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The massive winter storm that hit Texas and left millions without any power or heating is bringing the topic of how electricity is being regulated in the state to the forefront of the discussion. In short, the energy infrastructure in Texas isn’t made for cold snaps like the one that shook the southern US. And some people believe that capitalism exacerbated the problem, making the situation far, far worse because companies are competing for customers instead of investing in maintaining the infrastructure.

Among the other controversies, the (now former) mayor of Colorado City, Tim Boyd, has announced that he’s resigning because of a scathingly received post online. Boyd essentially left everyone to fend for themselves and stated that they can expect no help from the authorities.

Have a read through what people said about the situation in Texas online and what their opinions about the link between capitalism and the deadly outages are. Upvote the images that you agree with and be sure to share your own opinions with everyone in the comment section below, dear Readers.

#1

Capitalism-Texas-Crisis-Snowstorm

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qwerty
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some Republicans actually think that WiNdMillS cAuSe CaNcEr!!!!

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#2

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Leo Domitrix
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fascinating that infrastructure affecting millions must be left alone for profit, but a private citizen's reproduction isn't left alone for any reason whatsoever, isn't it...

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Texas relies on its own power grid. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, aka Ercot, manages it. A nonprofit corporation, it's still overseen by the Public Utility Commission of Texas, a state agency. Ercot decided to turn off power for millions of customers after the freezing temperatures shut down several of their power plants. It was either that or risk the collapse of the entire power grid.

Some people, from professors and experts to ordinary Americans and those directly affected by the cold, suggested that electricity deregulation is to blame for Texas’ inability to cope with the winter crisis. Meanwhile, others implied that what some Republicans warned would happen under socialism, in fact, happened under capitalism. In short, people are angry that the federal government isn’t overseeing the entire situation in Texas.

#4

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James016
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They prefer the *freedom* to let people starve to death, than being forced to contribute/pay taxes to keep their fellow human beings alive.

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#5

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Hannah Edwards
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What does GOP mean? All I can come up with is Game Of Phones, so it’s probably not that.

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CNN reports that dozens of people across the southern US states have died because of the weather. The number of victims is at least 21. Meanwhile, the BBC writes that over 100 million Americans are under a winter weather warning; over 71 percent of the entire US was covered by snow by Wednesday afternoon.

As of Wednesday, there have been around 2.3 million power outages all over Texas, leaving around a quarter of the state with no access to electricity or heating. The situation is so dire, Texans are bringing in farm and wild animals into their homes to keep them warm while volunteers are rescuing sea turtles by the thousands so they don’t freeze to death.

#7

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Hans
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

USD 22 per kWh as the normal pirce? This must be cents, musn't it?

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#8

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Leo Domitrix
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fact: Per capita, tax dollars paid in the US federal system (federal only) are not distributed based upon contribution. At one point, a Rocky Mtn state was receiving almost two dollars in federal funding for every dollar paid in taxes. Where'd the extra dollar come from? States like Cali, Mass.,NY, etc. IF they really believed in "get out what you put in", these folks would be in a world more of hurt.

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#9

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Perfumista Perfumista
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So, aside from the armed forces, what does he think our tax dollars and utility payments are for?

evaw81 avatar
Eva
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a European, I don't even know what to say... So sorry guys...

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Jette Wang Wahnon
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a Dane I am speech-less....for a statement like this he WOULD HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED and NEVER had any job whatsoever......I hope he bumps into one of the «lazy losers» on a dark corner..

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Hans
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If he is in favour of anarchy, he makes a good point. He might misunderstand the eficiency of modern society, where labour is divided by specialisation, and where reliable governments provide basic services so that you do not need to care for it. With the same argument, everyone would need to keep a medical lab and become a genetical engineer in case the next pandemic comes, as, you know, even in crises people need to care for themselves. God, it is hard to comprehend how stupid some people are.

nicoleweymann avatar
Nicole Weymann
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What the hell IS the government's responsibility supposed to be? Caring for their people is the most important thing they are being paid for! And the power providers? Does he think people pay the power providers for fun or out of the goodness of their hearts? OF COURSE providing stuff and keeping structures up/maintaining is their job! Honestly: people have been specializing and centralizing for thousands of years throughout societies, which is why we nowadays don't have to spend our time whittling our own spoons for soup, refining our own gas or installing our own plumbing, ffs. Expecting people in a city (small apartments, shops everywhere,...) to be prepared and store resources for a once-in-a-lifetime emergency is ridiculous

c_devine avatar
Seedy Vine
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

America: where we pay the rich everything to do nothing and the poor nothing to do everything.

