comment: >
  
  Thanks Abbott, we are owing the libs so hard! /s
context: Any Federal Aid to Texas should require the "Texas Grid" to be brought up to the same weather proofing and redundancy requirements as the rest of the country. US should not keep propping up self-serving private utilities trying to cut corners to maximize their profits! >
  
  The grid needs nationalized like everywhere else. This is the only state that has this problem. >
  
  BuT mUh SuCcEsSiOn >
  
  secession* >
  
  Thanks, I thought I spelled it wrong but wasn't sure lol. >
  
  If only there was an incident that was a pre-cursor to this one that made them evaluate problems and prevent future incidents. >
  
  
  If only there was an incident that was a pre-cursor to the previous incident that was a pre-cursor to this one that made them evaluate problems and prevent future incidents.
  
  Ftfy.
  There have been at least 2 winter failures. Both resulted in a report detailing what should be done. Both were ignored in favor of profits. >
  
  
  "Look, I make enough that it doesn't impact me personally, I can just go on vacation to, say, Cancun, worst-case scenario. Join my buddy Ted. So why should I care about doing my job and helping the poors?"
  
  —republicans in control of the state, probably >
  
  I grew up going to church with republicans and republican politicians, including the governor of Texas at the time. This is exactly what they think. They think it is a moral failure, religious failure, and a lack of work ethic that makes someone poor. It’s gods will. It’s also why the don’t give a fuck about the environment. The earth belongs to them because god said so and if the earth becomes inhabitable then it’s gods will. It’s fucking insane >
  
  My brother told me a (related, stick with me) story once about his experience as EOD in Afghanistan. He and his crew were tasked with teaching a group of Afghani men how to clear land mines from an area. They had advanced equipment, hundreds of hours of training, and got to work. They wanted to  show them how you could clear the field in low tech ways all the way up to using robots! They got to work and pulled out their equipment and got started doing a demo. No more than 5 minutes into the class the Afghani men were visibly annoyed and agitated and no longer paying attention.  They stopped and asked them what was up.
  Well, they knew better! The lead dude told them they had been doing this for years and wanted to show the EOD guys how it's done. They obliged them and said go ahead, show us. Keep in mind they are standing in front of an active mine field with live ordinance. The Afghani soldiers left and came back minutes later with HUGE poles, several meters long each. They lined up in a row, raised the poles above their heads, and began walking forward in unison smacking the ground with their sticks ahead of them. Naturally there was a lot of "allahu akbar! SMACK allahu akbar! SMACK" going on. 
  The EOD guys were mortified, but the veterans among them weren't too surprised. My brother started yelling, demanding logical answers, and demanded to know if they just gave no shits about their life or the life of their friends. The answer was no, if they die they die and it's God's will that they do so.  They had absolute faith that smacking the ground with sticks, even though there were trained professionals waiting to educate them literally feet away, was 💯 the correct course of action. In fact the soldiers were stupid to even doubt it, which is why they got so agitated. 
  It seems to me like a lot of Texas politicians and the people who support them have a lot in common with those Afghani villagers and their clerics/politicians. I'll let you use your imagination but there are a lot of parallels you can draw. 
  BTW, one of those guys died the following week clearing a bomb from the side of the road with a stick. He was a local hero. >
  
  Yeah same kinda people, except worse. They have more in common with the attitudes of the taliban. The people in the church I grew up in were proud to call themselves religious radicals and warriors of god. They are very unselfaware people to say the least. They would harp on and on about Islamic extremists, how much of a threat they are and shariah law is, and how Christianity is under attack all while wanting the US to become a strictly Christian nation, and believing it had been founded as a Christian nation. I mean shit i was raised to be a soldier in a holy war. And it’s not like these people weren’t rich either or weren’t college educated. They were. They had property, companies, held political positions. I’m sure some were there Jan 6 or at least cheering it on >
  
  I'd start calling them "clerics" and ask them questions about "holy war" and their idea of "Judeo-law" until they caught on and kicked me out. Which I'm guessing for many might take a while they can be very oblivious. I was in a similar church like that myself for a while and I know exactly what you are talking about. The most disconnected to me was how you could question them if they believed in freedom you would get absolutely no hesitation. But freedom for everyone to make their own choices? ... Crickets. You aren't supposed to ask that one out loud. The unspoken answer is no, of course not, freedom for the right people only. >
  
  And not women, they are not the right people. >
  
  Ted Cruz must be packing his bags as we speak >
  
  The asshole left the state last week lol. >
  
  Seriously? 😠 >
  
  What’s you expect him to do? Work to help his constituents? Why would he bother lol they’re going to donate and vote for him back in anyway >
  
