Texas Privatized their Power Grid

[GMDino]

(02-19-2021, 03:20 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: So, the defense of Cruz that I have been seeing is that he isn't the governor, he's a senator, so what is he supposed to be doing? My argument is that legislators in a situation like this should be working with the White House and their state officials to help coordinate aid. What are your thoughts on this argument?

Anything but flying to a five day vacation?

All seriousness aside he could do literally nothing and it would have been better than that.

To answer you question he could find out why nothing was done to improve the system after the 2011 winter weather events, work with localities to make sure they have what they need to help from the federal government, etc. I've never served in the government but I'd have to imagine there is something he can be doing. At a minimum helping different agencies communicate with each other.

I read one story that the generators and diesel are stored in Texas right now and the state hasn't said what to do with them yet.

[Benton]

(02-19-2021, 03:20 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: So, the defense of Cruz that I have been seeing is that he isn't the governor, he's a senator, so what is he supposed to be doing? My argument is that legislators in a situation like this should be working with the White House and their state officials to help coordinate aid. What are your thoughts on this argument?

He could've worked with the white house, could've offered his staff to local agencies, could've offered his staff to shelters/warming centers, could've used his connections to reach out to other states for supplies.

He could've done just about anything other than running away.

[masonbengals fan]

(02-19-2021, 03:31 PM)GMDino Wrote: Anything but flying to a five day vacation?

All seriousness aside he could do literally nothing and it would have been better than that.

To answer you question he could find out why nothing was done to improve the system after the 2011 winter weather events, work with localities to make sure they have what they need to help from the federal government, etc.  I've never served in the government but I'd have to imagine there is something he can be doing.  At a minimum helping different agencies communicate with each other.

I read one story that the generators and diesel are stored in Texas right now and the state hasn't said what to do with them yet.

 In reality he has little to do with getting the electric & water back up & running. That's a job for industry professionals.

 But he should have at least kept his ass there.

[Au165]

(02-19-2021, 04:00 PM)Benton Wrote: He could've worked with the white house, could've offered his staff to local agencies, could've offered his staff to shelters/warming centers, could've used his connections to reach out to other states for supplies.

He could've done just about anything other than running away.

Beto O'Rouke organized a bunch of local outreach getting people to warming centers and checking on senior citizens. 

[Stewy]

(02-19-2021, 03:31 PM)GMDino Wrote: I read one story that the generators and diesel are stored in Texas right now and the state hasn't said what to do with them yet.

The diesel generators are backup for peak AC season during the summer - NONE of them are/were winterized, thus useless during this crisis.

[Stewy]

About Ted Cruz....

He's only about political gain and not being a public servant. He couldn't see any political hey to be made so he went on his scheduled vacation. From his self-centered point of view there was no easy gain to be made, so why not go on his vacation?

Of course he is a huge critic of politicians vacationing during a crisis, yet he didn't criticize Trump for going golfing right after the Riots, and he himself took this vacation. While Cruz may not have had direct control and responsibility for specific elements of the crisis, his actions show his complete lack of interest in the well being of Texans, and unsurprising hypocrisy for doing the very thing he has condemned others for doing - leaving his constituents in a crisis. But he can do what he wants anyway.....not like he's going to lose an election in Texas, so why worry about Texans, that are dying and being financially devastated? Politically he's immune, so on to Cancun!

[Belsnickel]

(02-19-2021, 08:14 PM)Stewy Wrote: About Ted Cruz....

He's only about political gain and not being a public servant. He couldn't see any political hey to be made so he went on his scheduled vacation. From his self-centered point of view there was no easy gain to be made, so why not go on his vacation?

Of course he is a huge critic of politicians vacationing during a crisis, yet he didn't criticize Trump for going golfing right after the Riots, and he himself took this vacation. While Cruz may not have had direct control and responsibility for specific elements of the crisis, his actions show his complete lack of interest in the well being of Texans, and unsurprising hypocrisy for doing the very thing he has condemned others for doing - leaving his constituents in a crisis. But he can do what he wants anyway.....not like he's going to lose an election in Texas, so why worry about Texans, that are dying and being financially devastated? Politically he's immune, so on to Cancun!

Just want to correct something, here. This wasn't a pre-planned vacation. The texts sent by his wife and shown to the NYT show that the vacation was spur of the moment to escape the situation in Texas.

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

(02-19-2021, 08:20 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Just want to correct something, here. This wasn't a pre-planned vacation. The texts sent by his wife and shown to the NYT show that the vacation was spur of the moment to escape the situation in Texas.

If he would have taken his family to DC . . . non-issue and no one would have said a word.

[Stewy]

(02-19-2021, 08:20 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Just want to correct something, here. This wasn't a pre-planned vacation. The texts sent by his wife and shown to the NYT show that the vacation was spur of the moment to escape the situation in Texas.

