While everyone is sharing Texans’ pain, I’ve got a little story to tell you.
You probably don’t remember my old friend Jim. I mean, why should you? This is what links are for. And Google. I mean, I don’t necessarily remember my own old friends so why should you?
Nevertheless, do read that link about Jim, and how he loved Rush Limbaugh and hated New York — all us “feminazis” and liberals — and took himself off to Texas. Where, he delightedly informed his New York friends, there were no irritating, interfering regulations.
The link tells you what happened to Jim, liberated from regulations.
What’s happening now in Texas is the supreme manifestation of “libertarianism:” catastrophe.
Back when I was railing about “libertarianism” — before “the former guy” (Joe Biden’s epithet for Trump) came along — I picked up a definition of “libertarianism” from a “libertarian” lawyer. The essence of which is:
For both philosophical and utilitarian reasons, libertarians are presumptively strongly opposed to any government regulation of the private sector.
(He was actually using this argument to support the “libertarian” position not to condemn private sector discrimination against, well, you and me and LGBTQs, et al et al et al.)
So I’m not sharing Texans’ pain. I’m sharing Jim’s story instead.
As the snow falls here in New York, I send some advice to Texans. You can blame your government for this disaster, sure. And you’d be right. But who is responsible for your government and its abject failure to, you know, govern?
You are.
You are voters. Clearly, you are not informed voters or you wouldn’t be in your current situation, but you are voters. So the next time you get to avail yourself of the right to vote, do it with a modicum of awareness.