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Jonnan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be fair ’The Strong will Survive the Weak shall Perish’ is a plank in the GOP platform.

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Seedy Vine
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's like they're always trying to apply Darwinianism to situations like these, when most of them don't even believe in evolution.

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Gwyn
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only a sociopath would turn a natural disaster and emergency where people truly need help into a lazy person looking for a handout. This is more like people calling the fire department when a house is burning down... It's the government's job to help people in an emergency.

arjeni avatar
Arjen I
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's pretty much the repub mindset. That's why GOP policies are *always* disastrous. No idea why you don't forcibly remove the GOP and start with a clean slate

shead26 avatar
Steve
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My plan is squat in his house, and toss him on the fire to keep me warm

captijn avatar
Pan Narrans
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Vladimir Lenin said: every society is three missed meals away from chaos.

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AzKhaleesi
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow, I bet a bunch of red neck texans will take him out by the end of the week then burn his body for warmth, to "take care of their family" holy s**t.

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Mewton’s Third Paw
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, red neck Texans will go ask him if he has any spare boots to lick and if they could please send pictures to daddy Trump. Redneck Texans are full on republican authoritarians.

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Tom Susala
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

he also spelled Perish incorrectly. Parish is a group of worshippers or what the State of Lousiana calls what other stares call counties Perish is a synonym for Death

rhemore1 avatar
Suzanne Haigh
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not being American I may be wrong but it sounds like he means only wealthy will survive and the poor will perish NOT the strong and weak. In a true country everyone looks after others not so fortunate, grow up America.

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Bruce Scheiman
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What a good point! I'm quite shocked, by a lot of responses concerning these sad times, in Texas. Which, btw, I'm currently having to live in. I am a republican, however, it seems I may sadly be a little ignorant, to all the suffering that has gone on, at the hands of the party, I have been a part of for so long now.

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Shelley McKinney
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am absolutely flabbergasted at this post from Boyd. Like, just Wow. I'm speechless.

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Cian Thomas McHugh
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The governor sounds like the leader of a raider gang that turns on you in Nuka World in Fallout.

dionhuel avatar
Dion Huel
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What would he do if his house was on fire? Come up with a plan and work through it on his own?

angele_therese avatar
Noez 🇸🇪
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Holy gd sob... What the.... A nation takes care of it's citizens!!!!

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Easily Excitable Panda
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He *claims* he resigned a week ago, despite still continuing to go to meetings, etc. And not telling anyone.

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Amyah Labrèche-Docq
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gosh! On the top of being nasty, he don't know how to spell... there is a lot of orthograph errors in that letter

ttorrest avatar
TTorrest Author
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He “resigned,” thank God: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tim-boyd-texas-mayor-colorado-city-resigns-power-outages/?fbclid=IwAR0M5b-POvmVjfl6tpgSrbt8jgDehRIUYS1i5cfPqYeZg_-CjYOQRPHd-oM

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Brandy Grote
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So we can chop down the trees in the park and have fires in our apartments rather than utility service provided worldwide? What. An. Idiot.

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Chuck Royal
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

While I really try to avoid giving in to Grammar-Nazism, I can't help but think this person is a good reason to support public education.

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Matthew Cote
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok, stop taking and funding those organizations with our taxes then douchebucket.

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Bender Bending Rodríguez
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If history proved anything reTHUGlican'ts love voting against their own interest as long as they can own libs and deny help to "those people".

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Fieke Engelen
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mayors get voted in, don't they? How did he get there even before this calamity?

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Simon Clarke
Community Member
3 years ago

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Heather Atwood
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OMG someone hit this man over the head with a Texas-sized snow ball please!