  To those who reelected Abbott, you get what you asked for with this. >
  
  Getting really tired of people saying this when we KNOW that Republicans gerrymander election districts and that they rarely win elections via the populate vote. >
  
  The governorship election is literally decided by the popular vote. >
  
  Cool. I shouldn’t have specified gerrymandering here as it detracts from what I meant. 
  Republicans have systemically made it difficult for minority and marginalized communities to vote via voter ID laws, banning felons from
  voting in most states, over-policing and falsely convicting black and brown men of felonies, and by removing polling places in certain neighborhoods and communities. 
  Pretending as if most of the people Republicans reside over actually elected them is bullshit. >
  
  You are 100% spot on, with this. Republicans want to make it harder and harder for anyone but republicans to vote. The biggest problem we have is people need to actually vote. The low turnout shit is annoying. >
  
  Guess it’s going to be a lot easier to “take” those guns from all of those “cold, dead hands” now? >
  
  Trying not to laugh but that’s fucking funny. >
  
  Can’t shoot your way out of cold >
  
  Maybe you can… shoot enough the heat from the barrel will keep you warm. Dunno… don’t have to worry about it, I have a reliable electric grid. >
  
  Yikes.... Abbott's bold claims of "not one Texan has lost power on ERCOT's grid!" is aging faster than the kids from Old lol. >
  
  That claim isn't just aging, it was dead long before now. >
  
  Froze to death >
  
  Privatize profits, socialize losses. Texass is a leach state. >
  
  Gee, privatizing the grid is maybe not the answer >
  
  But... but TRICKLE DOWN >
  
  It's golden. It must be antifreeze. It means they care! >
  
  Why bother winterizing your power system when you can you get get those sweet government bailouts. This is the Republican Party. >
  
  Are their any tickets available to Cancun?
  Asking for a friend, that is in no way a US senator. >
  
  Gross that he is your friend. >
  
  I blame the people who voted for Abbott in November. >
  
  I blame all the people I talked to while canvassing voters who said they don't vote since things only get worse but can't pull their heads out of their posteriors enough to see that not voting is what caused this problem and more of the same isn't going to do shit to fix it. >
  
  This POV gets overlooked a lot. People who think it's bad everywhere it doesn't matter if or who they vote for, Texas has the same problems as everywhere else and the problems are not that bad (went slackjawed at that one).
  And then unironically turn to me weeks later and ask "aren't Dems supposed to get stuff done, why hasn't Biden passed XYZ yet". >
  
  TBF This is Texas's grid. Ran by Texas, independent of the rest of the country, ignored by Texas as problems have been recurring for decades. Like the border Texas appears to be unable to take care of their own shit. Republicans are the loudest mouths in the room when blaming all their problems on Democrats yet come crying for federal help due to their own negligence. Fuck Texas, let them freeze until they elect responsible government. >
  
  Do not forget to mention that the reason their grid is independent due to not wanting to adhere to federal minimum requirements in order to be connected to the national grid. >
  
  Doing the same thing over again and expecting different results…
  I feel bad for the poor people who did not vote for conservatives that have dealt with this every time. They’re probably hit the hardest. >
  
  Fuck Texas, their energy corps keep their grid separate for profits and their state keeps it separate for its on again off again plans of secession >
  
  On again off again, just like their electricity? >
  
  the one star on their state flag is a rating. >
  
  This is a good one. >
  
  spotted it on reddit, have been using it whenever appropriate. please do so also. 
  ps - people from TX hate it, i know a few and can confirm. i lived in dallas for a couple months, and even though i was a dallas cowboys fan, hated living there. >
  
  If I was financially stable, I'd move, but that's not even a distant option for me. >
  
  As a Texan who voted AGAINST Abbott, I knew this was going to happen. Everybody has been saying it will only get worse. The grid was not weatherized. The grid was not updated. The grid was ignored. And yet, Abbott is still rolling around Texas as Governor because this sad state cares more about forcing women to have rape & incest babies and buy assault rifles that are used in school shootings. The county that Uvalde is in voted for Abbott. That’s sad and disgusting.
  Hope we all enjoy the higher property taxes because those will not be going down either. You get what you voted for. >
  
  Except for you and the rest of the 44% of Texans that voted to get rid of him.
  Voter turn out was also a shit show. Too many idiots refusing to have a voice because they fear things won't go their way. >
  
