Still in the deep-freeze here, but at least my town’s power seems to be good, with no current blackouts. Boil-Water orders are still in effect. All because installing winterizing procedures and equipment would cut into the profits too heavily. Free Market economics at its finest, putting people first, right?
AOC rips into Texas governor for blaming storm outages on the Green New Deal, saying his ‘failed leadership’ is the true ‘deadly deal’ (businessinsider.com)
Abbott went on Hannity and blamed the Green New Deal for the grid problems in Texas. Think about how fundamentally dumb and dissonant that argument is. The Green Deal does not exist yet other than being a broad policy proposal. And now think about how dumb one has to be to believe that argument. To blame a hypothetical proposal for real life problems that are happening now. The repug idiots will literally believe anything.
1)Texas has privatized grids.
2)Wind turbines work in Antarctica
3)The Green new deal isn’t just wind turbines
4)Texas has had republicans in power for nearly 20 years continuously. Any deal implemented was implemented BY REPUBLICANS.
But at least Abbott stopped lying about the cause of the power outage.
Abbott and many on Fox News tried to blame the massive blackout on the Green New Deal and green energy, which accounts for about 15 percent of Texas’s energy.
Abbott continues to blame the agency in charge of the power grid, but experts say the problem is that Texas has not spent the money to upgrade its systems.
For example, its windmills aren’t winterized, and its natural gas pipelines has frozen.
Local news reports say Abbott offered few answers Wednesday.
Experts are warning the crisis could become a mass casualty event.
Strangely, there is no statewide death tally, something most other states would be generating daily.
The numbers that are published are terrifying.
Harris County, which includes Houston has reported “more than 300 carbon monoxide poisoning cases.” Those numbers appear to be from Monday, leading one physician to warn of a “mini mass casualty event.”
“With that number of patients going in, it’s turning into a mini mass casualty event,” Dr. Samuel Prater, an emergency physician, told the Houston Chronicle.
A local Galveston newspaper, The Daily News, reported the “Medical Examiner’s Office on Tuesday requested a refrigerated storage truck to help accommodate at least 20 bodies of people who had died over the past two days during brutally cold weather and a lingering power outage, county officials said.”
Despite Texans proclaiming “Let the bastards freeze in the dark” for all of the ‘Yankees’ and Texas’ utter mismanagement of its power facilities, the U.S. federal government is still stepping in with disaster relief.
And that brings us to Texas. The Post reports, “As millions of people across Texas struggled to stay warm Tuesday amid massive cold-weather power outages, Gov. Greg Abbott® directed his ire at one particular failure in the state’s independent energy grid: frozen wind turbines.”
There is one problem: That is not remotely true (as you might have guessed from a state with an enormous oil and gas sector).
“The governor’s arguments were contradicted by his own energy department, which outlined how most of Texas’s energy losses came from failures to winterize the power-generating systems, including fossil fuel pipelines.”
In other words, rotten policy and management are to blame. “What has sent Texas reeling is not an engineering problem, nor is it the frozen wind turbines blamed by prominent Republicans,” The Post reports.
“It is a financial structure for power generation that offers no incentives to power plant operators to prepare for winter.
In the name of deregulation and free markets, critics say, Texas has created an electric grid that puts an emphasis on cheap prices over reliable service.”
✁
Republicans such as Cruz need to stop looking for ways to disenfranchise voters, engaging in climate change denial, fanning the flames of anti-immigrant hysteria and sustaining an economic environment that puts millions of his constituents in peril year after year.
Abbott needs to take responsibility for a natural disaster made worse by a governing fiasco.
Right now, Texas is not looking good. If only someone there could step up and govern.
