President Biden on Texas

[gredinger]

Sorry, bit late on reposting this news for activity so I can totally do that signature spam bullshit.  
Because I'm late on this issue, you get *TWO* news articles in the same post!  
The funny bit is how there's not even another "hey guys, texas is fucked right now" thread in Politics & Society, so this is 100% unique, non-spam content right here, aww yiss.

But hey, let's go spam a comment in another covid conspiracy thread to bump that activity /s

Anywho; onto the news;

Title: Readout of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Call with Governor Greg Abbott of Texas

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke this evening with Texas Governor Greg Abbott about the severe winter weather situation facing central and southern parts of the United States, including Texas.

President Biden conveyed his support to the people of Texas in this trying time. He reiterated that the federal government will continue to work hand-in-hand with state and local authorities in Texas to bring relief and address the critical needs of the families affected. He also shared his intentions to instruct additional federal agencies to look into any immediate steps that could be taken to support Texans at this time.

The President also expressed that his administration was at the ready should the State of Texas or any other impacted region need additional federal disaster support or assistance as severe storms move across the US.

Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/18/readout-of-president-joseph-r-biden-jr-call-with-governor-greg-abbott-of-texas/


Title: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Texas Emergency Declaration

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that an emergency exists in the State of Texas and ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from a severe winter storm beginning on February 11, 2021, and continuing.

The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in all 254 Texas counties.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures for mass care and sheltering and direct federal assistance will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.

Robert J. Fenton, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Jerry S. Thomas as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION MEDIA SHOULD CONTACT:  FEMA NEWS DESK AT (202) 646-3272 OR FEMA-NEWS-DESK@FEMA.DHS.GOV

Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/14/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-texas-emergency-declaration/

[BADecker]

Isn't that the way it always works. The situation is a storm disaster in Texas. Take advantage of the storm situation. You don't want to miss out on a good opportunity - https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5313649.msg56392841#msg56392841. Then help out so that people think you are the good guy.

Texas is lucky. They could build their infrastructure so that there would be no dependence on the US necessary. Then they could secede, according to the contract they have with the US in their acceptance of statehood.

[franky1]

Texas is lucky. They could build their infrastructure so that there would be no dependence on the US necessary.

funny part is texas did build their electrical grid independent of other stats..
and thats the problem.. texas cut themselves off from other states. but then didnt have redundancies to be independant. so when things went bad. they couldnt help themselves and they also couldnt just tap into nearby states resources to get by

texas was known for its prepper lifestyle. but seems even with covid stuff many people havnt prepped for a week-month worth of food or their own water/electric sources

yep they then asked for the feds to step in.. so just goes to show they wouldnt survive a month without feds stepping in

seems the 'independant' state and 'prepper' lifestyle.. didnt really work for texas

[Gyfts]

This is slightly off topic but still kinda relevant - Ted Cruz flies to Cancun during Texas snow storms...yikes...


https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/18/us/politics/ted-cruz-storm-cancun.html

So a couple things.

Very bad optics, obviously. Cruz probably knew this was a bad look but there's no way he had the foresight to see this much blowback over a trip to Cancun. Cruz is a US senator, not elected on the state level. So really, there isn't much he can do. From my understanding, power outages were the main issue and a middle aged politician is not going to be much help in that field. I've also seen people say that he should be coordinating the response, but this is suppose to be handled on the state level with the governors and state politicians. Regardless, very stupid move by Cruz.

Last point - There is this much blowback on senator Cruz while there was *zero* criticism for Nancy Pelosi visiting a hair saloon months ago in California while she is advocating for lock downs.

So there is a clear double standard here.

[PrimeNumber7]

This is slightly off topic but still kinda relevant - Ted Cruz flies to Cancun during Texas snow storms...yikes...
<>
Last point - There is this much blowback on senator Cruz while there was *zero* criticism for Nancy Pelosi visiting a hair saloon months ago in California while she is advocating for lock downs.

IMO the criticism is really just propaganda on the part of the Democrats. If Beto had gotten elected to the Senate in 2018 and done the same thing, there would be crickets.