  Texas is some of the lowest voter registration in the country and some of the lowest voter turnout in the country. Nobody in Texas wants to run their government except the grifters. >
  
  the consequences of voting for republicans. >
  
  “Guns keep you warm and that’s a scientific fact. The winter blast is due to the illegals”- many republicans…probably >
  
  Texans would be shocked, if they have power. >
  
  If only there had been some prior event to give warning that this could happen. 
  So... Any flights to Cancun? >
  
  This is bullshit. They keep electing assholes just to stick it to Washington and stand on their own, and then come running hands out every few months when there’s another disaster that they’ve caused. >
  
  Beto ran on fixing the grid. Texans voted for Abbott knowing he fucked up a couple of years ago. They are getting what they deserve. >
  
  Not the people who did not vote for him, the poorest of whom will be hit hardest. This goes for any disenfranchised group in a southern state. >
  
  There are enough Democratic voters to have elected Beto. A lot of them didn’t even bother to vote. >
  
  Even then that’s actively throwing those who voted, and not for Abbott, under the bus. You also have to factor in how people are disenfranchised and voting is restricted. >
  
  While I sympathize with them, Republican voters need to eat a lot more shit sandwiches until they get tired of it and try something new. Until then, it’s the price you pay for living in Talibanistan. >
  
  Send me 150k so I can leave this shithole and I will lol. >
  
  It doesn't take 150k to move states in the US. >
  
  It does if you want even the absolute most basic place to live when you move lol.
  Can't get a loan for a house when you already have a house payment, and not enough income for TWO loans. >
  
  You can sell a house before the mortgage is done. >
  
  And just be homeless with your family until you hopefully find another one in another state..... >
  
  Everything is bigger in texas including freezes! >
  
  Profits and culture wars are way more important. >
  
  Haven’t heard this story before. No, certainly not. >
  
  Only thing missing is a flight to Cancun blamed on some children. Funny that. >
  
  Oh wow. I wonder if this will become an annual thing. Its a shame that Texas' government is too preoccupied with discriminating against transgender people to fix it. >
  
  Semi-annual. They do it in the summer when it gets really hot too. As long as the temperature stays between 50 and 80 degrees and people don’t use too much extra power, everything is fine. >
  
  I am Jack’s complete lack of surprise. >
  
  Good reference. >
  
  Good job Texans!! Keep electing the assholes who did this to you. Way to own the libs !!! >
  
  The worst part is that 44% of Texans want to get rid of him. Imagine being them. >
  
  Way to own the libs Texas. >
  
  i say “let them all go to cancun “with that asshole they keep re-electing >
  
  Here we go again >
  
  Only if  somthing coukd of been done to fix this problem. >
  
  r/leopardsatemyface >
  
  
  The order allows the state’s grid operator to exceed certain air pollution limits to boost generation amid record power demand in the state.
  
  So get the pollution back under control by restrictions on Texan industry...  They're gaming the environmental regulations. >
  
  This is happening in several states right now. Texas isn’t special, the article is just meant for people who don’t like Texas to get riled up in look Texas bad. >
  
  They will promptly blame this on the Democrats and their Republican base will eat it up like sloppy, savory Salisbury steaks. >
  
  Who in the universe did not see this happening again? >
  
  This implies that TX will accept help from the Federal government?
  What alternate hell scape have I wandered into?  Certainly the good people of TX would not accept socialism! >
  
  Try reading the article. >
  
  Are you saying your state doesn’t make enough money to do the necessary infrastructure work to keep it afloat? Shocker. Maybe those big city libs who pay for all your shit aren’t so bad. >
  
  Well they did “evacuate” some immigrants to the VPs home last night, so at least they are “helping” some groups. /s I wonder if for republicans it will ever be time to start electing politicians based on real issues and not culture war bs >
  
  Texans keep bitching about problems, yet keep reelecting they same idiots. Eventually,  they deserve all the shit they get served >
  
  They need to stop shipping migrants over to other states as cute little political stunts and stop with the transgender persecution and fix their own f*cking power grid.
  ....bit hard to feel sorry for Texas when only 30% of all voters 35 and under actually voted last month >
  
  This is what Texas voted for though. It’s exactly what they wanted. Last time I pointed this out I got downvoted. Delicate conservatives can’t handle consequences. >
  
  Texas isn't a democracy it's a dictatorship of oil barons >
  
  You really didn't need link a to Ercot. It says as much in the article, but I guess folks can be bothered to read it. 
  No defense of Ercot, they are literally just playing a game of chance every time a significant weather event happens in Texas. They just got lucky that the grid didn't fail again this time.   The night is still young, and there is always Christmas morning. >
  
