only the rich should have electricity in a crisis

[rdking647]

thats the conservative way. this asshole is a membe of teh heartland institute and an econ professor at the university of texas

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2021/02/19/instead-of-forced-outages-what-if-electricity-customers-had-choices-in-an-emergency/

in his words...

Instead of rationing electricity via rolling blackouts, prices to consumers should have been drastically increased until the shortage was eliminated. Of equal importance, this should have been loudly communicated (through media and other channels) to all Texans. Unlike rationing, the market-based approach allows consumers to use energy as they see fit, accounting for the true costs of this use.

There are all sorts of ways for people to economize, which they won’t (or can’t) pursue unless they are made to bear the costs and benefits from such actions. For example, multiple families could gather in a single house or apartment, sharing the energy costs. This is not a good option, if all dwellings are going to be mostly without power. But this may be an excellent idea if it allows for a lot of heat in one dwelling and for the emergency guests to turn off most of their electricity.

[BeerBarrelPolka]

1. I just can't

There's so much wrong here. I don't have the energy to refute it all at 5AM

[ShazzieB]

3. I know, right?

SHEESH.

[mountain grammy]

13. So true.

[malaise]

2. Market over society - the billionaires are in charge

Tear down Friedman/Hayek or all we peons will suffer.
The rich have private airports, private schools, and buy or cheat their way into the best universities/colleges,
Until al races and ethnicities understand that we're fighting against our own interests, this shit will continue.

[OldBaldy1701E]

16. Oligarchy... pure and simple.

It has been for a long time now, we just refused to accept it. Now it is undeniable and we still have those who refuse to accept it. Mostly those who have all the money and those who are too brainwashed to see reality.

[malaise]

18. And not just in the US

It's that simple

[OldBaldy1701E]

29. Yep.

Greed knows no borders.

[pazzyanne]

37. "Until al races and ethnicities understand that we're fighting against our own interests, this shit"

Amen!!! I have believed this way since 1968! For the life of me, I cannot understand why people vote against their own pocketbook. And then came Citizens United!

"In Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission (FEC), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that political spending is a form of free speech that’s protected under the First Amendment. The controversial 5-4 decision effectively opened the door for corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money to support their chosen political candidates, provided they were technically independent of the campaigns themselves."

This is where everything went off the rails imho. Our elections are now "bought" by big money. Millionaires and billionaires can buy government officials through their private donations AND donations of the companies they hold stock in, doubling the bang for their bucks.

[malaise]

38. Great post

[pazzyanne]

39. Thank you!

This has been stuck in by craw since the supreme court decision 2010!

[liberal N proud]

4. That embodies what is wrong with Texas

And much of America today

[Eugene]

5. Seth H. Giertz, a "scholar" of the Heartland Institute

Giertz is offering a false choice, free market individualism versus loss of essential services, and he assumes they exclude each other.

Community-based solutions like proper investment in infrastructure don't seem to fit in Giertz's thinking.

[redstatebluegirl]

7. The Koch Brothers Economics.

[dalton99a]

15. Ah, the Heartless Institute

[jaxexpat]

17. Short sighted, narrow minded "conservative thinkers" are just disgusting.

They start by dreaming up knee-jerk theories, then weave a nest of poorly reasoned falsehoods to hold them together. After that they rest on their laurels, living off the naivety of their minions and the pretense of having done the difficult-but-necessary deeds that "had to be done".

Fools, they stand in quicksand exhorting others about the critical importance of sound foundations.
When silence is appropriate, they speak and loudly.
When speaking up is required, they are silent.

[bringthePaine]

6. heh, it always comes down to who has the power...

[Solly Mack]

8. The Heartland Institute

Heartland Institute

The Heartland Institute is endorsed by some of the top scholars, thinkers, and politicians in the world... such as Americans for Tax Reform’s Grover Norquist, The Leadership Institute’s Morton Blackwell, The Heritage Foundation’s Jim DeMint, and many more

In case anyone wanted to know. The usual suspects of rightwing ideology.

[Fullduplexxx]

9. Until those without get tired of watching the bright lights and warmth in your

House and decide their done with just watching.

[denbot]

12. .

..

[OldBaldy1701E]

20. Not gonna hold my breath.

Suffice to say, in my humble opinion, the Revolutionary War would have never happened today. Hell, how would we recharge our phones if we stop supporting the wealthy?

