Disaster in Texas result of Republican dismissal of big government (Letters) – masslive.com

The failed response to the Texas disaster is the result of a bankrupt ideology that view big government as the enemy, that views lowering taxes is a cure-all, that venerated rugged individualism, and that relies on the big lie to preserve power.

Subscribing to Ronald Reagans view that government was the problem, Republicans sowed distrust of the federal government and regulation. They argued for more power to the states. We saw the failure of this philosophy with the disjointed response to the pandemic. Now, we see it repeated in Texas. Texas created its own power grid because Republicans abhorred federal regulation. Former Texas Governor Rick Perry proudly proclaimed that Texans would rather be without power for several days than have more federal regulation.

Equating taxes with big government oppression, Texas Republicans repeatedly pushed for low taxes. The failure to weatherize infrastructure was a consensus policy decision to avoid higher taxes.

Loathing a dependence on government, a Texas mayor ranted: No one owes you or your family anything; no is it in the local governments responsibility to support you during trying times like this! Sink or swim, its your choice! Unable to deal with the debacle, he retreated to a survival of the fittest argument.

Lastly, fearing voter outrage, Republicans again resorted to the big lie. Opposed to renewable energy sources, Governor Greg Abbot blamed US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, the Green New Deal and wind turbines. Wind turbines provide only 10% of the states energy. The real problem was with the natural gas infrastructure that failed due to the lack of weatherization.

Michael Camerota Westfield

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Disaster in Texas result of Republican dismissal of big government (Letters) - masslive.com