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Kenneth Wolfe
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Texans keep electing the same morons year after year, they deserve everything they have coming to them and more

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Amanda Hunter
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think about all the Californians who've moved to Texas, what do they think now!

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Qw3stion
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

WELL GEE ILL JUST BECOME A F*****G AVATAR AND CONJURE UP WATER

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Rustyn Birch
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This guy was (likely) making a 6 figure salary and can't even spell. WTF?

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Yili Lai
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Holy f**k.... how and why was he elected? And how and why is he not thrown out into the cold and see how he can "step up"

suehazlewood avatar
Sue Hazlewood
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bit rich from a mayor in a red state which takes more than it gives

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H.L.Lewis
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Right. Where I live, my water, sewer, gas, and trash are all provided by the city. Something goes wrong They are responsible! I can't just get these services somewhere else. That mayor is Reprehensible.

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Adél Gáspár
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just googled it as I couldn't believe my eyes. Thankfully he resigned and his wife got fired too. Sorry but oh well, swim baby

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Mickie Shea
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Many of the privileged believe the bad mayors crap. We are still a village, be it big or not we assist each other by a modern method called taxes. Unfortunately, their are some very bad people out there.

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Marnie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also, what on earth does he expect them to do? Build a firepit in their living room? Dig a well?

marneederider40 avatar
Marnie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He thinks "the government" isn't just people. The government is just part of society. He seems to be thinking of it as a ruling class that owes nothing anything. Small societies don't need such a formal government. If the neighbor's wife dies, the rest of the people will just naturally help take care of the kids, bring the food she's no longer there to gather, etc. The government should just be what happens when a society gets too large for just casual neighborliness to work for everyone.

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Diana Thomas
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He resigned days after posting this “masterpiece of compassion and sensitivity”. (Yes, this is snark and sarcasm)

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Sandra Llewelyn
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The grammar is appalling and the sentiment should lead to his immediate removal from office.

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Fred Staff
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The voice of a real human servant. lol White, Republican, Texan, and an avowed Christian.

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Angie Buyong
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is so wrong. It doesn't matter whether its Dem or GOPs, a leader should step up and give reassurance to his people, and help as much as they can. It's not handouts, its being humane! I am not American so I can't really understand what is in the mind of people agreeing with him... it's so bizarre and inhumane...... It's just so wrong.

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Ian MacFarlane
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you ever wanted a concise explanation of Republican philosophy, here it is. Nice people, aren't they?

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Juliette Dauterive
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Another illiterate thatnever learned the difference between “your" and “you’re”.

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Nola Dorothy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What tools did God give us for dealing with freezing temperatures and no electricity? Oh, yeah - freeze to death without whining. Thanks a heap.

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Madre_Dr4gnZFly
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What an @$$hole. A CLUELESS one, at that. I guess taxpayers money is just to pay this jerkwad's salary.

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Philly Bob Squires
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Coming from someone who is probably rich and sitting very warm and comfortable in his mansion...

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A falz
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So having no electricity and no water means im lazy dont work and if i got off my butt this wouldnt be an issue. Vote this guy out. Im retired so are my are my parents. (Me mid 60s parents mid 80s). But we are lazy for not working and thats why we have no water or electricity. Well that sucks for my neighbors who are working but have no electric or water. Are they lazy. Nobody is causing this no matter whether they work or not. My bro and sil were without electriciry and water because their city turned it off. They are still working. When the city finally turned both back on everybody in their neighborhood has busted pipes including them. But laziness caused this, no the electric grid that texas is on caused it. It is due to the fact texas doesnt get this kind of weather. This mayor is absolute idiot. Probably a conspiracy nut. You cant help other people who are affected if you cant drive on the roads. Food trucks for the grocery stores cant deliver i guess were too lazy for that too

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A falz
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tbats so suppose to be you cant help people who are affected if you cant drive on the roads. Grocery stores are bare! Food delivery for groceries storeas cant deliver. Live in a small town with mostly retirees who only get money at the first of the month. So imagine not having but a little money and no groceries at the stores. My apt complex frienss and neighbors are tryint to help each other out. But what happens when we cant. And cant get more.

