Ted Cruz flew to Cancun as millions of Texans are without water & power

US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: “Breaking the News: Censorship, Suppression, and the 2020 Election”

As CB said yesterday, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Texas right now – Oya and some of our favorite commenters live in the Lone Star state, and they’re facing some horrendous conditions right now because of a historic winter storm. Millions of Texans have been left without power, and the roads are so bad, stores cannot restock essential items.

The dire situation in Texas has been made worse because Republicans have had control of the state for decades, and they’ve deregulated and privatized everything to the point where Governor Abbott is literally telling Texans that they should be okay with freezing to death for capitalism. Gov. Abbott, former governor Rick Perry, Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Senator Ted Cruz – all Texas Republicans – have explicitly blamed socialism, AOC, and Democrats for all of Texas’s current problems. Instead of actually working to fix things and get the power back on, they’re literally stopping by Sean Hannity’s Fox News show to say sh-t like “This shows how the Green New Deal would be a deadly deal for the United States of America.” 93% of Texas’s power grid is fueled by natural gas, coal, and nuclear power. Just FYI.

As for Ted Cruz, he literally left millions of constituents to freeze to death in Texas while he took a little jaunt down to Cancun, Mexico.

Older peeps: this has the feel of another Katrina, right? Remember when George W. Bush and all of the Bush officials just continued with their vacations while people were dying in Louisiana and Mississippi? Only this time, it’s just in Texas and the state Republicans are batsh-t crazy AND lazy AND compromised, while the Democratic president is actually authorizing federal aid and trying to save people.

Beto O’Rourke has been on the ground and trying to help seniors.

US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing: “Breaking the News: Censorship, Suppression, and the 2020 Election”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

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209 Responses to “Ted Cruz flew to Cancun as millions of Texans are without water & power”

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  1. Sierra says:

    I am really struggling to feel sorry for those Texas citizens who continue to vote these Republicans into office.

    Republican voters have been warned years after years that GOP don’t care if they live or die.

    Canada, Russia, Scandinavian countries etc all have yearly snowstorms and they function perfectly.

    Texas situation is fully down to GOP’s negligence and don’t care about fellow humans attitude.

    • Angel says:

      Same, I don’t feel bad at all. Elections have consequences. They will learn that.

      • Mac says:

        If you don’t feel bad for people who are freezing and starving how are you any different than the Republicans who caused this mess?

      • Sarah says:

        Wow. This attitude is just heartless. There are more Democrats in TX but because of voter suppression and gerrymandering, these odious people get “voted” in. There are elderly people, disabled folks, incarerated people, and children and families who are suffering right now. But they deserve it, right? How very…Republican.

      • Jensies says:

        Jesus. These are PEOPLE, not just votes.

      • paranormalgirl says:

        Wow. How frightening. These are people. Regardless of how the system skewed for the repubs, these are still people. They do not deserve to die or suffer.

      • Mabs A'Mabbin says:

        I’m freezing. I’m a Texas Democrat.

      • Doodle says:

        Thanks for the love – from a Canadian who lives in Austin and can’t vote. I’ve had to school fellow Canadians on the differences in how the houses are built, where the venting is located, the materials the roofs are made of, in order to explain why Texans are mot handling the once in a lifetime snowstorm well. I have power and heat but have to conserve since We share propane with our neighbors and the trucks can’t make it to us to refill the tank. We are running out of food and the trucks can’t make it to the grocery stores to restock, so once the roads are clear and we can drive we still won’t be able to buy anything. We are running out of drinking water. But thanks for your lack of sympathy for a situation I had no control over.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        People are dying from these conditions! How can you not have any sympathy for your fellow human beings?

        Yes, the state GOP politicians certainly failed in their responsibility to their constituents, but to have no sympathy for human beings going through a TRAGEDY, it’s just heartless.

      • Priviter says:

        Oh, hey there. Lifelong Dem currently marooned in Texas freezing my buns off.

      • Dem in Texas. My family has been without water for four days, and we just got power back. Can’t leave the neighborhood due to steep hills, and ice on the roads. It’s very hard to get in and out. Stores are closed or cleaned out, anyway. Neighbors have been helping neighbors, really stepping up. Sharing water, toilet paper, firewood.

        Neighbors have been trying to help the staff and animals at Primarily Primates, a sanctuary in our neighborhood, as well. They lost animals to the cold. There’s an update on the Primarily Primates facebook page, and a list of things they still need, if anyone is interested.

        Water is estimated to be restored some time Sunday, or Monday. No plans to bring bottled water to residents, in the meantime. Still experiencing “controlled” blackouts. Churches have opened up warming centers, but again, hard to get there.

      • Antonym says:

        We aren’t a red state. We’re a repressed state. There are tons of voting democrats in Texas, but we’ve been gerrymandered into republican control.

        I’m shocked that you would be willing to write off millions of human lives over politics. That should be unacceptable for any party.

    • sunny says:

      It is an absolute tragedy and everybody deserves empathy. Plus isn’t Texas gerrymandered to hell? Also as a state with a ton of POCs, I feel awful for the conditions they are living under.

      • StormsMama says:

        Agree with sunny
        Texas is probably actually blue
        It’s been gerrymandered and voters have been suppressed to all hell.
        NO ONE deserves to freeze to death
        This is a result of profits over people – of republicans control and deregulation
        This is NOT to be blamed on citizens who have faith in there electricity and water and town and state to care for their basic needs.
        It’s never been more clear that republicans have trashed the proverbial house and Democrats have to put all the work and time in to rebuild it from the ground up.
        Cruz going to Cancun tells you Everything!!!! You need to know about him!

      • Sarah B says:

        Gerrymandered indeed! I live in Austin, but my state senator is from Laredo (250 miles away) because they (Rs) want to break up any democrat-concentrated areas.

    • Barcelona says:

      Not all Texans are Republicans though, we’re just outnumbered by idiots who vote against their own interests by voting for these Cruz and his ilk. Houston, Dallas, and Austin are majority Democratic.

      • terra says:

        Houstonian here. This. Exactly this. I’m rather certain I’ve never voted for a Republican in my life.

      • BayTampaBay says:

        Is there a bigger LOSER than Ted Cruz??? If you run across one, please let me know.

        Footnote: Trump has now been elevated to the LOSER Hall of Fame so he does not count!

      • BearcatLawyer says:

        This. What bothers me is that despite this fiasco, the Republithugs will likely remain in power. The burden of this storm is disproportionately falling on liberal, city-dwelling Democrats. The pain of the power crisis is NOT being equally shared between us and the rural red counties.

        Again, ¥£|§ ERCOT, Abbott, Cruz, Cornyn, and their ilk.
        People died, and they must be held accountable!

      • A reader says:

        Fort Worth is blue too! Damn right we’re a purple state, and thank you to everyone on this thread showing some humanity.

        I was without power for 2 days and when it returned it was 36 degrees inside my home. My city now has zero water pressure and we’re under a boil water order. Stores are running out of critical supplies.

        This isn’t a joke. People are dying. Writing off the population of an entire state simply bcus we’re gerrymandered is heartless.