They want to blame windmills, although they represent a small fraction of their power generation… while ignoring that gas fueled power (their dominant source) is frozen up…
Temps in the mid 30s to mid 40s in my little corner of British Columbia ( I converted C to F for you). Rain, sleet and maybe snow at night. Solar panels, power wall, long johns, fleece pants, socks, and sweatshirts and bunny hugs, functioning gas furnace, fireplaces, (chimneys cleaned in 2019, 1½ cords of seasoned wood in the garage and 2 of new wood protected in the barn ), 3 Newfies (Newfoundland retrievers, bigger, furry Labs) and 5 cats, one a big 18lb Maine Coon, full fridge, and tea. (Earl Grey. Hot.) People up here on Vancouver Island don’t get winter as bad as Manitoba or Saskatchewan or eastern Canada, but we are prepared. I hope you are as well for your location. This is a once in a century happenstance in Texas that is now regularly a decade happenstance. Wherever you are, prepare for something like this in the coming years, especially if you live in a Galt’s Gulch sort of situation. LLAP \\//_
Corporations ALWAYS want to socialize the risk and privatize the profits, yet you very seldom will hear Republicans admit it. As for Abbot, his constant boot-licking and ass-kissing of Traitor Trump cost a lot of lives (and continues to cost a lot of lives) due to Covid. Abbot is a weak person and therefore must pretend to be strong—fooling himself, at least, but no intelligent people. Trump, a legendarily weak person (to use the term loosely in his case) pretended to be strong by not wearing a mask, mocking people (to use the term accurately in their cases) who did wear masks, and spouting imbecilities and insanties, and his sycophants among the governors (including the idiot in Florida and our own idiot in Missouri) played along. No mask mandates and the politicizing of wearing masks—what, is the politicizing of looking both ways before you cross the street next???!!! Mind-bogglingly stupid, and therefore, average basic modern Republicanism.
Abbott’s recent performances again demonstrate one of the core principles of the Party Of Trump: LYING. About everything.
.
Faced with a crisis within his own state, Abbott’s immediate response is to go on TV and blame something being discussed as a framework for potential policy changes.
Right after begging for help from the socialist communist federal government that he wants to secede from.
And all Trump Disciples celebrate his lies.
.
And, naturalized citizen Eduardo Cruz flies himself and his family to somewhere that’s warm. Because, in a crisis, that’s what leaders do.
Up above should be “insanities” of course. I’m multi-tasking—which apparently the members of the Senate weren’t able to do, what with them not wanting to extend the trial long enough for, you know, witnesses and documents…………
Whoops, my reply to Andy Illiterate was side-tracked into a different whack-a-mole hole from where I intended it to be. Therefore (and forgive me if you’ve heard it before), here we go with my reply:
“And here we were hoping that malaria meds (AND decades of therapy, with the odd faith healer or seventy) would cure you!”
Wait until the electric bill hits in 2 months from all of the gouging in the natural gas business. Jerry Jones is set to make an extra $billion but will still ask for more taxpayer money for cowboy stadium and raise ticket prices. Only fools support a sports team with tax money.
Luckily all the T-rexes (at least, the ones who knew Jesus personally) told us for SURE that energy production was as easy as……..I don’t know, pretty close to Donald Trump getting a decent score on his SAT without having a kid bribed by Fred taking the test for him?
You know, I imagine editorial cartoonists get a version of PTSD. Trying to channel the constant idiocy while maintaining a professional, detached air must be difficult.
Has Carroll found meaningful employment instead of artistic commentary on current events through the eyes of former Presidents and the occasional historical blip…
First he vanishes because he’s going to run for Congress. Guess he didn’t win since he came back to drawing his commentary. Now, he vanishes because…? Is it a requirement for editorial cartoonists to be trust fund babies or take vows of poverty so they never have to fulfill commitments to their readers?
Where are you Brian? Have you given up? Your ’toons are among the best we still have, and most appreciated by those who paid attention in History class!
Well I see Sarah and her Scribbles came back while I was in the hospital having my gallbladder ripped out. I was so excited when I saw that, I ran over here to see if Brian was back. Sigh.
I just wish we had some idea of why he’s MIA.
Not a hint from GoComics or Brian’s website.
I just checked the website again and sent an e-mail to the “contact” link.
Way up there (Points to the top of the page) the image does contain a link to the TPO website. There isn’t a lot of activity there, but it looks like the store might still be working.
He did finish this (below), and I am glad that it was posted. Check out Number 46!
https://www.twopartyopera.com/presidents/
Also, there are some pretty good links and comments (all old) on the TPO twitter page.
