest removed from them.

That’s why we wanted to speak with Ben Inskeep and Bryce Gustafson from Citizen Action Coalition. Bryce and Ben have been helping communities on the front lines of data center fights in Indiana organize and stand up against Big Tech, and their on-the-ground insights—about what’s motivating the backlash, the potential for a broader political realignment, and more—are critical to understanding what’s actually going on right now.

Subscribe to The Nation to support all of our podcasts: thenation.com/subscribe.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation Podcasts

Here's where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

Dispatch from the Frontlines of the Data Center Wars w/ Ben Inskeep & Bryce Gustafson / Fighting Fascism
byThe Nation Magazine

Data centers and AI, AI and data centers. We all know how pivotal these issues have become. But lots of the analysis on these topics has been coming from pundits who are the farthest removed from them.

That’s why we wanted to speak with Ben Inskeep and Bryce Gustafson from Citizen Action Coalition. Bryce and Ben have been helping communities on the frontlines of data center fights in Indiana organize and stand up against Big Tech, and their on-the-ground insights—about what’s motivating the backlash, the potential for a broader political realignment, and more—are critical to understanding what’s actually going on right now.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Subscribe to The Nation to Support all of our podcasts

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