      • LaUnicaAngelina says:

        @BearcatLawyer, it’s not mostly in liberal urban areas. I live in a census designated place (not an incorporated town/city), so do my in-laws (a different one), and my parents live in a very small town. This is a massive statewide failure regardless of community size. Me and my parents have been lifelong Democrats but we definitely live in ultra-conservative red communities. I hope this helps change many of their minds and they start voting for the greater good.

      • UptownGirl says:

        I am so angry I can’t see straight!! As a Texas resident, former native Houstonian, my heart breaks for every Texas resident. As I sat in bed, I was devouring every news article, interview and tiktok videos that gives me a greater sense of what is happening, I am truly heartbroken. I don’t know how you guys are able to handle this. It’s truly devastating to see all of the suffering of everyone that I am witnessing. I am at a loss as to why no one is coming to everyones rescue.
        WTF is Abbott, Cruz and the rest of the Repugnants doing??? How the f#ck can Cruz fly to Mexico and leave his constituents behind?? All while leaving his voice mail box full so you can’t reach him?? I want every news organization to broadcast this abhorrent behaviour of Cruz as he takes his entire family to Mexico as his constituents are freezing and most are without power OR water, but Cruz doesn’t care 🤬🤬🤬
        Though we have been fortunate to have maintained power during this period, but we are keeping the heater at 65* and not using our major appliances and cutting water usage.

        I hope that ALL Repugnants actions during this tragedy and the coronavirus tragedies that continue each day, are enough to convince people to switch party affiliation in 2022. Otherwise, Texas is doomed to hell.

      • Antonym says:

        @Barcelona – San Antonio is also very blue.

      • Mel says:

        Here from Austin! Currently going past 48 hours without water and I didn’t vote for any of these idiots. Most people in Austin did not and we are taking a major hit so thank you for your sympathy and let’s hope something doesn’t happen to you one day and you get the same response. To all my fellow Texans (regardless of where you originally came from) hang in there, we’ll get through this together! It really has been inspiring seeing people help each other during these times.

      • San Antonio is absolutely blue. And Austin. It’s a big state, with lots of different communities. Regardless, compassion should be extended to all. No one deserves this.

    • Snuffles says:

      I have a theory that the key to the Republican Party is to get white people to go against their own interests by appealing to their bigotry, racism, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia. Make them feel like all of the above is getting punished, they won’t notice or care that the rich dudes are lining their pockets and robbing them blind.

      It’s all coming to a head now though.

    • Lena says:

      But about 46% voted for Biden (and I assume 40+% voted for democrats in other elections). There are also children and immigrants affected.

    • Giddy says:

      Texan here, and I’m a Democrat. I worked so hard for Beto, hoping and praying that he would beat Cruz. So whereas I might want the idiots who have kept Cruz in office to freeze in the dark, I’ve been freezing too. It has been really bad. For the first time in my life we have had wind chills below zero. When our power went out we thought it might be for a few hours. Three days later it came back on. That was late last night. We had pure frozen misery, and now not only do we have to deal with busted pipes, but the city of Austin issued a boil water notice. Yes, Canada etc, have temps like this every year and function perfectly. But for us, this was a once in a lifetime experience, and it was totally unanticipated.Hopefully there will be a price to pay for Republican office holders like Cruz who truly don’t care about Texas citizens. But please remember that there have been millions suffering this week through no fault of our own. I know because I’m one of them.

      • Sierra says:

        I am so sorry to about what you went/going through.

        I am praying that the storm will go away quickly and that you also get electricity working again.

      • Mireille says:

        Absolutely. My thoughts are with you and your family and hope that relief is in sight. Please stay safe.

      • Esmom says:

        My heart goes out to you. The negligence of the TX Republicans is mind boggling. I hope things start to get better as temperatures warm up a little bit.

        I would like to think that Cruz will pay with an election loss but the disinformation that so many people believe — disinformation that your own governor is spreading on Fox News — will protect him. It’s horrifying.

      • HoofRat says:

        I’ve mentioned here before that I live in a province that’s the Canadian equivalent of Texas, right down to the idiot party that’s been (with one brief exception) running us into the ground since 1972. I have never voted for them, neither has any member of my family, but we still suffer the consequences of their arrogance and greed. Not all Albertans. Not all Texans. Remember there are always people who oppose these toxic regimes. I feel dreadfully for what you’re going through, Giddy.

      • UptownGirl says:

        Giddy, I am truly sorry that you suffered for so long. I cannot imagine how hard that must have been. I am furious by that POS Abbott, to blaming the Democrats and the Green Deal, WTF? He is throwing blame and calling on resignations from ERCOT, when Abbott should resign. Abbott and the rest of the Repugnants have been a problem within the state during his entire tenure. Abbots actions in regards to the effects of coronavirus and reopening too quickly, to mandating one official mail-in vote drop off box for each county. Abbott and his criminal Lt. Governor should both be held criminally responsible for their inactions and all loses experienced during the outage. POS Abbott is in his second term, so he knew what ERCOT was deficient in their all of their grids, as they have been since 2011.
        As for Beto, I donated and placed 8 signs, in my yard. I sit at a corner of a through street. I had to have them situated so that from which ever direction you were coming from, you saw Beto!! Given that I am in Bryan, and we had a large number of Beto signs shows that thereby is progress in regards to turning from purple to blue, at least in this previous strong GOP county. It gives me hope that things are changing here, though I miss Houston and Austin where I wasn’t vilified for supporting Sanders and Clinton.
        But what a sight to see Beto on the news, making calls and getting shit done!! That’s our Beto!! I love me some Beto❤️

      • I’m so sorry, Giddy. My neighborhood is in the thick of it, too. Keep safe, and stay strong! We’ll get through this!

    • Jay says:

      We shouldn’t blame the most vulnerable people who are suffering for this — I am not an American, but even I have heard how bad voter suppression and gerrymandering is in Texas.

      Ted Cruz can rot in hell, though.

    • Bryn says:

      here in Newfoundland last year we had “snowmageddon”. 100 centimeters of snow in one day, no power lose here. We go weeks with -20 degrees Celsius and colder with all the intense winds coming off the Atlantic Ocean. I haven’t experienced an Outage in years. Texas system is crazy, my heart is with you all, stay safe.

      • Anners says:

        Fellow Canadian here – yes, we frequently get horrible weather and snow storms, but we expect them and our system is designed for that (although I remember a chilly 4 days in TO when an ice storm knocked the system down). However, our homes and infrastructure are built for cold weather. When I moved to Argentina I didn’t even bring a winter coat, but I froze my @$$ off when it went down to 5°C because I didn’t have central heating and the house was vented directly to the outside. Places that are usually warm really just aren’t prepared for the cold. My heart goes out to everyone who’s suffering in Texas. Hopefully this brutal lesson isn’t wasted on those who refuse to pay attention.

    • Jjrox says:

      Did you feel this way after Katrina? No sympathy or empathy for them because apparently every single person in New Orleans voted for the administration that didn’t ensure the levies would hold? This is a shitty take when 45% of Texans, and more in the cities hit the hardest, are actively trying to turn the state blue. Also I guess children, elderly, homeless, and the disenfranchised don’t deserve your sympathy since they voted for Abbot and Cruz?