  At what point does it stop being an "emergency" and start being "operating as designed"?  It's not exactly a secret what is needed to make the current Texan energy supply much more resilient to once-a-decade cold weather events, nor that such steps have been steadfastly avoided. >
  
  We were worried there might be black outs, so we blacked out the poors as a precaution. >
  
  "You know what Texas, legs just leave your power grid in a permenant state of emergency and cut out the middle man." >
  
  No one could possibly have predicted this annual occurrence.
  /s >
  
  Quick, illegally send more Venezuelan refugees to Martha vineyard. That should fix this somehow! >
  
  They voted for that to keep happening. Beto tried to warn them. >
  
  Beto tried to warm them. >
  
  Someone better ask Teddy how his trip to Cancun was >
  
  Texas voted for this.
  Republicans did this to them last time, hell Ted Cruz abandoned Texas and flew to Cancun.
  Texas voted for more!
  ​
  I feel nothing for the people of Texas. This is what they want. >
  
  Cannot wait for watch abbott beg for those sweet, sweet federal dollars to save his dumb ass. >
  
  Call Greg Abbott, he'll take care of it. >
  
  People are calling Abbott telling him they’re so cold, they can’t feel their legs. 
  Abbott just responded with, So? What’s the problem?
  So you could say he’s a bit numb on the issue. >
  
  And Texas will keep doing this shit because it’s so profitable when shit barely works and when it breaks they get emergency funding to fix it, barely >
  
  Ted Cruz: Sorry guys, my daughter told me "Emergency Grid" was code for "Off the grid" >
  
  I’m here for the blame the solar and wind farms. 😂 >
  
  Uhhh another winter?? Who could have predicted such a thing >
  
  hey that literally is not our problem. texas did this to themselves. they can chop their own firewood >
  
  Ffs, don't tell us blue states need to bail these Repugs out yet again.  
  They voted for it, they OWN it. >
  
  Thoughts and prayers. >
  
  And Ted Cruz is probably in Cancun. >
  
  They are spoiled children. Kids who say how much they despise the parent's that are paying all their bills. Don't tread on me! Unless I need help. >
  
  Dude Texas sucks so bad. >
  
  Here’s hoping the people of Texas are staying safe and warm this holiday season.
  On another note, does anyone know the current whereabouts of Ted Cruz? >
  
  We in Minnesota are not paying for this shit again >
  
  Not one cent of federal money should go to this shithole state. >
  
  Why would the US do that? The whole purpose of the Texas grid was to make it independent of the feds. I'm sorry for the people of Texas, being cold and all, but they voted for their clown government. >
  
  Let’s see how they are going to blame the Green New Deal this time >
  
  WTF is going on with Texas power grid, Its cold as shit here in CT too but I'm not losing any power. >
  
  
  The order allows the state’s grid operator to exceed certain air 
  pollution limits to boost generation amid record power demand in the 
  state.
  
  And the consequences should be a fine equal to all the profits made from the allowance. They won't make a better power grid, if they know they will be allowed to break the laws in times of emergency. >
  
  Thoughts and prayers? I mean, they keep voting in the same people who keep them controlled. It's their own making. Too bad, so sad. >
  
  Lol cool. Hard to feel sorry when there was time to change it, have fun with your freedumb grid Texas. >
  
  Maybe stop helping out a state that prides itself on its own shitty grid, sees it fail to devastating effect,  then doesn’t do a damn thing about the problem because they are too busy making literal registries of gay and trans people (where have we seen this before… )instead.  
  Y’all don’t even vote, bless your hearts. Hate to see people die or suffer but seriously you need to get your ducks in a group if not a row. Stop tripping yourselves and asking for a bandaid. Get on the national grid FFS. >
  
  Will Abbott fix it? Nah Texas will always vote Republican. >
  
  Zero sympathy. They voted for this, now live with it. >
  
  Oh no.... anyway >
  
  If it’s privatized. But SUCKS why keep it? I just don’t understand the logic. >
  
  Because to conservatives, the government can't do ANYTHING right, only the private sector can. By their logic, no matter how bad the private system is, the government running it would be FAR worse.   
  They are wrong, but that is what they have been brainwashed to believe ever since Reagan said, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help." conservatives truly believe this and have been actively working against the government for the past 40 years trying to make it small enough to "drown in a bathtub". >
  
  is this once again the fault of the Green New Deal? you know, the bill that never passed? >
  
  There’s this old saying about fool me once… fool me twice… >
  
  Texas politicians have made it clear that their constituents are willing to die to preserve their independence! >
  