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Shawn Barry
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

haha...parish. perish, the other spelling is for a governmental area or another way to refer to a church congregation

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Rukkia
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe find a mayor that can use the English language correctly. His post hurt my head with all the poor grammar and lack of proper sentence formation. An English teacher is crying somewhere.

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Suzy the observer
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Holy everything! Did he not understand that as mayor, he was beholden to the citizens?

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Heather W
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He resigned after and I read his wife was fired from her job. So glad my niece moved to Florida from Texas in December. She only has to worry about iguanas falling out of trees.

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deanna woods
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The good news is, yes, this idiot resigned and hopefully will never be in politics ever again. I think that it's sad that there are people like this that represent politics in Texas.

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Atopher Bot
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

*you're. Why is it that every time I see that spelling mistake it's in the middle of another one of these hypocritical rants?

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Dl B
Community Member
3 years ago

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I don't get all the negativity toward this guy. All he is saying "don't just sit there and freeze to death waiting for the government to do something for yourself". So many people are so dependent on the government that can't wipe their butts without government assistant. Of course that is what some people in the government want. A nation of sheep that can be lead around on leash. Don't calling me a red person or a blue person. The people who settled Texas 150 years ago did not wait for the government to run a water line to their ranch, they dug a well. All he is saying is "for God's sake people do something to help yourself instead of waiting for the government".

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Sterrinatu
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The part that got me upset is " The City and county, along with power providers or any other service owes you nothing". What exactly are they paying for then? These people are PAYING for power and services so YES they owe them something. When you pay taxes to your city and county THEY owe you something.

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The argument, as some experts put it, is simple: even though winter snaps like this one are rare, the power infrastructure in Texas needs to be overhauled, improved, and upgraded to ensure that it functions in times of crisis. What’s more, there are calls for more regulation of the electricity market so that the infrastructure is properly maintained.

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As Rebecca Goetz, an associate professor of history at NYU puts it, deregulation might lead to lower prices for the consumers (i.e. us because we’re choosing the suppliers ourselves, thus making everyone compete for our attention by lowering their prices), but it also leads to confusion. Your electricity supplier might not be the company that fixes your grid when something happens to it. Furthermore, maintenance fees aren’t enough to maintain the infrastructure. Or, in other words, you get what you pay for.

#10

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Leo Domitrix
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's so cold out that the food wasn't going to spoil *outside*, that's for sure. I wish the market had done what ours did when we had a huge power outage a few years ago: Just gave it away as people asked for it. Corporate insurance covered the loss. Why not let the food go as needed, not to waste/ *sigh*

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Chelsea Corkum
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a resident of the North Atlantic Canada, where there is a large windfarm....i CAN CONFIRM THAT WINDMILLS CAN WORK IN THE FREEZING RAIN.

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Remembering all the US jokes about people in socialist countries waiting in line for their daily bread....

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According to history expert Goetz, Texans prefer cheap electricity to a reliable infrastructure that’s able to efficiently tough out heat spikes, as well as cold snaps. And before you ask, the technology for making tech (including renewable tech like wind turbines, as well as traditional energy sources like natural gas) resistant to the cold does exist. It’s all a question of how much companies want to invest into upgrading the current infrastructure and what the cost of that would be.

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WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stop calling them windmills. They are wind turbines. Windmills are the things that Don Quixote fought.

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Luiza NP
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I genuinely cannot understand how people think it is OK for corporations to have that kind of power. What’s the difference from authoritarians governments? The corporation’s have often more power than a country leader. Why do people don’t think about making the power of corporations democratic? Allowing them to do as they please with people lives is not democracy.

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The situation in Texas isn’t black-and-white. Everyone’s looking for someone to blame, but the situation is raising a lot of vital questions that might affect Texas and the rest of the US in the future, not just in the context of winter storms.

Let me play devil’s advocate for a moment here. Spending more money on upgrading the state’s power infrastructure is a good idea because it ensures that people have heating and electricity in times of crisis like during this rare cold snap. However, there are practical considerations to take into account. You might cold-proof your infrastructure, but where do we draw the line? Do we need to ensure it’s protected from every possible and rare eventuality?