    • MissMarierose says:

      A lack of empathy for your fellow man makes one no better than the likes of Ted Cruz.

    • Shawna says:

      There are plenty of us Democrat voters freezing here, like me and my baby and elderly in-laws. My house nearly caught fire due to complications from rolling blackouts, and I have a friend whose roof caved in and has freezing water ankle-deep inside.

    • Naomi says:

      The South is not ‘naturally’ a red state — it’s engineered that way through gerrymandering and other vote suppression tactics. It’s super eff’ed up to have no sympathy for Texans. Here’s an important tweet: https://twitter.com/danimalpena/status/1361862722141499397

      • cer says:

        It’s not just voter suppression and gerrymandering, it’s also an outdated electoral system. The first past the post/winner take all systems that we have end up being un-democratic and disenfranchising voters in cities.
        Expand the House, move toward ranked choice voting, or a similar system that gives more than just binary options, etc.

    • Jennifer says:

      Do you feel sorry for us who voted blue? We are all suffering down here and it’s very sad.

    • Queen Meghan’s Hand says:

      I know. On the other hand, rampant voter suppression laws and Gerrymandering have made it so that it is very difficult to have anything but Republican Party rule in the state. After this disaster, the Republican Party will shore up its one-party rule to ensure they face no retribution.

    • Frida_K says:

      Sierra, I hope you never move to a place that is heavily gerrymandered. I hope that you always manage to elect the best politicians, the most decent ones, the one who will do right by their state.

      Meantime, I have one thing to say to you, and that is:

      Bless your heart, sugar, and I am saying this in a Texas accent (which you may or may not understand. But I mean it from the tips of my toes to the top of my head: BLESS YOUR HEART.

      For context, and from here in Austin, my story:

      Three days with no power;
      No hot water but at least my taps are running & I have some water (not everyone can say that);
      We’re on a boil water notice anyhow;
      Can’t drive out of my neighborhood because of hilly terrain and icy streets;
      No idea if my car works any longer anyway because it’s encased in ice.
      Running out of food;
      Limited water in bottles that I can drink;
      My pipes are ok for now but those in other units in my apartment complex are bursting;
      Freezing.

      So maybe right now just isn’t the time to tell us that it’s all our own fault for electing the politicians we have.

      Thanks, hon!

      Signed,

      A Beto voter

      • Gemgirlaaa says:

        Frida_K – Are you on NextDoor or Facebook? There are groups helping with hot meal deliveries, water, etc. I have no idea what part of town you are in, but near us there is help available from neighbors. Kind of says it all, right? I hope things get better for you fast. I’m so sorry. We are trapped too, but have supplies. Sincerely, fellow Dem.

      • Frida_K says:

        @Gemgirlaaa

        Thank you! My power is back up now, thank goodness, and yes, I am in a Buy Nothing/Sell Nothing group on Facebook that is a a life-saver.

        Earlier today, the bodega in my neighborhood opened and I got some bottled water and some snack food that does not need to be cooked. I think that by Saturday I will no longer be iced in and we’ll see how it goes then.

        So many are still suffering. I feel guilty for having heat and light again but I’m so grateful to have it.

        I hope you stay warm and have heat and food…may we all have this here in Texas.

      • UptownGirl says:

        Brava Fida_K!!!

      • Frida_K, we’re in the same boat with our neighborhood. No one can get in or out. Neighbors have been trying to help each other, and a sanctuary hit hard in the neighborhood. No water for four days, just got power back. We’re melting snow to flush toilets. Not working, though. Inside with a toddler, and five elderly cats.

    • Kelly says:

      Like Katrina, the current crisis in Texas is a result of a combination of lack of funding for improvements to keep systems safe and current and what probably is more unique to Texas, the stubbornness that their system won’t fail.

      Even before the massive power losses, I felt sorry for Texans having to deal with the heavy snow and extreme cold. I’m a lifelong Midwesterner who is more used to dealing with winter weather. It’s more the norm than not for me to have two to three layers on during January and February, and when I do go into work, I wear boots and have better work shoes in my bag to change into. I’m used to driving in snow and ice covered roads and my car has front wheel drive only. I can’t imagine how much of a shock this came to Texas used to much milder winters.

    • Darla says:

      It’s not a lack of empathy. Notice she says “for those texans who keep voting these republicans into office”.

      As a New Yorker, I struggle too. Because these are the same people who told NY to rot during the early days of Covid when they believed it wouldn’t happen to them. Whose elected reps called us a “badly run state” undeserving of a “bailout’.

      It’s hard. But I do keep in mind all of the innocents. So while I do begrudge help to the Republican voters who spit on me and mine, I support giving it to them. There are children involved, and there are MILLIONS who voted for Beto, not Cancun Cruz.

      • Sarah says:

        It’s absolutely a lack of empathy. Texans who vote Republican are HUMAN BEINGS who do not deserve to be let down by their government in an EMERGENCY. “Struggling to feel sorry them” is gross. We must be better, even when it’s hard. Reflect on this.

      • And what about the hospitals? The shelters? The dialysis patients who can’t get treatment? The newborn babies? The elderly living on their own? The stray cats and dogs? No one deserves this.

    • Maida says:

      Please keep in mind that the GOP has gerrymandered Texas to hell and has done its utmost to suppress voting by low income and nonwhite people. There are a WHOLE LOT of people in Texas who want to boot the GOP grifters out.

      And the Texans who are suffering the most are those least likely to have voted for Cruz and Abbott.

    • Scal says:

      The lack of empathy is not cool. It’s the same as trump supporters crowing when CA was on fire last year. People are people.

      There are more Democrats in Texas that the entries populations of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island combined. There are more Democrats in Texas than in any other state other than California or New York. They are doing their best but the state is gerrymandered beyond belief. That’s how you end up with turkeys like Dan Crenshaw

    • Jack says:

      Writing off a state because they didn’t vote your way is Trumpism. Your statement is offensive and not inline with the Democratic party ideals.

      Lifelong Houston Democrat here. I live in Fort Bend country and HRC and Biden both won in Fort Bend county (suburbs of Houston) and Harris county (Houston).

      • Erin says:

        Grew up in Fort Bend County (Sugar Land). Currently, I’m living in Ontario. This is all so heartbreaking. Literally every family member living in Texas and Oklahoma has been affected.

    • BabySwans says:

      What in the hell is wrong with you that you don’t feel an ounce of sympathy for people who are suffering and quite literally dying? Dialysis patients dying. Hospitals struggling. People without food & water & we deserve this. You are a morally bankrupt human.

    • SamGirl says:

      I’m from Houston, Texas. I voted blue in every election I’ve voted in. Just FYI. Not all of Texas is redneck hicks who voted republican.

    • M4lificent says:

      The comparison to Scandinavia, Russia, etc. isn’t valid. Northern states in the US would have handled this storm just fine because they are accustomed to this kind of weather. This “storm of the century” in Texas would have been just another winter day in Minnesota or Maine.

      But the argument that Texas has screwed over its residents in an emergency situation because of its leaders’ long-term profiteering and general laziness is totally valid.

