Texas Blows

 The extremes of weather predicted by models of global warming seem to be playing out. There has been snow across the American South this week, and another storm may be passing through in the next few days. Texas has power outages in many places, and Texans are blaming wind power.

That's right. Wind power. Which accounts for ten percent of electricity in Texas in winter time is being blamed for the power outages across the state. The problem is that frozen natural gas and failure in coal and nuclear plants from the cold are bigger contributors to the problem. And El Paso hasn't had the same problem, because it doesn't limit itself to power from Texas, being connected to other states. So El Paso was able to restore its power within minutes, unlike the rest of Texas, which, to avoid federal regulations, is not connected to other states, and thus suffered serious problems, including a number of avoidable deaths, when its poorly managed infrastructure for energy failed in a storm. It seems that without proper regulation, states can fail to maintain infrastructure in preparation for emergencies, even in relatively rich states like Texas. I would say it was shocking, but without power, how can it be?

It was 1 degree F at our house this morning. We had several inches of snow Monday and Tuesday, with wind and so forth. We did not lose power. Ohio is better prepared for such storms. Maybe because they happen here at greater frequency. But how many deaths justify the failures in Texas? I mean, Texas opted to avoid federal regulation, and saved money by neglecting to prepare for "worst case scenarios" in weatherizing its power grid. How much saving would it take to justify the deaths that have resulted from this failure? Who should be held responsible? I mean, Ted Cruz has defended Texas and attacked other states for failures, including California. Now that Texas has lost lives due to obvious negligence, should he be listed among those to be held accountable? I think so. His whole attitude about preparation for the changes due to global warming make him unfit for decision-making on any serious level.

The globe is warming. It is warming because of greenhouse gas emission from human activity. This trend will continue for decades, even if we change our behavior now, and stop these emissions, and will continue to get worse if we don't. These are things science has told us, and our "leaders" aren't listening. Well, some are. President Joe Biden seems to be taking global warming seriously. That is a good development.

Leaders in Texas have not been taking global warming seriously. I wonder if they will start soon. I wonder how many disasters it will take to get their attention. I hope I am underestimating them, but I always remember that quote from underestimating the taste of the American public. Some change that to intelligence, and I sadly concede the point.