[KPN]

32. Or get our Big Gulps?!

[gab13by13]

10. It goes a step farther,

I see that Abbott has come out and said that the Texas energy equipment needs to be winterized, and paid for by the taxpayers.

Privatize the profit and socialize the costs. Privatization works just fine when it is subsidized by the very people who it is supposed to provide services for.

[KPN]

34. They are so f'ing sick!

[ashredux]

11. He hasn't read enough history...just one example...

“Historians generally view the underlying causes of the French Revolution as driven by the failure of the Ancien Régime to respond to increasing social and economic inequality. Rapid population growth and restrictions caused by the inability to adequately finance government debt resulted in economic depression, unemployment and high food prices.[6] Combined with a regressive tax system and resistance to reform by the ruling elite, the result was a crisis Louis XVI proved unable to manage.”

[OldBaldy1701E]

22. As I stated above

that was then. Now it is 'unity' and 'bi-partisanship'... which are just buzz words certain people are using to try and keep us from taking the momentum we just started. Until I see those people in the Hamptons shaking in their Guccis... history is just that.

[cstanleytech]

25. I would probably shed few if any tears for most of the rich if we repeated what happened in France.

[dalton99a]

14. "To its credit, the Public Utility Commission of Texas raised prices"

I have no objection to the guillotine

[rdking647]

36. ill pay for the wood to build it

[ResistantAmerican17]

19. As a Houstonian I can say with passion--fuck that asshole!

[Stuart G]

21. Define crisis?.Many people are out of work, still have electricity..Yes, relatively cheap..Ain't It?

Being....OUT OF WORK...is a crisis ...Texas is one example.

In many states there are funds to help those who cannot afford their electric bills...

[cannabis_flower]

23. This would actually only make any sense if

Everyone knew in real time how much their electricity was costing them. Like if there was a readout in your living room that said “Your current cost of electricity is $1000 per kWh” Then you could turn everything off and leave.

Even then that would be so regressive it’s hard to believe anyone would be so callous to even think that much less write it.

[cstanleytech]

24. Or go on a Cruz. nt

[Hugin]

26. A State Income Tax may have helped develop the ifrastructure...

too. Instead of relying totally on a horrendously regressive sales tax.

I await the inevitable flames.

[Liberal In Texas]

27. This isn't just Third World it's Dystopian.

It's like something out of a sci-fi movie of life after a meteor strike or zombie apocalypse and society falls apart.

A better way, Mr. Econ Prof., is to put regulations in place to prevent unscrupulous business practices (like this Gridy company) and requirements on electric generation equipment to be more robust. And to have a society where the poorest are assured of having basic utilities despite ability to pay.

[paleotn]

28. They hate people, they love cockamamie theories.

Personally, I've found that Econ contains the greatest amount of witch doctory and hand waving of any of the social sciences. It's not dismal for nothing.

Now, how about this modest idea. Why don't we all pay smaller increase in electricity rates over a longer period of time, and weatherize the goddamn electrical grid for relatively rare events that are catastrophic when they do happen? Pay a little more attention to the Low Risk / High Impact corner of the Risk Assessment 4 blocker? Ya think? Thank god the same assholes aren't in charge of commercial aircraft maintenance.

[KPN]

30. Why not? It's already been done with health care, education

and healthy food.

[niyad]

31. I can think of some electricity for which I would be willing to pay. . .

[Ferrets are Cool]

33. Isn't this just a fancy way of saying "let them eat cake"?

Someone above me said it. "There is so much wrong with this". It boggles the mind that a human could utter it.

[Turbineguy]

35. He must have learned economics from

Marie-Antoinette.

[Oneironaut]

40. Extreme Capitalism is Fascism.

The strong (the rich) live, and the weak die. There should be distinct castes and separation between economic levels. The rich’s needs must be met entirely; even minor annoyances; before the poor are allowed to eat.

[kairos12]

41. They Ayn Rand Chair of Greedy Asshole Economics.

[Baked Potato]

42. Maybe those "without" will invade *his* house and enjoy the place.

That’s part of the plan, right? Survival of the fittest? Is not your home being taken over by neighbors natural progression?

This dipshit assumes police protection will ensure his plan works. Fail.