    • Isabella says:

      Please, let’s show a little empathy. Texans are suffering, including the elderly and little children. They don’t control the energy grid. We are all Americans. Maybe we can all learn from this disaster.

      • Darla says:

        No, we won’t “all learn”. Millions of Texans will vote for Cruz again. Cruz who voted against federal aid for NY after Superstorm Sandy, who voted against Covid aid for our state as we died in droves.

        With all of that, I fully support aid to Texas, and have myself donated via Feed Dallas, hundreds of dollars in baby formula.

        But I remember. I remember. Do you understand? I remember.

    • Chrissy says:

      That is a truly ignorant comment. People are literally dying and running out of clean water. People die without water. Please get a grip/ Also Ted Cruz is a douche!

    • Mabs A'Mabbin says:

      I also wanted to address this lol, “Canada, Russia, Scandinavian countries etc all have yearly snowstorms and they function perfectly.”

      That statement is as dumb as, “How’s that global warming treating ya?” Of course those places function perfectly in snowstorms. Because they have snowstorms. 😐 Here in Texas our structure codes are entirely different as is our road construction. Both my husband and eldest son work in home inspection and home construction management respectively. Our certifications here differ, the requirements differ, the building products differ as do large appliances. The last time this state saw significant temperature drops was in the 1930s and before that, the 18th century. So no. We did not handle this storm like Canada. We did not handle this storm like Russia. We did not handle this storm Scandinavia.

    • M. Cohen says:

      Sit down Sierra and all you who agree with her and don’t talk about things you don’t understand. Things like gerrymandering and voter suppression. Texas has a huge BIPOC population who votes historically for Democrats. And what about those with no voice, like those who live in 3rd world conditions (no plumbing/heat) along the border? Have some compassion, empathy and be a little more like our President Joe Biden and less like our former one. No one should be celebrating when other humans are suffering.

    • Lua says:

      Ummmm people are dying here. I voted for Biden. I have a four week old baby and it was forty degrees in my home. I deserved that because rural people outvoted me? We don’t have water. My friends have been without power, heat, internet since Sunday. In twenty degree weather. Animals are dying in sanctuaries. I drove through ice for forty minutes to charge my cancer patient father’s feeding pump in my husband’s jeep because the battery was almost out. Have some compassion.

    • Ann says:

      There are a lot of Democrats in Texas. I live in Houston and we have gone Blue for the last three or four election cycles, and we’re without power and water too.

  2. Alissa says:

    just last night I was telling my husband how stupid Ted Cruz is because his comments about California having a blackout and that he’ll believe in climate change when Texas freezes over. then I woke up to this. he really is just a moronic asshole.

    • Darla says:

      It’s truly amazing. What a PR nightmare and what on earth made him think he wouldn’t be caught?

    • Maida says:

      Cruz deserves every single bit of the political blowback he is getting for this selfish getaway.

      But it’s ironic that he’s getting more pushback for this than for being willing to overturn the election.

  3. Merricat says:

    Please let Ted Cruz pay his karmic debt soon, and in full view of the public, so we can all hear about it.

    • HoofRat says:

      And please let us know in advance, so we can buy tickets.

    • kat says:

      I feel terrible for what everyone is experiencing in Texas. We’ve had rolling blackout in the midwest, but two hours is tolerable – roads are getting plowed quickly and grocery stores are stocked. I have to hope burning your own furniture would cause you to re-evaluate your choices – and hearing about all of the carbon monoxide poisoning is devastating.

      Is this finally the wake-up call for the red texans to realize Cruz (and Trump!) truly DNGAF about them?

      • olliesmom says:

        When I heard that people were tearing down their fences to burn, burning furniture and even burning their children’s wooden blocks in their fireplaces and fire pits I thought about all of the toxic stuff (paint, stain and varnish) that is in that smoke. Such a desperate and sad situation all around.

  4. Muffintop says:

    This won’t stick to Cruz. Of course it won’t. Or to Abbott, or any of them. When the next election rolls round, Texan Republicans won’t care about this flagrant lack of care or competence at all. They’ll vote the same way they always have. Even as they shiver in their homes now and boil their own water before drinking it. Because “owning the libs” is more important than having a functioning government. 🙄

    Stay safe, Texans.

    Rot in Hades, Ted.

    • Esmom says:

      I said something similar above. I’d like to think they would pay a price for this gross negligence but people are sucked in way too deeply by disinformation and propaganda. And yes, owning the libs has become a viable platform for Republicans. I don’t that we will ever dismantle this hellscape that right wing media has wrought.

    • BearcatLawyer says:

      The real problem is that the people who are suffering the most aren’t Republican voters. The pain is not being shared equally. The liberal, blue-voting, urban Democrats are suffering way more than the reliably red rural voters…who don’t really care if we liberals live or die.

    • cassandra says:

      I (because I hate myself I guess) decided to read the Fox News comments on this story. 99% of them are “I’d do exactly the same thing”, “Why should he cancel his vacation”, “Who cares”

      I’m disgusted that he’ll probably get no pushback.

      • Darla says:

        Yeah but do the people commenting have power? Are they even in Texas?

      • Abby says:

        Yeah people I know who are republicans on Facebook are posting the same stuff “He’s doing what I would if I could” “Why shouldn’t he take a vacation” “what could he do here?” etc. No repercussions if they’re already a fan of his. The rest of the people I know are mad as hell at Cruz.

        I’m in Texas and it makes me so sad that WE COULD HAVE HAD BETO here. Beto who is in El Paso, where they never lost power because they’re on the national grid, is spending his time organizing a phone call outreach to seniors, connecting them with resources. For the state that voted for Cruz over him. I just can’t even think about what a difference Beto could have made in Cruz’s position.

    • olliesmom says:

      And don’t forget about voting to save those unborn babies!

    • Juniper says:

      Right now Abbott is blaming the windmills which consist of less than 10 percent of power generation and have nothing to do with getting the power to actual homes. The Federal Government warned Texas more than 10 years ago that they needed to build up their power infrastructure in case of an emergency. This was preventable and people are dying because of it. What angers me is that Republicans have been cutting taxes and awarding abatements for years, cutting agencies off at the knees during a good day, then have the temerity to blame the people trying to help in a crisis. They’re Teflon and I don’t understand why.

  5. Twin falls says:

    Someone on Twitter said I’m in FL and I have the worst Governor/US Senators combo, change my mind. Florida and Texas were probably tied for worst until this week but I’m going to give it to Texas. Truly and astoundingly awful the lack of leadership and concern for their people.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      I live in Florida. With regrades to your prediction on Texas, I would not count the chickens until they hatch. Florida Governor “DeSatan” will do something or say something stupid this week, as he does every week, that will leave Texas in the dust.

    • H says:

      Ron the Con does something stupid everyday. I normally call his office every week to complain about something he did/said. Then, I realized that when I move out of FL in two weeks, I never have to deal with that moron ever again. Bye DeSantis. (Sorry for you guys who are still in FL.)

      I left a message on Ted’s Twitter. He’s another heartless idiot.

  6. Becks1 says:

    He’s such an asshole and I honestly cant believe he got re-elected. He’s the worst.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      Do you remember Governor Anne Richards? What an effective politician that broad was. Anne Richards was one sharp lady!