Kind of funny that Texas is in the deep freeze again (2/5/22) almost exactly a year later. Ted Cruz is making jokes about leaving for Cancun. Total class, that guy \s
Masterskrain Premium Member about 3 years ago
Remember, folks, it’s TEXAS, the state that gave us Rafael “I’ve got no defense” Ooze, Gomer Gohmert, and, last AND least, the shrub himself!
Still wanna secede? Then DON’T come crying to the Federal Government for help when YOUR two-bit power grid takes a dump!Kalkkuna about 3 years ago
…and the poor suffer.
jerumulligan1 about 3 years ago
Still in the deep-freeze here, but at least my town’s power seems to be good, with no current blackouts. Boil-Water orders are still in effect. All because installing winterizing procedures and equipment would cut into the profits too heavily. Free Market economics at its finest, putting people first, right?
evanmarhews about 3 years ago
i hope the voters will remember who put profits before Texans
dotbup about 3 years ago
AOC rips into Texas governor for blaming storm outages on the Green New Deal, saying his ‘failed leadership’ is the true ‘deadly deal’ (businessinsider.com)
Abbott went on Hannity and blamed the Green New Deal for the grid problems in Texas. Think about how fundamentally dumb and dissonant that argument is. The Green Deal does not exist yet other than being a broad policy proposal. And now think about how dumb one has to be to believe that argument. To blame a hypothetical proposal for real life problems that are happening now. The repug idiots will literally believe anything.
1)Texas has privatized grids.
2)Wind turbines work in Antarctica
3)The Green new deal isn’t just wind turbines
4)Texas has had republicans in power for nearly 20 years continuously. Any deal implemented was implemented BY REPUBLICANS.
Even the idiots are bigger in Texas.
bxclent Premium Member about 3 years ago
capitalistic corporate greed at its finest
Radish the wordsmith about 3 years ago
Texas was told 10 years ago this would happen, republicans don’t give a crap.
Silly Season about 3 years ago
But at least Abbott stopped lying about the cause of the power outage.
Abbott and many on Fox News tried to blame the massive blackout on the Green New Deal and green energy, which accounts for about 15 percent of Texas’s energy.
Abbott continues to blame the agency in charge of the power grid, but experts say the problem is that Texas has not spent the money to upgrade its systems.
For example, its windmills aren’t winterized, and its natural gas pipelines has frozen.
Local news reports say Abbott offered few answers Wednesday.
Experts are warning the crisis could become a mass casualty event.
Strangely, there is no statewide death tally, something most other states would be generating daily.
The numbers that are published are terrifying.
Harris County, which includes Houston has reported “more than 300 carbon monoxide poisoning cases.” Those numbers appear to be from Monday, leading one physician to warn of a “mini mass casualty event.”
“With that number of patients going in, it’s turning into a mini mass casualty event,” Dr. Samuel Prater, an emergency physician, told the Houston Chronicle.
A local Galveston newspaper, The Daily News, reported the “Medical Examiner’s Office on Tuesday requested a refrigerated storage truck to help accommodate at least 20 bodies of people who had died over the past two days during brutally cold weather and a lingering power outage, county officials said.”
~
https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/2021/02/experts-warn-texas-could-become-mass-casualty-event-2-6-million-remain-without-power-abbott-offers-few-answers/
mourdac Premium Member about 3 years ago
Despite Texans proclaiming “Let the bastards freeze in the dark” for all of the ‘Yankees’ and Texas’ utter mismanagement of its power facilities, the U.S. federal government is still stepping in with disaster relief.
codak about 3 years ago
instead of remember the Alamo, let’s hope voters remember the Texas power outages of 2021
Silly Season about 3 years ago
And that brings us to Texas. The Post reports, “As millions of people across Texas struggled to stay warm Tuesday amid massive cold-weather power outages, Gov. Greg Abbott® directed his ire at one particular failure in the state’s independent energy grid: frozen wind turbines.”
There is one problem: That is not remotely true (as you might have guessed from a state with an enormous oil and gas sector).
“The governor’s arguments were contradicted by his own energy department, which outlined how most of Texas’s energy losses came from failures to winterize the power-generating systems, including fossil fuel pipelines.”
In other words, rotten policy and management are to blame. “What has sent Texas reeling is not an engineering problem, nor is it the frozen wind turbines blamed by prominent Republicans,” The Post reports.
