How would you rate leadership in crisis?
Within days of the Texas snowstorm crisis, Representative Alexandria Oasio-cortez raised over five million dollars for Texans suffering from the early February snowstorm that all but shut down electrical power in the state, leaving residents without heat and potable water. Congresswoman AOC represents Brooklyn, New York.
Texan Beto O’rourk initiated a phone campaign to offer assistance to senior residents trapped in their homes by the storm. In a single day, volunteers from a phone-bank effort led by O’rourke made over 784,000 calls to older Texans to help connect them to water, food, transportation and shelter during the power outage.
Following his 2020 election loss to Senator Ted Cruz, Beto does not represent Texas in any official capacity.
President Biden mobilized FEMA on Feb. 14, the day before the storm hit Texas. His emergency declaration allowed FEMA to start sending federal aid, including power generators, in anticipation of the ensuing storm crisis.
All across Texas neighbors helped neighbors to survive the freezing temperature.
Those are examples of leadership in a crisis.
Texas Governor Greg Abbot initially put blame on the failure of wind turbines and solar energy to meet increased power demand caused by the storm, in an attempt to score political points by smearing the Green New deal. Within minutes, he had to correct his false attribution of blame for the power failure by admitting that a primary cause of the blackout was frozen fossil fuel lines.
For the record, the Green New Deal is a Democratic policy proposal, not a law.
Former Texas governor Rick Perry went on Fox to say that the state’s energy companies could hardly be expected to bear the cost of winterizing the state’s power grid. I guess he “forgot” that Texas has the authority to regulate its power providers?
Senator Ted Cruz attempted to explain his decision to take his family to Cancun, Mexico during the crisis. After trying out several excuses for his behavior (including using his daughter’s school closures as justification for the trip) he claimed that he now “regrets” his decision to leave during the crisis, labeling it as a “mistake.”
Cruz was justly criticized for leaving town as the crisis worsened, instead of using the power of his office to facilitate relief efforts for his constituents.
How would you rate Abbot’s, Perry’s, and Cruz’ leadership in this crisis?
Accountability for Insurrection
The list of Jan. 6 Capital rioters grows longer daily, as the FBI tracks thousands of tips provided by the public and the rioter’s own postings on social media. As the charging documents are filed in federal court, a key question becomes how severe should be their punishment? What of their First Amendment right? “… the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances?” Peaceably?
Their lawyers could argue that the marchers were pawns, caught up in the moment, manipulated by the great lie of a stolen election. That they are patriots, hard working family members, who love their country, and shouldn’t be punished for the excesses of other rioters, who breached the Capital building.
They could admit that they were played, acted in the mo