      • MissMarierose says:

        I remember Ann Richards. (no e)

      • HoofRat says:

        We’ve gone from “Where’s George?” to “Where’s Ted?”.

      • olliesmom says:

        Ann Richards was a force of nature. She didn’t take crap from anyone.

      • UptownGirl says:

        Ann Richards and Barbara Jordan!! As a former native Houstonian, Richards, Jordan and Leland were gods to me!!! I cried when Ann Richards lost to that babbling idiot GW! And they are NOT from Texas, that family is from Maine!!!
        Ann Richards was a force to be reckoned with, as well as Barbara Jordan. If you guys have a chance, look up Jordan on YouTube!!

        As for some comedy today, I bring you the pendejo…
        https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeNMR5sP/

  7. cassandra says:

    Maybe we can stop hearing about how Texas could successfully secede from the USA now

    • Giddy says:

      JFC, a few blowhard deplorables spout that garbage on Fox and we all get labeled with it. Please don’t believe that the vast majority of Texans want this. The ones who do are fools and idiots who flunked their middle school Texas history class and don’t know that Texas can’t legally secede anyway. It’s a myth kept alive by the same jerks who hope that the Confederacy will rise again.

    • Abby says:

      I used to think it was funny that Texans thought we could could secede if we wanted to. So very Texan of us. INDEPENDENCE! But in the last year, particularly since the election, I really hate when people joke about it. I’m not proud of that faction of Texans who think this way and all the corresponding opinions that go with that mindset. It’s embarrassing.

  8. Just A Thought says:

    Texas is slowing becoming a purple state. The Republicans know that only the way to keep the change from happen, is to make it harder and harder to vote. I hope Beto or one Castro Brothers run for governor next year.

    • Gillysirl says:

      I’m with you! Julian Castro spoke at a conference I was at in San Antonio- he was very good. I hope the success of Stacey Abrams in Georgia inspires Texas that they can change things.

    • Sierra says:

      John Lewis Act will put a stop to their gerrymandering and voter suppression.

      Democrats have to pass that through as soon as possible.

      • Twin falls says:

        +1

      • Veronica S. says:

        I’m firing off a call about that this week to my state senator. They have roughly one year to try and fix some of the voting issue, and it needs to be done ASAP if they want to save democracy at all in this country.

    • Chip says:

      I keep hearing that TX is becoming purple, but it sure doesn’t feel that way when I visit my in laws in the Dallas area! Absolutely vile! I had to stop visiting bc I can’t have my little kids exposed to that poison. Whenever we would go sight seeing or shopping, I heard language that was apalling. Mostly about Obama. My in laws were more subtle with their racism but it was always there.

      I truly hope it’s improving though, and I certainly don’t believe any one deserves to freeze to death.

      O’Rourke is great! I hope he finds his place in politics.

      • Kristin says:

        That’s crazy, because as someone who moved to Dallas from NYC nine years ago, that is not the experience I have had. I was terrified of what the political climate here would be, but was quite pleasantly surprised to to discover how blue Dallas is. Admittedly, I can’t say I know ALL of Dallas, and I’ve heard the suburbs are more red than blue, but on the whole I’ve found the city itself to be surprisingly blue. I don’t know where your in-laws live, but that sounds like a nightmare! I don’t blame you for not wanting to expose your kids to that! Yuck!!

      • Lua says:

        Dallas is blue

    • Ann says:

      Beto has been on the ground speaking and taking action since this started. He’s the one acting like a Senator even though Cruz won (though not by much) . I want him to run for Governor.

      • Abby says:

        I’ve been impressed with how hard Beto has been working during this storm. I hope he runs for something in leadership again. I was very much for him running for a Senate spot, not so much as president. But I would like him to lead in Texas again.

  9. Janey says:

    It’s amazing how effective racism/oppression is from a pure political standpoint. I mean, wow. It’s crazy that people will vote for literally bags of crap to make sure that the “underclass” stays in its place. Even if it means they’ll be frozen in amber as well.

    • Piratewench says:

      Yes, exactly. I was so glad to hear Beto on the news calling it out. He said something along the lines of “we have politicians who waste their time obsessing about who can use what bathroom (the ever-popular republican transphobia issue), instead of focusing on the real needs of the people they are meant to serve”.

      So now Texans are freezing to death, but hey at least there won’t be a trans woman unbeknownst to them using the adjoining stall in a public bathroom. My eyes roll so hard it hurts. I also feel extremely sad for Texans right now, no one deserves this. But it’s so important to learn from this. Stop electing oppression -happy hacks who do nothing but reassure you that you’re somehow “better” than others, elect real leaders!

  10. Lauren says:

    Because of course he went to Cancun when his people are freezing to death. Of course he did.

  11. Amy Bee says:

    Ted Cruz is the worst.

  12. Lemons says:

    It won’t matter if Fox news doesn’t report it, though at this point it’s such a juicy scoop that I don’t see why they wouldn’t.

    These people are despicable.

  13. Sophie says:

    I swear to god it looks like he’s wearing eye shadow.

  14. Busyann says:

    Born and raised Dallasite here. I can tell you, growing up no one around me really cared much about politics. It was just defacto Republican beliefs, support the republicans, and dont even think about how that is going against your interests. I still lived in Dallas when Katrina happened and saw people being bused in from Louisiana for safety with literally just trash bags of their belongings with them and Red Cross wrist bracelets. It opened my eyes and it opened my families eyes to see how our city and state welcomed people that lost it all.
    Things started changing then I feel like. Dubya was in office and honestly he was pretty beloved, but when Katrina happened people started asking why more.

    Texas has been slowly turning purple since then. There’s still ALOT of work to be done, but this is THEIR KATRINA during a raging pandemic. Watch Texas turn blue in 4-8 years.

    • Piratewench says:

      Thank you for sharing this. Compassion and understanding is so important. I live in the North East and I’m hearing a lot of “oh Texans getting what they asked for, getting what they deserved…”. I don’t like to hear that at all. Texans do not deserve this, no one deserves this!! There are millions and millions of people in Texas who either haven’t paid attention (as you describe), or are democrats. And even the big Trump supporters DO NOT deserve to freeze to death in their homes.
      It’s times like this I am reminded in my heart that we are all Americans, because my heart hurts for the whole state of texas right now.

    • Isabella says:

      Yes, I remember how many people from Louisiana were welcomed in Texas. I’m sure it was a rough ride, starting from scratch, but a refuge all the same. Let’s also remember the pandemic. People in Texas can’t even get vaccinated right now. It is a national emergency. We can go back to yelling at each other afterwards. No rush.

  15. LizzyM says:

    He’s trash. Vote him out Texas.

  16. Meg3 says:

    Now would be a good opportunity for Cruz to get himself photographed handing out food/blankets to suffering people or something similar. Instead he half-heartedly admits that he was wrong to tweet during the California Fires against officials there and then just bails and takes his family on a holiday. Is it me or has he practically given up running for President some day now? He is not even trying to gain some public admiration anymore.

    • Veronica S. says:

      He didn’t admit shit. That wasn’t an act of contrition in that tweet – it was boasting. He can be wrong, and his constituents will still vote him in because they don’t self-reflect on anything.

