Friday, September 18, 2026

Virginia Free Press

virginia free press

 

Opinion

Data Center Polling Shifts — But Needs More Cowbell

Sales 101 - Overcome Objections with Benefits

More Cowbell

Sales 101 – Overcome Objections with Benefits

 

FLIP = counter punch

Rainey Center – polling with questions and crosstabs

 

Note NET support shift/flip

But Fear Moves Voters More

 

Political Reaction: Boomers probably move more on Cure Diseases than Job Destruction but the opposite for Gen Zers. Gen Xers – probably the swing generation vote here – a draw given dual concerns of aging parents and debt laden children.

Personal Reaction: Diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago and more aligned with Cure Disease cohort – the Moderna skin cancer vaccine caught my eye. I’m pretty sure they weren’t walking the test results down the halls for analysis.

Final Analysis – Yes, all politics is local but it’s also personal.

Proper zoning of data centers and selling the benefits matter.

Speaking of cowbell….

One of the more memorable Saturday Night Live skits involves Will Farrell playing the cowbell on Blue Oyster Cult’s famous song, “Don’t Fear the Reaper.”

Given all the sturm und drang from those peddling a fear based back of the brain narrative on data centers, I say move to the prefrontal cortex with the benefits of data centers – and use more COW BELL.

Here are two famous cowbell songs sans THE famed producer Bruce Dickinson:

Rolling Stones Honky Tonk Woman LIVE (best cowbell version)

 

Mississippi Queen – Mountain

CHRIS SAXMAN is a former delegate for the Virginia House of Delegates and the executive director of the Virginia Foundation for Research and Economic Education (Virginia FREE).