Calls on Texas governor to resign, blames wind and solar power outages

As millions of Texans fought desperately to warm up amid power outages caused by the devastating winter storm that swept the nation, the state’s Republican governor accused late Tuesday that solar and wind power outages occurred. Despite the fact that Texas relies heavily on fossil fuels – and argued that the crisis shows that the Green New Deal would be a “deadly deal” for the United States.

“Texas is blessed with several energy sources, such as natural gas and oil and nuclear, as well as solar and wind,” Governor Greg Abbott said in an appearance at Hannity Tuesday night. “Our wind and solar power stopped and collectively accounted for more than 10% of our electricity grid. And that pushed Texas into a state-of-the-art state.”

Abbott was far from the first Republican to hold such blatantly false points of discussion in response to the ongoing crisis in Texas, which left at least 10 people dead. But the governor’s decision to run Fox News and attacking a policy that was not even implemented because Texans resorted to burning their possessions to keep their children warm, was considered another example of its failed leadership.

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“Five million Texans are without energy tonight and the temperatures are freezing. Surely people will die tonight because of this.” SAPS Sawyer Hackett, senior adviser to Julián Castro. “But Governor Abbott had time to go to Sean Hannity to blame the Green New Deal.”

Citing an official in the State Electrical Reliability Council (ERCOT), Texas Tribune reported that as of Tuesday afternoon, “16 gigawatts of renewable energy, mostly wind, was offline. Almost twice as much as 30 gigawatts had been lost from heat sources, which include gas, coal and nuclear power.”

“Texas is a gas state,” said Michael Webber, a professor of energy at the University of Texas at Austin. Tribune. “Gas is failing in the most spectacular way right now.”

But that didn’t stop Texas Republicans like Abbott and Representative. And Crenshaw from trying to blame frozen wind turbines for disruptions that could go on for days, endangering lives and vaccines against coronavirus.

In response to Abbott’s “Hannity” interview, Texas voting lawyer Charlie Bonner posted on Twitter“He’s lying. People are dying, and he’s on Fox News lying to you. We live in fear and Greg Abbott plays politics with our lives. “

“Greg Abbott doesn’t care if you live or die tonight, so take care of each other, friends,” Bonner added. “We live in a failed state.”

Castro sent a similar message on Tuesday afternoon, written that “Governor Abbott has failed to prepare for this storm, he has been too slow to respond, and now he blames everyone but himself for this mess.”

“It has neglected the state’s old and unregulated power grid,” Castro said. “Now, 4.4 million Texans have no power in freezing conditions.”

a interview on ABC 13 in Houston earlier Tuesday, Abbott said officials at ERCOT – the agency that oversees Texas’ power grid – should resign because of their failure to be transparent enough with Texas residents during and after the storm. .

But Abhi Rahman, communications director for the Texas Democrats, SAPS Abbott is the one who should move away.

“Abbott is the leader of the state,” Rahman said. “He is informed of emergencies. He should be the one to resign.”

In a statement earlier this week, as temperatures dropped and millions lost power, Texas Democratic Party President Gilberto Hinojosa said “Abbott’s inability to govern is not only negligent, but incredibly dangerous.” “.

“People are freezing. Families can’t open their refrigerators, they can’t heat their food or they can go shopping,” Hinojosa said. “Like the coronavirus crisis, Abbott’s neglect has put his life in danger again. Abbott owes an explanation to the people of Texas. And Texans deserve better than failed leaders who couldn’t get out of a shoebox.”

This article first appeared on Common Dreams. You can read it Here.