      What blows my mind about Texas is that there are 29 million people in that state, and they always vote for the absolute bottom of the barrel trash. Like, there are decent Republican governors out there, I’m sure. We just don’t hear about them because they’re actually doing their job. Texas can’t seem to find any of them, though. They put this idiot into office and a guy who used to a racist sign on his ranch.

      • Meg3 says:

        Yes, you are right. He didn’t admit shit indeed. Only a half-ar*ed reaction.

        Lol what’s funnier: Apparently he is now on his way back to Texas. Sooo I stand corrects also on this. His ambitions for his political career are not yet over.

  17. KhaoManee says:

    What is happening in Texas is CRIMINAL. The Governor and the power company should be sued to hell and back and then tossed in prison to rot. And all the commenters saying this is what Texans get for being a red state are so nasty and cruel. There are plenty of good people in Texas who do not deserve this. Not to mention elderly, kids and pets. Show some compassion!

    • Traveler says:

      I agree what is happening is criminal and a result of corruption and a lack of oversight.
      My heart breaks for the suffering of the people and animals in Texas. You deserve elected officials who will look out for your best interests.

  18. Mireille says:

    When NJ and NY were hit by Hurricane Sandy, Cornyn and Cruz voted against the relief bill. When California was being devastated by wildfires, Cruz mocked their rolling blackouts while lauding Texas’s energy policies.

    Cruz, Cornyn, Perry, and Abbott are sh*t garbage.

    BUT despite all that, as a New Yorker still seething PISSED remembering the TX senators lack of empathy for my people hurting from Hurricane Sandy, I hope and pray that federal aid and relief are soon coming for ALL Texans, regardless of their political beliefs. I would not wish this horror show on my worst enemy…or even on sh*t garbage.

    Three of my friends and former colleagues are from Texas — 3 of the nicest people on earth. My thoughts and sympathies go out to all Texans. Please keep safe.

  19. Veronica S. says:

    You know, I feel for the millions in Texas who are suffering right now, but I also look at those 2020 election results, and I’m just like…how many of you suffering right now keep walking into that voting booth and making the same goddamn mistake over and over again? How many of you agreed with your Senators mocking California’s electrical grid while people were literally burning to death in their homes? How many of you cheered on COVID ravaging its way through the blue cities? How many of them are going to eat up Abbott’s nonsense explanation even though they live in one of the biggest fossil fuel states in the country and it takes two seconds to google and see wind makes up less than 30% of the power grid?

    I would never say American citizens shouldn’t have access to government aid, and it disgusts me how callously they’re being treated by their own government, but it’s hard not to feel frustrated, even angry, at the thought of how many conservatives in that state will sit here, whining about how ~mean~ the rest of the country is throwing their own bile back at them, while they enjoy the mercy of a president who doesn’t require you to vote for him to provide help. You know the vast majority of them are never going to have any moment of self-awareness reflecting on their own cruelty toward their fellow citizens. Not once.

    • MM2 says:

      52% of Texans registered as Republican & 46% Democrat in 2020.
      Another huge piece to this is that most Texans don’t keep going into the booth to vote GOP, most just don’t vote regularly. In 2014, just 28.3 percent of eligible Texas voters turned out, in the 2018 midterm election it was 46.3 percent & 66 percent in 2020. These stats are also registered voters, so take into account voter suppression. Most Texans are not regularly voting GOP.
      The idea that everyone in Texas is Republican is a play out of the GOP book.

      • Veronica S. says:

        Yeah, and that’s why I…specified conservatives in this post? How frustrating it is that they keep voting for these kinds of policies that wind up hurting themselves and others? And then double down and eat up the lies of their representatives and blame it on the policies of more liberal states instead of what’s happening on their own turf? I don’t know how you guys are conflating “isn’t it fucked up that conservatives mock the suffering of their fellow Americans when they happen to live in more liberal states, and then turn around and expect there not to be resentment and frustration when they need help” as “All Texans deserve to suffer and die” but sure. Go off y’all.

    • Lucy says:

      I’m in Dallas freezing my ass off, Dallas went for Hillary and Biden, just like all the big cities. People on oxygen pumps at home are watching the battery drain, who knows how many homeless and elderly will be dead when we thaw out this weekend. Hopefully water will be fully restored then too, but no promises
      This is a problem started in the 1930’s when Texas did its own grid, and continued by deregulation in the late 90’s (I was too young to vote, what about you?) and the state legislature 10 years ago (we are horrifically gerrymandered and are a majority not-white state) voted that the power companies have to have a plan. That’s it, it doesn’t have to be a good plan, or realistic, just a plan.
      You can take your “how many” BS and blow it out your shorts. Just hand the sound bites over to the owning the lib crew and be on your way.

    • Frida_K says:

      Bless your heart.

      I voted for Beto and everyone I know did too.

      I am a LUCKY one here in Austin and what I got is this:

      3 days, no power
      Water is still running but we’ll see as the day progresses
      No hot water since Monday
      City on boil water notice
      Pipes bursting in the apartment complex where I am but mine ok for now
      Running out of food
      Running out of bottled water
      Can’t get out of my neighborhood due to hills, ice, & a small, light car
      Car’s encased in ice so I don’t know if it will start anyway
      Freezing
      Headache from cold
      Exhausted from no sleep because it’s too cold

      I feel guilty for complaining. Relatively speaking, I’m sitting pretty here in Austin. I do have water coming out of my pipes. I do have blankets and a bed. I have socks. I have enough food for another day or two. I have some water in bottles and I filled buckets before the boil water notice and can drink it still.

      So yes, as @Lucy says, although I’ll just say it in Texan: BLESS YOUR HEART.

      • Christin says:

        I feel for everyone going through this. Ice and all these related complications / dangers are just a whole other level.

        Hours seem like days, and days like weeks when utilities are not available. Add the inability to actually get anywhere due to ice, and it becomes so much more devastating.

  20. Wiglet Watcher says:

    My state, Maine, is very self sufficient in most areas because we have to be.when the 98 ice storm hit we were all equipped with secondary heating sources, stocked food, and took in those that weren’t. And other states were able to help us because our elected officials never privatized us for profit under the guise of freedom. And it was still incredibly difficult. People still died and suffered in rural areas.

    I’m reading the state never prepared for that because no one thought it would happen again.

    I’m so sorry this is coming down on you guys.

  21. Leah says:

    He does absolutely nothing for them yet they keep voting him into office. He isn’t even from Texas but I guess his promises of “god, guns and maga” keep them coming back. I hope they will well remember him taking off to Cancun while Texas turned into an iceberg. The only plus side is that Texas is gradually turning blue by people moving there from other states so maybe there is hope.

    They could have had Beto.

  22. Nic919 says:

    There was a previous freezing incident in Texas about a decade ago that showed the infrastructure needed to be winterized so this was never a once in a life time thing. It is now once in a decade and a responsible government would have called for more precautions. The sad part is that the people who voted to get rid of the GOP idiots are likely suffering more than the white racists who like the GOP.

    As for Ted Cruz…. why is he even travelling during a pandemic? At the very least his family can go on holiday and he can stay in Texas and do something.