“It is a financial structure for power generation that offers no incentives to power plant operators to prepare for winter.
In the name of deregulation and free markets, critics say, Texas has created an electric grid that puts an emphasis on cheap prices over reliable service.”
✁
Republicans such as Cruz need to stop looking for ways to disenfranchise voters, engaging in climate change denial, fanning the flames of anti-immigrant hysteria and sustaining an economic environment that puts millions of his constituents in peril year after year.
Abbott needs to take responsibility for a natural disaster made worse by a governing fiasco.
Right now, Texas is not looking good. If only someone there could step up and govern.
~
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/17/texas-shows-that-when-you-cannot-govern-you-lie-lot/
ferddo about 3 years ago
They want to blame windmills, although they represent a small fraction of their power generation… while ignoring that gas fueled power (their dominant source) is frozen up…
Teto85 Premium Member about 3 years ago
Temps in the mid 30s to mid 40s in my little corner of British Columbia ( I converted C to F for you). Rain, sleet and maybe snow at night. Solar panels, power wall, long johns, fleece pants, socks, and sweatshirts and bunny hugs, functioning gas furnace, fireplaces, (chimneys cleaned in 2019, 1½ cords of seasoned wood in the garage and 2 of new wood protected in the barn ), 3 Newfies (Newfoundland retrievers, bigger, furry Labs) and 5 cats, one a big 18lb Maine Coon, full fridge, and tea. (Earl Grey. Hot.) People up here on Vancouver Island don’t get winter as bad as Manitoba or Saskatchewan or eastern Canada, but we are prepared. I hope you are as well for your location. This is a once in a century happenstance in Texas that is now regularly a decade happenstance. Wherever you are, prepare for something like this in the coming years, especially if you live in a Galt’s Gulch sort of situation. LLAP \\//_
Godfreydaniel about 3 years ago
Corporations ALWAYS want to socialize the risk and privatize the profits, yet you very seldom will hear Republicans admit it. As for Abbot, his constant boot-licking and ass-kissing of Traitor Trump cost a lot of lives (and continues to cost a lot of lives) due to Covid. Abbot is a weak person and therefore must pretend to be strong—fooling himself, at least, but no intelligent people. Trump, a legendarily weak person (to use the term loosely in his case) pretended to be strong by not wearing a mask, mocking people (to use the term accurately in their cases) who did wear masks, and spouting imbecilities and insanties, and his sycophants among the governors (including the idiot in Florida and our own idiot in Missouri) played along. No mask mandates and the politicizing of wearing masks—what, is the politicizing of looking both ways before you cross the street next???!!! Mind-bogglingly stupid, and therefore, average basic modern Republicanism.
braindead Premium Member about 3 years ago
Abbott’s recent performances again demonstrate one of the core principles of the Party Of Trump: LYING. About everything.
.
Faced with a crisis within his own state, Abbott’s immediate response is to go on TV and blame something being discussed as a framework for potential policy changes.
Right after begging for help from the socialist communist federal government that he wants to secede from.
And all Trump Disciples celebrate his lies.
.
And, naturalized citizen Eduardo Cruz flies himself and his family to somewhere that’s warm. Because, in a crisis, that’s what leaders do.
Godfreydaniel about 3 years ago
Up above should be “insanities” of course. I’m multi-tasking—which apparently the members of the Senate weren’t able to do, what with them not wanting to extend the trial long enough for, you know, witnesses and documents…………
Andylit Premium Member about 3 years ago
But they told us it was getting warmer.
Masterskrain Premium Member about 3 years ago
And where is Rafael Ooze??? CANCUN!
Godfreydaniel about 3 years ago
Whoops, my reply to Andy Illiterate was side-tracked into a different whack-a-mole hole from where I intended it to be. Therefore (and forgive me if you’ve heard it before), here we go with my reply:
“And here we were hoping that malaria meds (AND decades of therapy, with the odd faith healer or seventy) would cure you!”Redd Panda about 3 years ago
We see this happening all over the country. The old Edison seems pretty good, eh?