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Nikki Sevven
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What do you mean "every ten years?" It's literally a daily occurrence, ffs.

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#18

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GFSTaylor
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's the exact same shortsightedness that makes fossil fuel companies want to drill and destroy in National Parks - land that should be free for all to enjoy. The fossil fuels will run out in a matter of decades at best, but the ecosystems and landscapes will have been wrecked for centuries and some species driven to extinction, so the land can never be returned to its natural state. All destroyed so the rich people who own the fossil fuel companies and the politicains who take their money and sign the leases, can make more money.

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I’m all for spending more to stay safe and have a reliable system. It’s vital to do. But at some point, ordinary Texans will be asking whether money’s being flushed down the drain by investing in upgrades that might be ‘useless.’ People tend to invest in what they think is likely to happen and that’s a very human thing to do. How much is too much? Where do we draw the line?

Don’t forget that the companies will have to heavily invest in maintaining the new infrastructure. And though that will ensure that some people will have steady work, it would mean that electricity costs would increase for the average citizen. Is everyone prepared to pay more? Some, of course. Especially in the interests of a reliable system. But not everyone. How do you get a consensus when people feel very passionately about their opinions that don't mesh well together?

#19

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#20

Capitalism-Texas-Crisis-Snowstorm

lacymjohnson Report

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Hannah Edwards
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Vulnerable people will have died because they can’t keep warm. It’s corporate man slaughter at best.

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#21

Capitalism-Texas-Crisis-Snowstorm

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qwerty
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lack of empathy= symptom of psychopathy. Callousness= symptom of psychopathy. Coincidence?

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There’s another issue here as well. Greater influence of the federal government could help maintain the infrastructure and ensure that what we’re seeing in Texas right now doesn’t happen again. But here’s the rub: Americans venerate self-reliance and independence. Being overly reliant on the federal government (as opposed to the state government) isn’t something that comes naturally to a lot of Americans, especially Texans who have a long and proud history.

#22

Capitalism-Texas-Crisis-Snowstorm

markets Report

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Peter Trudell Jr
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Texas ignored the '89 report that they need to winterize... they ignored it and 2010 hit... another report saying they need to do something... they ignored it and 2021 happened. There are times I really hate our government. Republicans have been in charge for 26 years and it's way past time to vote them out.

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In the short term? Absolutely, Texas needs help from the government: people need quick and decisive action. However, the government isn’t always quick to respond in times of crisis (remember the response to Hurricane Katrina?). What’s more, if you move power away from local governments and communities, you might find (emphasis on might) that the people closest to you and most capable of lending a hand are no longer in the position to do so. Just some food for thought.

#25

Capitalism-Texas-Crisis-Snowstorm

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Leo Domitrix
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This can be said of the whole US power grid, really. Even tho' it's not privatized, it's being ignored so we can... uh... yeah, I got nothing.

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#27

Capitalism-Texas-Crisis-Snowstorm

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Luiza NP
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And Texas doesn’t suffer economic sanctions from USA that make it poor, as far as I know…

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Do you think that capitalism is to blame for the situation in Texas, dear Readers? If not, do you think that the deregulation of the electricity market made the situation worse? How do you think the system should be reformed? Do you think that relying on the government more is a good idea in the long-term? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. And those of you currently affected by the cold—stay warm, you have our support.

#28

Capitalism-Texas-Crisis-Snowstorm

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Samantha Lomb
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

uh yeah. Capitalism is about screwing the working class to increase profits for the wealthy, so of course it worked as designed

#29

Capitalism-Texas-Crisis-Snowstorm

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Seedy Vine
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And to think, he could've been a hero if he just said nothing, rolled up his sleeves, and simply helped some of his constituents. You know, think outside the box.

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#30

Capitalism-Texas-Crisis-Snowstorm

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Cynthia Bonville
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well he wasn't a scholar or particularly good at much but sound bites.. It isn't a philosophy my dear, it is a failure of education - and ignorance is desirable because it is exploitable.

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