Man, it kills me to write that title. I love this state. I love the food and the culture, I love the diversity. I bristle at the caricatures of Texans as a bunch of ignorant, braggadocious cowboys, knowing that the overwhelming majority of people I encounter are personally humble, friendly, kind and generous.
But as I sit here wrapped in blankets with no power for four days, I’m increasingly enraged by the fundamental governing philosophy of this state — “Go get yours. You didn’t or can’t? Fuck you then.” The entire state is built around rewarding rapaciousness, and anything that stands in the way is red tape and needless bureaucracy.
And so the politicians and businessmen all conspire to keep the electric grid independent and essentially unregulated, and then compete to see who can express the most outrage when the the grid fails. They bluster at the grid operator that they created and oversee for failing to take necessary winterization precautions. And they did the same thing ten years ago during a similar (but less drastic) scenario, having heated debates and forming commissions to write reports and doing nothing. Because doing something would cost money, and who are they to tell the taxpayers or business that they may need to pay a little more for the public good?
And so I’m sure we’ll get the same circus again, and nothing will change. Oh, I’m sure they’ll slap some bandaid on it and fall all over themselves congratulating each other. But it’ll be at best a patch, and won’t even begin to look at the bigger issue of investing in our infrastructure needs.
Sorry, just venting. Luckily the range works so I can warm up some Frito pie.