    I really hope that Texans can kick out all these idiots because they have screwed over everyone so that a few rich people can profit. Maybe this is the thing that can make them the next Georgia.

    • TeamAwesome says:

      I mean that’s the whole thing, isn’t it. There sure have been a lot of once in a lifetime weather events in Texas and the rest of the US over the past few decades. It isn’t going to get better. It doesn’t matter if these asshats believe in man made climate change or not. The climate IS changing. If their only response is bluster and heads in sand whilst people suffer, there has got to be a reckoning. Right?

    • Tiffany :) says:

      I read that in 2011(I think) there was a cold weather event, and the part of the grid that powers El Paso took that as a warning and winterized their system. It is still working today, but it is separate from the Texas system. I also read that there have been 5 extreme winter weather events in Texas in the past 10 years, and it was known that even stronger winter events were coming.

      Trying to find the article again today, and I’m not finding it.

  23. Size Does Matter says:

    JFC just when I think I can’t possibly hate him any more.

  24. salmonpuff says:

    It doesn’t shock me that Cruz would go on vacation while his constituents are suffering. But it does shock me that he flew commercial and allowed word to get out. The optics are TERRIBLE and the fact that he doesn’t seem to care that people know he f’d off to Mexico is just so…appalling. He clearly doesn’t think he’ll ever face any consequences for his behavior. I fervently hope he does, and sooner rather than later.

  25. MM2 says:

    I live in a liberal city & was disgusted at the former administration’s statements that we deserve nothing but pain for our city’s political leanings. I am equally flabbergasted at the statements that Texas somehow deserves this, or the actual humans who are our fellow citizens don’t deserve basic sympathy for their pain. I hope people cling to their sense of humility right now & don’t adopt the worst parts of the GOP. I am sending all my good vibes out to the people of Texas.

  26. Seraphina says:

    What a great way to show your constituents solidarity and that you are just like the people who voted you in office thus you know what they are going through and can empathize.

  27. Elizabeth says:

    Texan here and just got power back. Not sure for how long, but a little bit to warm up is better than nothing.

    Listen, this is political. Of course it is. But only blaming one entity for this mess is simplifying this way more than it ought to be. Yes the GOP has screwed us over. But the companies aren’t blameless. ERCOT (the controlling power authority) really f’d things up. I really am curious why they said “rolling blackouts” but that didn’t or hasn’t happen at all in our populated area. I’m trying to catch up on the news – but heads should roll at both the government and private levels.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      I think blaming the state GOP makes sense, because they are the ones that privatized the power grid. They deregulated the system, and empowered the companies who created this disaster. They created a system where no one had any incentive to maintain the grid. They created ERCOT, and ERCOT is overseen by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (members appointed by Governor) and the Texas state legislature.

  28. Rapunzel says:

    The Zodiac killer is once again fleeing the scene of a crime. Shocker.

  29. Ms. Lib says:

    Maybe he is looking for some Georgia ballots?????

  30. DizzyLizzy says:

    Oh Raphael the Zodiac Killer strikes again! He is the top turd in a steaming pile of in the Texas POS. Abbott is a moron, but it is Dan Patrick that actually holds the power in the State as the Lt. Gov. He is also truly evil (remember he’s the one that said it was OK to kill old people for the economy; grandparents will happily die from COVID to protect the ECONOMIC health of their grandchildren).

    As a minion of Satan who will be returning to Hell someday, I do not understand why Ted did not volunteer to sit in people’s houses and act as a space heater. That fat fuck surely must have burning flesh at all times.

    The Cruz family could have passed out blankets, made sandwiches or ran a Clorox wipe over the 1000 of cots in the convention centers and facilities that opened to warm us up. AND to add yet another layer of fun, my school district just robocalled the teachers to remind us to check our emails, that grades are due! With what means? I’m on day 3 of no power. We are NOT on the COVID priority list bc Abbott wanted us back in the classroom immediately to jump start the economy, so why waste time inoculating us? Many families chose virtual, so they don’t count as real students right? We can’t fail anyone anyways, so why submit grades?

    As a lifelong Texan, and a 30+ year dedicated public servant, my heart is so broken at what has happened to us. I hope Ted gets a horrible case of Montezuma’s revenge, and a couple of parasites for good measure.

    • Seraphina says:

      “He is the top turd in a steaming pile of in the Texas POS.” This is GOLDEN. Unfortunately, the GOP has become a sewer with POS EVERYWHERE.

    • Kristin says:

      While your whole comment was perfection “As a minion of Satan who will be returning to Hell someday, I do not understand why Ted did not volunteer to sit in people’s houses and act as a space heater. That fat fuck surely must have burning flesh at all times.” – DEAD.

  31. Darla says:

    It looks like Cruz is on standby for a flight back to Houston today. I am hopeful of getting quite a show in the Houston airport, I assume it’s being staked.

    What a dope.

    • Insomniac says:

      If I say what I really think of Cruz at this point, I’ll get kicked off CB. I’m just…completely and totally gobsmacked that he thought this was the thing to do.

  32. qtpi says:

    I really hope people start to figure out that the GOP makes the mess and DEMS come in and fix it.

    I can’t believe Ted Cruz that it was a good idea to fly to Cancun. He’s odious but smart. Did he think people wouldn’t spot him?! You don’t belong in politics if you don’t sit down and do everything you can when the people you represent are in dire straits.

  33. emu says:

    So terrible. Such hypocrisy. Hopefully they won’t come out of this unscathed.

  34. Another Anna says:

    1. If the Dems learned anything from Georgia, they should be focused on helping people survive and then registering new voters/fighting voter suppression. In that order. Texas is purple as Hell and flipping it blue for statewide elections would knock the GOP on their collective ass.

    2. I feel horrible for the majority of Texans. I know that voter suppression runs rampant in Texas and there are plenty of Texans who worked their asses off to try and avoid exactly what is happening right now. Black and brown Texans are being disproportionately affected by thisstorm and they are also among the least likely to have voted for the GOP.

    3. I do not feel bad for the Texans who voted for Cruz, Cornyn, Abbott, Paxton, et al. I’m a “coastal elite” and I am sick to death of being lectured at by Texas Republicans about how deficient my values are and how I’m not a real American only to have those same people turn around and ask for federal money that, more often than not, comes from the same states those Republicans are shitting all over. I am more than happy to pay my fair share of taxes to ensure that we can winterize our country’s power production facilities and repair our bridges that are crumbling from underneath us. Paying taxes is patriotic. But I am not happy to have the TX GOP and their ilk shit all over blue states, support a violent rebellion because they don’t like that Black people can be a deciding factor in elections, and then turn around and expect a government, financed largely by the same blue states they are so disdainful of, to bail them out.

    • Dee Kay says:

      @Another Anna *standing ovation*

    • Darla says:

      Thank you, YES! Preach! And I totally agree now’s the time to do as Beto is doing, lend all the helping hands we can, and then register voters! We have to flip Texas Blue, we have to! Let’s bury Cruz with this. Bury him!

  35. KG says:

    I’m a little north of Austin. I didn’t know we were under a boil water notice until last night. I hope I haven’t been drinking dangerous bacteria.

