Texas

Picture: Creator: David J. Phillip, AP Copyright 2021

My thoughts turned to family, friends, and others suffering in Texas.  As I begin this the count is 22 souls lost in the state.  As I publish this some are still without power.

Global Warming

This time I’ve not heard “what we need is some of that global warming those science nerds keep threatening.”  Perhaps people are waking up.  I’m happy because I’ve little patience with the willfully ignorant.

The change in climate reduced the wind and pressure systems that keep the cold air in the arctic.  We’ve always had some bumps with a polar vortex escaping to freeze part of the lower 49.  However, the changing climate makes such events more common and more extreme.  We have created a climate crisis and people are suffering and dying.  But I’m not talking about the climate this week.

Texas

First, I want to say that the problems are not the fault of the citizens of Texas and they deserve our help.  We will send federal tax dollars in a socialist plot to help those suffering from the man made situation that could have easily been avoided if leaders cared more for people and the environment and less about donations and their own power.  Also, Rick Perry is stupid.

Second, I am no expert on the problem and don’t have all the facts.  I’m not claiming to have unique insight or a complete solution.  I do have some experience living in Texas and discussions with people who have lived their for years.  I have read policy papers, and articles from real journalists that report unbiased truth to the best of their ability.  

Windmills

I’ve heard the governor and lt. governor say on national broadcasts that windmills were the first and primary source of the problem and then added in AOC and democrats are responsible.  The leaders in Texas, short on personal responsibility and long in power, have lied and misrepresented the facts to say that renewables are unreliable and the only solution is burning more fossil fuels in the future.

Wind power has been widely used in the Antarctic and Nordic countries for years under much colder condition.  Yes, some windmills in Texas were not winterized by the private companies that run them.  They make profit regardless any impact to customers.  Human greed by the few who control power, not renewable technology, is an issue.

Besides, wind continued to provide power more reliably during the crisis than fossil fuel plants that also were not winterized.  Fossil fuels still make up the most of power generation and failed more drastically.

My point is the leaders of the state will not solve the problem by blaming things that didn’t create the problem and praising things that did.  They show disdain citizens, representative government, truth and will continue to make poor choices.

It is so annoying that conservatives lie about the problem.  Many knowingly posted an old helicopter ad from Sweden demonstrating the use of hot water to economically de-ice a turbine as proof that chemicals and tons of jet fuel were used in Texas. (reference: earther.gizmodo)

Socialism

Texas has long threatened to secede from the Union.  I remember during the 1973 oil crisis that they wanted to join OPEC so their fossil fuel companies could make more money from the long gasoline lines and suffering in the rest of the country.

A big issue with the power supply in Texas is that they wanted to go it alone.  They didn’t want federal regulations that would do such crazy things like requiring power generation to be protected from outages.  So they have their own grid than cannot help other states nor receive help when things happen.

Texas, after similar 1989 and 2011 events, ignored federal recommendations to require and only suggested that power companies be more responsible.  Republicans let those large money donors continue to do what they want.  No need to check up on private companies.  The government should stay out of the way because private companies do things the best way possible.

It should be noted with $16,000 residential energy bills that the system is operating as designed:  “… Most Texas power generators actually have a disincentive to make expensive modifications to prepare for a once-in-a-blue-moon winter storm. “Winterizing is a significant cost. Moreover, if you make energy a scarcity, then you can charge more,” Krishnamoorti said. “It’s a very cynical way of looking at it, but in the end, it is a marketplace.” (reference Texas Monthly)

Society

Society works best when we are treated equally, all have fair access to necessary resources, and we help each other.  We’ve never really had this in our country and we continue to suffer and die as a result.

America made great strides when “we the people” (our government) directly helped during the great depression and into the early 1960s.  Farmers, home buyers, college students, and others received direct support.  We electrified the south, built the interstate system, and went to the moon.  We were able to do all this because we fairly taxed corporations and the wealthy and directed resources to fund science, innovation, infrastructure, public and social services.

However, the help had always been directed to people with skin color like mine.

When those with darker skin finally and peacefully brought small change so the government might begin to help everyone, most with privileges decided our country should help no one and forgot they ever got government assistance.  Now, it is primarily the wealthy and large corporations benefiting from government support and keeping the system rigged against the majority.

Everyone has suffered because of our nationalistic racist and plutocratic selfishness.  Hopefully, we can grow up, recognize the real sources of our problems, and work together to improve our country and planet – by recognizing we are all equal, we all can help, and we all need help.

Things to do

I was able to send a little money to some people in Texas to help with this and that.  AOC, Beto, and many others are engaged and helping charities help those in need.

Voter suppression and other anti-democratic practices are alive and well in Texas and other conservative racist states – allowing this deadly nonsense to fester.  I encourage my family and friends to vote and get involved in politics.  It might seem useless at times.  However, it is clearly a matter of life and death to vote out self serving liars and vote in public servants.

I continue to write my representatives in the hopes that they well better represent me.  (And I’m continuing to be annoyed by their replies of lies and platitudes of caring and service.)

I’m reading books and reliable articles on a variety of subjects.  Better information makes for better decisions.  It is important to be able to quickly recognize and counter windmill lies from public leaders because they make bad decisions with willfully wrong information if they can get many to believe their lies

We can all do something.