The issue is that Texas was relying too heavily on Wind energy, and the windmills froze when it got too cold. This is one more reason why the green new deal is a bad idea. Nuclear power would be far superior, can more easily scale, and is much cleaner than even the "green" power.

There may be a crisis due to a lack of water because apparently there are boil notices in parts of Texas due to the treatment plants being without power, and people being unable to boil their water. Many people who live in Texas also do not know how to protect their pipes from bursting because it is so rare to have this kind of weather. 

[suchmoon]

Cruz probably knew this was a bad look but there's no way he had the foresight to see this much blowback over a trip to Cancun. Cruz is a US senator, not elected on the state level. So really, there isn't much he can do. From my understanding, power outages were the main issue and a middle aged politician is not going to be much help in that field. I've also seen people say that he should be coordinating the response, but this is suppose to be handled on the state level with the governors and state politicians. Regardless, very stupid move by Cruz.

He left his dog home. In a house that was allegedly freezing or whatever the excuse for the trip was. If I was a Democrat demagogue that's what I would focus on. Cruz being an asshole is hardly news. But leaving the dog?!!! Unacceptable

The issue is that Texas was relying too heavily on Wind energy, and the windmills froze when it got too cold. This is one more reason why the green new deal is a bad idea. Nuclear power would be far superior, can more easily scale, and is much cleaner than even the "green" power.

Except that's bullshit. Gas and nuclear power stations were failing too. Wind turbines can have de-icing systems installed and work fine thousands of miles north of Texas. If a power plant - wind or gas or whatever - failed to winterize the equipment, that's on them. And on the ludicrously incompetent state government that didn't take steps to ensure they have a resilient power supply and didn't have a plan B to buy power from other states in an emergency, because Texas obviously has to have its own grid.

[Gyfts]

Cruz probably knew this was a bad look but there's no way he had the foresight to see this much blowback over a trip to Cancun. Cruz is a US senator, not elected on the state level. So really, there isn't much he can do. From my understanding, power outages were the main issue and a middle aged politician is not going to be much help in that field. I've also seen people say that he should be coordinating the response, but this is suppose to be handled on the state level with the governors and state politicians. Regardless, very stupid move by Cruz.

He left his dog home. In a house that was allegedly freezing or whatever the excuse for the trip was. If I was a Democrat demagogue that's what I would focus on. Cruz being an asshole is hardly news. But leaving the dog?!!! Unacceptable

The dog was the cherry on top of the shit sandwich. I'm sure there is something poetic about the dog being named snowflake but I haven't thought too long about it. Apparently there was a security guard that was looking after the dog so it wasn't *completely* abandoned.

Guess Cancun wasn't pet friendly 

[BADecker]

President Biden on Texas


Might not be so bad if Texas was a woman, and not the man that it is.

[gredinger]

Last point - There is this much blowback on senator Cruz while there was *zero* criticism for Nancy Pelosi visiting a hair saloon months ago in California while she is advocating for lock downs.

So there is a clear double standard here.

That was mainstream media attention for weeks straight if I remember correctly. It seems there was even a thread here.

See here; https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5275281.0

Except that's bullshit. Gas and nuclear power stations were failing too. Wind turbines can have de-icing systems installed and work fine thousands of miles north of Texas. If a power plant - wind or gas or whatever - failed to winterize the equipment, that's on them. And on the ludicrously incompetent state government that didn't take steps to ensure they have a resilient power supply and didn't have a plan B to buy power from other states in an emergency, because Texas obviously has to have its own grid.

I started writing a satire post about how stupid of a take that was honestly, but I stopped due to Poe's Law.

"We all known wind turbines don't exist anywhere where there is snow or ice. It's not feasible to even use solar because the sun turns into the moon at night and that's like half of time!"

[suchmoon]

Update on Flying Ted because obviously he can't stop digging his hole just yet: he called his neighbors assholes because some of them are Democrats and he suspects they leaked his wife's texts.

https://www.rawstory.com/ted-cruz-neighbors/

Oh and...

https://nypost.com/2021/02/22/mariachi-band-plays-at-ted-cruzs-home-amid-mexico-backlash/

As far as political protests go - this is the right way to do it. Support local entertainers during this difficult time.