Anytime some guy says ‘’You can trust me, I’m doing this for you…’’ Kick him, kick him hard.
tomtommactom about 3 years ago
Wait until the electric bill hits in 2 months from all of the gouging in the natural gas business. Jerry Jones is set to make an extra $billion but will still ask for more taxpayer money for cowboy stadium and raise ticket prices. Only fools support a sports team with tax money.
Radish the wordsmith about 3 years ago
All I know about Texas is the politicians appear to be lying right wing crooks.
Lying republican is an oxymoron.
Daeder about 3 years ago
If you want conservatives in charge, you’re going to suffer the consequences.
fritzoid Premium Member about 3 years ago
“Nobody knew energy production was this complicated!”
Godfreydaniel about 3 years ago
Luckily all the T-rexes (at least, the ones who knew Jesus personally) told us for SURE that energy production was as easy as……..I don’t know, pretty close to Donald Trump getting a decent score on his SAT without having a kid bribed by Fred taking the test for him?
epaphus8 about 3 years ago
I think Mr. Bush means, “It’s going to be okay. We’re applying for government relief funds as fast as we can.”
bxclent Premium Member about 3 years ago
reckon they need to ask trump to bail them out- since they don’t believe biden is actually president
kaffekup about 3 years ago
Oh, yeah, he was president*. I had forgotten.
*Appointed, not elected.
comicly about 3 years ago
The guy that designed the program said it worked as expected! The prices surged right on time! Thank god for no regulations!
Mayor Snorkum about 3 years ago
Mr Carroll: I’m sure you’re very busy with your duties as an elected official, as of course you would be. But your fans are longing for the next TPO!
crgigoux about 3 years ago
Oh where oh where did our Brian go? Oh where oh where can he be?
Durak Premium Member about 3 years ago
You know, I imagine editorial cartoonists get a version of PTSD. Trying to channel the constant idiocy while maintaining a professional, detached air must be difficult.
Hope you’re well, Brian.
moosemin about 3 years ago
I hope you’re in good health, or not in jail at least, Brian. You are being missed!
katina.cooper about 3 years ago
You are not coming back, are you?
GeorgeShuler about 3 years ago
Where is Brian Carroll? He hasn’t done a new strip for two months!
Bramosenos Premium Member about 3 years ago
Is the cartoonist on vacation or has he been found guilty of anti-Texas bias and executed?
Alys France about 3 years ago
Oh no! The big freeze reached out its icy fingers and froze the strip!
CrusaderAXE about 3 years ago
Has Carroll found meaningful employment instead of artistic commentary on current events through the eyes of former Presidents and the occasional historical blip…
Marigold about 3 years ago
Will you ever post again, Brian Carroll? I miss your wit and wisdom. And your killer drawing style!
buckyteeth about 3 years ago
I miss him too. I always learn from him.
Znox11 almost 3 years ago
I also check this one every day https://www.gocomics.com/the-comic-strip-that-has-a-finale-every-day/…hoping for a change.
katina.cooper almost 3 years ago
And you are now gone as well.
paul courry almost 3 years ago
We miss you!
Durak Premium Member almost 3 years ago
Awhile back I bought the “Presidents of the United States” poster (Hint, hint: You should buy it too!)
Hopefully Brian is busy updating it.
Smitty almost 3 years ago
Is Brian still doing this strip? Did I miss something, like an announcement that he’s retiring or anything?
Gary Williams Premium Member almost 3 years ago
looks like Brian is on Hiatus like the lady who draws “MO”
CrusaderAXE almost 3 years ago
First he vanishes because he’s going to run for Congress. Guess he didn’t win since he came back to drawing his commentary. Now, he vanishes because…? Is it a requirement for editorial cartoonists to be trust fund babies or take vows of poverty so they never have to fulfill commitments to their readers?
Znox11 almost 3 years ago
Will the last one out please turn off the lights.
jcole998 almost 3 years ago
The “lights” in this strip were never on.
thatperlakyguy almost 3 years ago
So is Brian done making new comics? I hope not. I really enjoy this strip
Cheapskate0 almost 3 years ago
New topic:
Since Brian isn’t doing anything, why don’t we?
Let’s remember 100 years ago today!
Hundreds of black people dead at the hands of white people – simply because the blacks dared be more prosperous than the whites!
Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Black Lives Matter!
snappyboy almost 3 years ago
I miss the Civic (and civility) lessons.
jcole998 almost 3 years ago
I can’t believe it! Five months in and only two comments on Biden(Biggest Idiot Dems Ever Nominated)!
PatrickC.Mackin almost 3 years ago
Is this cartoon ever going to print a new one?
Cheapskate0 almost 3 years ago
Happy Juneteenth Day!
Brian, if you’re out there, can you tell us if you have retired?
Znox11 almost 3 years ago
You probably could have picked a better one to go out on.
Fido (aka Felix Rex) Premium Member almost 3 years ago
Any word -
Znox11 almost 3 years ago
I started to make a comment today…but then I decided not to.
Ideafire almost 3 years ago
At first I was annoyed that the series stopped here but give the recent weather I’ve found the images refreshing.
Cheapskate0 almost 3 years ago
Brian, do you read our comments? Probably not. But if you did, could you please give us some closure?
al-wenzel over 2 years ago
Nothing’s happened on the comic’s webpage or Twitter, either…sigh…I really, really loved this one. Bye, Brian, and thanks for all the thinking.
A Hip loving Canadian... over 2 years ago
Thanks for all the thought provoking strips, I’ve really enjoyed them. If Mr Carrol ever returns, send me a message. Goodbye for now.
Znox11 over 2 years ago
I see George is still stuck out on the oil field…I’ll check back later.
Durak Premium Member over 2 years ago
Come on back to us, Brian! Hope you’re doing well.
jcole998 over 2 years ago
Yeah, Brian! Tell us all how great the President is doin’!
Scoutmaster77 over 2 years ago
I know the artist is involved in his city government, but when this stopped suddenly… I hope it’s the result of Covid.
moosemin over 2 years ago
Where are you Brian? Have you given up? Your ’toons are among the best we still have, and most appreciated by those who paid attention in History class!
Dewsolo over 2 years ago
Well I see Sarah and her Scribbles came back while I was in the hospital having my gallbladder ripped out. I was so excited when I saw that, I ran over here to see if Brian was back. Sigh.
I just wish we had some idea of why he’s MIA.
Not a hint from GoComics or Brian’s website.
I just checked the website again and sent an e-mail to the “contact” link.
pjskss over 2 years ago
I guess he hasn’t learned how to draw Biden yet:OrEverything is wonderful now and there’s no reason to pick on Biden
Durak Premium Member over 2 years ago
Way up there (Points to the top of the page) the image does contain a link to the TPO website. There isn’t a lot of activity there, but it looks like the store might still be working.
He did finish this (below), and I am glad that it was posted. Check out Number 46!
https://www.twopartyopera.com/presidents/
Also, there are some pretty good links and comments (all old) on the TPO twitter page.
Cheapskate0 over 2 years ago
(See reply to Durak above)
Using another browser, it appears that the Security Certificate for the TPO is expired. Apparently, it expired 20-Oct-21.
This does not bode well.
WhoDatDereHuH over 2 years ago
Still no update? Sad. Very sad.
johnfalconer024 over 2 years ago
I patiently await your return to these pages.
sue hurley Premium Member over 2 years ago
It’s December 15th, 2021…Have you retired the strip?
BRICKPART Premium Member over 2 years ago
they’re all crookedly insane
Znox11 over 2 years ago
We’re all still here?
Patjade over 2 years ago
Any chance you’re coming back, Brian?
Yontrop over 2 years ago
Seems like we could use a ex-prez Trump cartoon about now. Or are you waiting till you can show him wearing stripes?
braindead Premium Member over 2 years ago
Happy New Year to you and yours, Brian!
And hoping (selfishly) for more cartoons from you.
jcole998 over 2 years ago
Anyone tracking his progress in office?
Kip Williams over 2 years ago
Happy New Year, you old comic strip!
buckyteeth about 2 years ago
Kind of funny that Texas is in the deep freeze again (2/5/22) almost exactly a year later. Ted Cruz is making jokes about leaving for Cancun. Total class, that guy \s
winston5610 about 2 years ago
It’s been almost a year now, Carroll. Where are the ideas?
SteveHL about 2 years ago
A full year now since the last new strip. I guess I give up hoping for this to resume.