  36. Katherine says:

    I live in Galveston, TX, and the situation has been slightly improving here. The power has intermittently been on, and we are starting to get some water in areas. But this situation is truly horrible, and I can’t believe that it is happening here in America. We need more federal support….FEMA so far has sent 60 generators. That is ridiculous! I haven’t seen Joe Biden make an official statement which is very disheartening (I am a democrat & voted for him, FYI). This is a man-made disaster, and I feel like the country needs to send us more resources. It is supposed to freeze again tonight, and I am worried for everyone’s wellbeing. Fortunately, I am at my sisters house that was power and water. Now, all we can do is wait for the weekend and for the temperatures to rise.

    • Veronica S. says:

      I really wonder at the delay the declaring the state of emergency and how that works on a state/federal level. Feels like Texas should have declared it the second the power wasn’t back up the following day, so I get the sense time was lost while they tried to get the grid back up. Like Katrina, this says some unsettling things about FEMA’s ability to mobilize quickly in emergency situations.

    • Tiffany :) says:

      Biden declared a state of emergency on Feb. 14th (Sunday). They also sent 729,000 liters of water, 10,000 wool blankets, 50,000 cotton blankets, 225,000 meals and diesel fuel.

      The thing to keep in mind is that FEMA answers state requests. Anything the Federal gov’t does in response to disasters has to be coordinated with state officials. Biden has said he is ready to fulfill additional requests, but the point is that the requests have to be made by the state.

      Even the emergency declaration has to be requested from the state. From the FEMA website:
      “All requests for a declaration by the President that a major disaster exists shall be made by the Governor of the affected State.”

  37. Aimee says:

    Maybe he went down to Mexico to get them to pay for the wall.

  38. Marigold says:

    Ted Cruise is trash. Always has been. Always will be. P

  39. grabbyhands says:

    And yet, the state Republicans are going to vote Grandpa Munster right back into office the next chance they get.

    Like, I get that bigwigs that are benefitting from his grift supporting him because they’re all doing the same shit, but I will never understand the thought process that goes on for the average conservative voter who sees this kind of callousness and checks a box for him anyway. Somewhere in Texas, a local right winger is looking at this story and saying “I’d be going to Cancun too” instead of being pissed that once again, this jackass has ceded responsibility due looking after constituents that are in desperate need.

  40. Liz version 700 says:

    I hate this man so much. Any words I could use to describe him are not Appropriate for a blog. He is a true sociopath.

  41. Sandra says:

    He will never not remind me of a Batman villain.

  42. BountyHunter says:

    Putting light and hope around all of you stuck in these horrible conditions.

  43. why? says:

    I’m not shocked that Ted went to Mexico while his constituents are suffering, isn’t this the same man who was campaigning during the attack on the Capitol and who continued to object to electoral votes for Biden even after the attack?

  44. Elizabeth says:

    Texas is gerrymandered and voter-suppressed to death, people. There are MANY Democrats and MANY BIPOC who live there and work their hardest to make their states better against really horrible odds. The people who are suffering right now are not the rich elite party bigwigs who control the state and separated their electrical grid from the rest of the country to avoid federal oversight.

  45. Liz version 700 says:

    Father of the year Ted Cruz just released a statement blaming his vacation on his daughters

  46. Carmella says:

    “We are nearing a failed state in Texas. And it has nothing to do with God, or natural disasters. It has everything to do with the leadership and those in the positions of public trust who have failed us,” Beto O’Rourke

    If any of you outside of Texas who wants to volunteer, please join Powered by People. This is Beto’s organization. It’s on his Twitter. They are looking for help to reach out to Texans who may need assistance.

  47. Renee says:

    This moron is now saying he was being a good dad by escorting his daughters on a trip. Uh…his wife, Heidi, was on the plane too. There are pictures, Ted. This guy is such trash…

    P.S. Where is Joel Osteen when anyone needs him? Has his church lost power? My guess is he and his are in a vacation location as well….smdh.

  48. Holly hobby says:

    Gee if those turds are so against socialism, maybe they should tell Joe they don’t want his generators, blankets and water. That’s paid by us and it’s a form of “socialism.”

    Raphael just blamed his kids for this trip too btw. I bet he’s a horrible father.

    • Juniper says:

      There’s a picture somewhere of him trying to hug one of his daughters and her making a distasteful face.

  49. L4frimaire says:

    This is who Texas chose to represent them. Him and people like Abbot. I feel for people down there and I bet most of them had no idea what their state government was doing with deregulation.

  50. bettyrose says:

    Katrina is a reference for “older peeps”? Gah. I realize it happened (checks Google) 16 years ago but it feels so recent to me. Still, I guess if you’re under 30 that’s a huge chunk of time. It’s definitely a fair comparison.

  51. Kat says:

    Hi, Texas Democrat here. Many of us are trying really hard to flip our state blue but voter suppression is alive and well unfortunately. Many of us risked exposure to Covid to vote because Abbott took safer voting options away from us. Regardless, I don’t care who someone voted for, no one deserves this. We are people with families, and some like me, with infants and small children who are trying our best to keep our children warm and fed. For those that have water atm in my area we are under a boil water notice because our water is unsafe to drink but not everyone has power. I’ve lived here for 36 years and can tell you this is a historic event for us. Our infrastructure was not built for this, our houses were not built for this, they were built to disperse heat. Our stores are out of basic necessities because supply trucks can’t make it in. People are suffering. People have died. Please have some compassion before you post.

    • Watson says:

      Kat: sending you love and support buddy. We are hearing horror stories from Texas coworkers and it’s unreal. We’ve advised them all to start hoarding water in bathtubs just in case they run out. Be safe out there!

      One more thing: this may be a historic event now, but with climate change causing weather extremes everywhere storms like this may be more frequent in future.

      Regardless, if proper winterization of power infrastructure had occurred, and Climate change modelling been referenced, then the power grid would still be working. That’s the sad tragedy of it all. Had they just upgraded no one would be suffering now.

  52. Ellen says:

    My heart goes out to all those in Texas right now. I’ve never been but I’ve always wanted to visit so fingers crossed one day. It is so shocking to me how a prosperous nation like America can let its citizens down so badly time after time e.g. Hurricane Katrina. Ted Cruz should be forced to resign although I doubt he will. I truly hope that Texas can someday get the strong and fair leadership that its citizens deserve.

  53. Sunni says:

    There weren’t organized rolling blackouts BTW. No idea why we were in the group that never lost power but here we are. It is so unfair to all those who have struggled this entire time and we have opened our home to people needing to charge devices, shower, and I have made crockpots of chili and brown bags for the shelter. Shame on anyone blaming voting for this, but honestly more TX and everyone really should understand how your state govt works, appointments, and pay attention to voting records! No one does though. So I’ll just go back to my corner.

  54. Nutritionnut says:

    It seems impossible. I sent this message to my governor.
    Sir,
    My son is finishing his 6th year as an Airman. He has been without electricity and water for 4 days. He has held his post during these impossible times because that is what he swore to do. I question your commitment to Texas and your constituents that foolishly voted you into office. I will not forget how you forgot us

    Vote. We can make a change.