[squatz1]

Update on Flying Ted because obviously he can't stop digging his hole just yet: he called his neighbors assholes because some of them are Democrats and he suspects they leaked his wife's texts.

https://www.rawstory.com/ted-cruz-neighbors/

Oh and...

https://nypost.com/2021/02/22/mariachi-band-plays-at-ted-cruzs-home-amid-mexico-backlash/

As far as political protests go - this is the right way to do it. Support local entertainers during this difficult time.

Why in gods fucking name would you have a group chat with people you dont trust and tell them about the fact that you’re living in the middle of a crisis in your state?

You’d understand telling some family members, but there’s no reason at all to put yourself in this position anyway. Just don’t go on vacation in the middle of the natural disaster in your state where hundreds of thousands are without power and heat and so on.

The stupidity here is insane. No one will care for long though, people have the attention of a gold fish — got like 4 more years until he is up for reelection again.

[Gyfts]

Update on Flying Ted because obviously he can't stop digging his hole just yet: he called his neighbors assholes because some of them are Democrats and he suspects they leaked his wife's texts.

https://www.rawstory.com/ted-cruz-neighbors/

Oh and...

https://nypost.com/2021/02/22/mariachi-band-plays-at-ted-cruzs-home-amid-mexico-backlash/

As far as political protests go - this is the right way to do it. Support local entertainers during this difficult time.

Why in gods fucking name would you have a group chat with people you dont trust and tell them about the fact that you’re living in the middle of a crisis in your state?

You’d understand telling some family members, but there’s no reason at all to put yourself in this position anyway. Just don’t go on vacation in the middle of the natural disaster in your state where hundreds of thousands are without power and heat and so on.

The stupidity here is insane. No one will care for long though, people have the attention of a gold fish — got like 4 more years until he is up for reelection again.

She's a director for goldman sachs and is married to a sitting US senator, so it's safe to say she is very short sighted. I don't think she understood how bad this looked so when she was texting her group chat, she lacked all the foresight. And of course, it bit her in the ass.

Although her neighbor is kind of an asshole for leaking the text messages.

[suchmoon]

Although her neighbor is kind of an asshole for leaking the text messages.

True. But a senator going on some nutcase podcast and saying so is a bit different than us saying so on some nutcase forum. I mean... he still needs to live there next to those people he just called assholes. As they say, takes one to know one.

[squatz1]

Update on Flying Ted because obviously he can't stop digging his hole just yet: he called his neighbors assholes because some of them are Democrats and he suspects they leaked his wife's texts.

https://www.rawstory.com/ted-cruz-neighbors/

Oh and...

https://nypost.com/2021/02/22/mariachi-band-plays-at-ted-cruzs-home-amid-mexico-backlash/

As far as political protests go - this is the right way to do it. Support local entertainers during this difficult time.

Why in gods fucking name would you have a group chat with people you dont trust and tell them about the fact that you’re living in the middle of a crisis in your state?

You’d understand telling some family members, but there’s no reason at all to put yourself in this position anyway. Just don’t go on vacation in the middle of the natural disaster in your state where hundreds of thousands are without power and heat and so on.

The stupidity here is insane. No one will care for long though, people have the attention of a gold fish — got like 4 more years until he is up for reelection again.

She's a director for goldman sachs and is married to a sitting US senator, so it's safe to say she is very short sighted. I don't think she understood how bad this looked so when she was texting her group chat, she lacked all the foresight. And of course, it bit her in the ass.

Although her neighbor is kind of an asshole for leaking the text messages.

LOL SHE IS A DIRECTOR FOR GOLDMAN SACHS AND THIS IS WHAT SHE DOES?

Neghibor is a real asshole, but its on them for displaying it to their neighbors in the middle of this massive issue that is hitting the state. Did she think that her neighbors were going to be happy that she was fleeing the state for a warm place while everyone else around her was freezing.

Although her neighbor is kind of an asshole for leaking the text messages.

True. But a senator going on some nutcase podcast and saying so is a bit different than us saying so on some nutcase forum. I mean... he still needs to live there next to those people he just called assholes. As they say, takes one to know one.

Sigh. What in gods name.

Why would you go on a podcast and put these people on blast.