Thanks for the correction.  i wasn't sure, but assumed.  Booooo to me.  Still won't make a difference.  Cruz will still get re-elected.

[Stewy]

(02-19-2021, 11:38 PM)Stewy Wrote: Thanks for the correction.  i wasn't sure, but assumed.  Booooo to me.  Still won't make a difference.  Cruz will still get re-elected.

Just a thought.  No Democrat will beat Cruz, but I wonder if he could lose a Republican primary.......and I'm not sure that's a good thing as we might get someone worse.

[Belsnickel]

(02-19-2021, 11:38 PM)Stewy Wrote: Thanks for the correction.  i wasn't sure, but assumed.  Booooo to me.  Still won't make a difference.  Cruz will still get re-elected.

Oh, I know. Every time my wife brings up someone new mocking Cruz my response is always "too bad this won't matter at al to the Texas electorate."

[GMDino]

(02-19-2021, 08:06 PM)Stewy Wrote: The diesel generators are backup for peak AC season during the summer - NONE of them are/were winterized, thus useless during this crisis.

I haven't seen a report that says that. And I did look for one.

[Benton]

(02-19-2021, 11:38 PM)Stewy Wrote: Still won't make a difference.  Cruz will still get re-elected.

Kentuckians know the feeling with mcconnell. 

[Stewy]

(02-20-2021, 12:10 PM)GMDino Wrote: I haven't seen a report that says that.  And I did look for one.

You won't find that information on the national stage.  It was reported several times by the local news in regard to Centerpoint Energy explaining why they couldn't get the power plants back online in such cold temperatures.

But Im not surprised you can't find it.  It was always mentioned in passing amongst larger stories.

[GMDino]

(02-20-2021, 02:48 PM)Stewy Wrote: You won't find that information on the national stage.  It was reported several times by the local news in regard to Centerpoint Energy explaining why they couldn't get the power plants back online in such cold temperatures.

But Im not surprised you can't find it.  It was always mentioned in passing amongst larger stories.

I searched for any story that said the generators' sent by FEMA were not winterized.  Do you have a link to one?

I understand the plants in Texas were not winterized.  They only had a decade to do it and gosh darn it it costs money.  

Edit: Here are is one with updates and some of the generators have finally been distributed.

https://www.cbs19.tv/article/weather/live-updates-on-the-crisis-in-texas-lewisville-issues-boil-water-notice-as-power-comes-back-online-for-millions/287-6708d543-d9d7-48b4-9879-85c046f32cd4

I still don't see they were not useable.

[Stewy]

(02-20-2021, 03:10 PM)GMDino Wrote: I searched for any story that said the generators' sent by FEMA were not winterized.  Do you have a link to one?

I understand the plants in Texas were not winterized.  They only had a decade to do it and gosh darn it it costs money.  

Edit:  Here are is one with updates and some of the generators have finally been distributed.

https://www.cbs19.tv/article/weather/live-updates-on-the-crisis-in-texas-lewisville-issues-boil-water-notice-as-power-comes-back-online-for-millions/287-6708d543-d9d7-48b4-9879-85c046f32cd4

I still don't see they were not useable.

I was not talking about FEMA generators, but about pre-existing backup diesel generators, that are supposed to backup things like MUDs if the power goes down.  These pre-existing backup generators were not winterized, and did not function when the grid went down, and thus lead to a huge part of the water supply problem.

Sorry for the confusion, I wasn't speaking of FEMA generators.

[GMDino]

(02-20-2021, 09:39 PM)Stewy Wrote: I was not talking about FEMA generators, but about pre-existing backup diesel generators, that are supposed to backup things like MUDs if the power goes down.  These pre-existing backup generators were not winterized, and did not function when the grid went down, and thus lead to a huge part of the water supply problem.

Sorry for the confusion, I wasn't speaking of FEMA generators.

Ah!  That makes more sense.  Yeah, Texas dropped the ball completely...and probably won't change anything moving forward either.

[GMDino]

Ted is a trip.

Free market.. injustice pic.twitter.com/rxwOW0n2oX

— Ryan Mac? (@RMac18) February 22, 2021

 










I'd HOPE he is doing this because he learned something but I know better.

[*Nately120*]

Ted Cruz and the power companies being able to pull of this sort of thing in the state where everyone has guns really makes me doubt any sort of uprising is ever going to occur.

[Dill]

(02-22-2021, 12:31 PM)GMDino Wrote: Ted is a trip.


I'd HOPE he is doing this because he learned something but I know better.

Sorry Dino, but if GOVERNMENT REGULATION was not the answer after the 2010 winter disaster,

then GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION is not the answer now.

It's about choices and personal responsibility.

Texas energy customers are adults and knew what they were signing onto when agreed to buy electricity,

and voted "small government" de-regulators into Texas office.

The cycle of government dependency has to stop somewhere. 



Maybe this is the time for Cruz et al. to decide--FREEDOM or SOCIALISM?