Photo: Bloomberg via Getty Images As millions of his constituents went without power amid freezing temperatures for a second straight night, Texas Governor Greg Abbott went on Fox News on Tuesday to warn viewers about a resolution that hasn’t seen the Senate floor in over two years.
The argument suffers from two main flaws. Like the common conservative claim last fall that protests against police brutality that took place under Donald Trump were a vision of the Biden administration to come, Abbott is warning about the future threat of the Green New Deal — despite the reality that the massive power failure occurred under his watch, with no such legislation in place. More directly, Abbott’s math about the current grid’s limits does not add up.
More than half of ERCOT’s winter generating capacity, largely powered by natural gas, was offline due to the storm, an estimated 45 gigawatts, according to Dan Woodfin, a senior director at ERCOT.It’s estimated that about 80% of the grid’s capacity, or 67 gigawatts, could be generated by natural gas, coal and some nuclear power. Only 7% of ERCOT’s forecasted winter capacity, or six gigawatts, was expected to come from various wind power sources across the state.
Though Abbott’s comments on Tuesday do not take into account how far-northern nations produce fossil fuel or green energy through the winter, they do underline the importance of preparing the entire grid for unexpected weather incidents in a climate made more chaotic by man-made emissions.
The snow has shone a bright light on the truth. Greed and corruption can no longer prevail. Regulations are what keep us all safe from these cleptocratic mobsters. Stronger together!
GOP always passing the buck!
What a dock
jmannies DLoesch just wish all the conservatives could blame it on The Green New Deal that doesn’t exist but over 75% of Fox News viewers believe that it was passed into law Jan 20.
BettyBuckley He LIED, . Just say it.
AimeeWilson Green new deal hasn’t passed.
eclecticbrotha He did not ‘get it wrong’. He LIED intentionally so people who don’t know any better would get it wrong.
eclecticbrotha The Green New Deal that hasn't even been brought up for a vote, much less passed Congress, much less been signed by the President, much less had years to be effectively implemented. That one That's what they are blaming
In other words he was trying to deflect blame onto democrats who are barely in charge in the state of Texas. Wow. 🤡🤣
Using lies and fear to manipulate public opinion appears to be a strategy that doesn't easily go away.