  It didnt even get all that wet this time in most of the major cities.
  Guess we will just hope for the best, because we are nowhere near prepped for the worst... >
  
  Nothing is certain except death and the Texas power grid crashing again. >
  
  “Hey I’ve seen this one before. It’s a classic.” >
  
  Yo Texas republicans, why aren't you burning your oil/oil money to heat your fellow secessionists at least? >
  
  Good thing Texas is part of the United States.  I shudder to think what would happen if they had to govern themselves. >
  
  Thoughts and prayers. They voted the people responsible for their woes back in to power. Again. And again. And again. Suck it up. >
  
  Fucking morons. >
  
  I remember watching the local news and the anchor said something like.
  "The Texas Grid is better prepared this time around, but we didn't expect such high demand for energy." 
  I just stared at the break room TV in confusion for a moment. This was the day it dropped to 10° in the DFW area. My heater went out that night and the previous 2 nights I was able to see my own breath in my storage freezer of an apartment. Thankfully I'm now at a family members house in Austin for Christmas. My cars heater and just now being at my family members home is the warmest I've been since the Arctic chill arrived. >
  
  We cannot bail them out in any way. They have firmly chosen this route. >
  
  Again? >
  
  Fuck it.  Let’s go to Whataburger. >
  
  Dude will you stop beating a dead horse already?
  Oh wait nvm. This one is from this year. >
  
  Color me surprised >
  
  remember texas republicans u voted for this >
  
  Thoughts and prayers. >
  
  This allows the power plants to exceed pollution controls.
  I'm sure we can trust these profiteering companies not to abuse this... >
  
  Sounds like it's time to nationalise an energy infrastructure... >
  
  Let texas freeze over just like the last time. Theyre such morons. >
  
  Are Minnesotans expected to pick up the bill for this one as well? >
  
  Remember ENRON? >
  
  You’d think they would of upgraded the power grid by now so every time it snows there isn’t a mass power outage >
  
  That’s the price you pay to be a red state. Love it or get the fuck out >
  
  I am 57 young. Voted blue since I was  the age of 18. 
  Have natural gas gen that runs the  entire  house.  Have gas stove, gas fireplace 
  I feel sad for those with out power.
  If I could get the fuck out,  I would, but  I'm palliative care, a move would only hasten my demise. 
  In my mind, I'm living in Los osos Cali. 👌
  San Diego, or Maui Hawaii, >
  
  That’s a shame, it’s almost like this was easily preventable, but seems to happen every single year >
  
  here we go again >
  
  As it does every year.
  Oh and Summer as well. >
  
  quick someone hold a hearing on Hunter Bidens laptop! >
  
  We've learned nothing, and willing to try about the same. >
  
  If only Texas could have seen this coming! I am sure this has never happened before! >
  
  Nobody is shocked. >
  
  Is Cruz in Cancun yet? >
  
  Can’t they just build a wall to keep the cold out? >
  
  Conservatives live off progressive’s progress and cry when they don’t get it.
  …and only thank god when they do. >
  
  This is what Texas voted for. >
  
  Nope. Texas voted for this shit, let Texas figure it out. No help. >
  
  Wait, we have to bail out another red state? Shocker >
  
  Anybody know if Senator Cruz bought his Cancún tickets yet? Or is he going to blame it on his daughter again if he can’t go this time? >
  
  So now the rest of us get to bail out Abbott yet again, for which he will give the rest of us the virtual finger yet again. >
  
  Why don't they just shoot the cold with their guns? >
  
  Entirely predictable. And as people gloat about, "herr derrrrr Texas", we're staring at a similar issue here in California with PG&E. It's just a matter of time. Until we get money out of politics we're going to keep circling the drain. But we won't so drain it is. >
  
  Is California connected to the national grid or isolated like Texas? >
  
  Only Texas is isolated as all other states (minus Hawaii and Alaska) have power lines crossing state lines making them regulated by the Feds. >
  
  I love to shit on Texas too.....
  But....
  There are tons of precautions being taken all across the country. 
  Heck my state is warning about potential rolling Blackouts tonight and asking people to turn off unneeded electronics.
  So maybe we can back off a bit tonight on them. >
  
  Embarrassing for a country as wealthy as this. Not shitting on Texas here, but this is a joke. >
  
  Living in the most "disenfranchised" area in STX and the power has been fine for the most part 💀 this really isnt bad as 2 years ago, like most people here think for some reason. >
  
  So glad I split to Mexico for good three years ago.  70-45F & sunny here at 7000' ASL today, as it was when this last happened.  No dealing with Abbott either.  Nice.