You are misreading the opposition to this massive data center build-out. The people I know who are most opposed to it are actually some of the most knowledgeable people in the field, including former top scientists, programmers, and technicians. Beyond that, plenty of regular people are getting hit by the side effects. Regional electricity and water rates are climbing, and the run on silicon wafer production has sent memory and hardware prices through the roof. The pushback isn't uneducated; it is coming from people who either understand the tech or are paying the bill for it.
I’m not suggesting that opposition is limited to the rubes, but the fact is that it is yet another issue for which the middle and working classes feel that they’re bearing the costs while the wealthiest reap the benefits.
That is the main fuel of populist resentment toward the elites.