Eric Olson and Jason Walter: Oklahoma's data center deals the opposite of conservative policy
This story raises questions about governance, accountability, and American values.
The critique of Oklahoma’s data center deals leans hard on a familiar assumption: if a project looks “industrial policy” adjacent, it must be a betrayal of conservatism. That framing is tidy, but it skips the harder question of whether these deals are actually protecting taxpayers and the state’s long term leverage. Conservatives should be skeptical of backroom incentives, but not allergic to growth.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
Oklahoma has built its reputation on limited government, low taxes and letting markets work. The data center deals now spreading across the state, most notably the Project Anthem deal in east Tulsa, are inconsistent with every one of those principles.
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
The critique of Oklahoma’s data center deals leans hard on a familiar assumption: if a project looks “industrial policy” adjacent, it must be a betrayal of conservatism. That framing is tidy, but it skips the harder question of whether these deals are actually protecting taxpayers and the state’s long term leverage.
Conservatives should be skeptical of backroom incentives, but not allergic to growth. The real test is public trust: transparent terms, enforceable benchmarks, and a clear accounting of who pays for power, water, roads, and risk. If a “deal” privatizes gains while socializing costs, that is not limited government. It is disguised spending.
Oklahoma can welcome investment while insisting on fairness for taxpayers, rule of law, and institutional stability. The principle at stake is simple: economic development must be accountable, not aspirational.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.