Texas mayor tells residents to fend for themselves during power outage: 'Only the strong will surviv

[riversedge]

Source: Washington Post



Texas mayor tells residents to fend for themselves during power outage: ‘Only the strong will survive’
How Texas's independent power grid failed under pressure
Texas's independent power grid was crippled under high demand and damaging weather after a historic cold snap hit the U.S. over Presidents' Day weekend. (John Farrell/The Washington Post)
By
Antonia Noori Farzan
Feb. 17, 2021 at 4:05 a.m. CST

By Tuesday morning, the residents of Colorado City, Tex., were getting anxious. More than 24 hours had passed since a deadly Arctic blast knocked out power across the state, leaving them without heat or electricity in below-freezing temperatures. To make matters worse, many also lacked running water, forcing them to haul in heavy buckets of snow each time they needed to flush their toilets.

Residents turned to a community Facebook group to ask whether the small town planned to open warming shelters, while others wondered if firefighters could do their job without water. But when Colorado City’s mayor chimed in, it was to deliver a less-than-comforting message: The local government had no responsibility to help out its citizens, and only the tough would survive.

“No one owes you [or] your family anything,” Tim Boyd wrote on Tuesday in a now-deleted Facebook post, according to KTXS and KTAB/KRBC. “I’m sick and tired of people looking for a damn handout!”


Boyd’s tirade, which also demanded that “lazy” residents find their own ways of procuring water and electricity, immediately drew backlash. Later on Tuesday, Boyd announced his resignation and admitted that he could have “used better wording.”........................................

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/02/17/texas-mayor-power-outages-colorado/

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better wording?? gawds.

Cruelty is the name for this x mayor!

Link to tweet

?s=20

[dchill]

1. Just the kind of guy you want to be Mayor!

[Irish_Dem]

2. It is what the GOP believes. We were left to fend for ourselves regarding Covid.

[Evolve Dammit]

31. Heckuva Job, Brownie. I see a pattern here...

[underpants]

3. I swear I thought it was Borowitz

It’s real

[WA-03 Democrat]

32. I thought it was for sure Borowitz!

The Trump effect is over when satire can be done again.

[Lonestarblue]

4. The mayor seems to forget that HE was elected to serve the citizens.

I don’t even need to ask if he’s a Republican.

[Irish_Dem]

6. I wonder what he thinks his job entails?

Cutting ribbons and taking kickbacks probably.

[christx30]

37. He's another Trump.

Gets into the job to line his pocket. To hell with the people that elected him.

[Irish_Dem]

38. Yep, exactly.

[Steelrolled]

5. They are worried about no power for twenty four hours?

That's nothing - we've had quite a few multi-day outages (up to nearly a week) in north east over the last few decades. It isn't fun, though, winter or summer.

[Glorfindel]

8. Yes, it is. Here in north Georgia

we were without electricity for more than 80 hours due to Hurricane Zeta last November. It was definitely no picnic.

[Dustlawyer]

15. We went 6 weeks without power after hurricane Rita. The 1st week the high temps were over

100 degrees everyday with 90% humidity. We lost a few due to the heat. With this cold and no electricity means no heat. Even those with gas furnaces still need electricity to tun the central fan to pump the heat. No to low water pressure and single digit temps do not bode well for anyone, especially the old, young and the sick. No more home oxygen machines for those needing O2. My 83 year old mom has never seen weather like this here before.

Now imagine the NE having a situation like we did with Rita. Probably not many swamp coolers up there.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

16. We have been without power for about 40 hrs now,

A lot of people have been without for a day before us, so no, not just 24 hrs.

And we are generally not as prepared for this as other parts of th country, and many of our houses were not built with protecting from cold in mind.

But what we do get wrong is that so many Texans automatically vote for Republicans, no matter what it costs us.

[TommyCelt]

20. I disagree - It's NOT nothing

Much of Texas does not have the infrastructure to deal with massive power/water outages and travel difficulties brought on by arctic cold, snow and ice.

Have some empathy.

[rickyhall]

7. Democracy would be nice, wouldn't it.

[Laelth]

9. To my knowledge, there are no public services devoted to relief ...

... regarding this crisis in my TX County. Lots of people simply believe that it is not government’s responsibility to take care of the people.

“You’re on your own. Good luck.” This is a widely-held belief here.



First opportunity, daughter and I are out of this place. Can anybody get me a job out-of-state?

-Laelth

[harumph]

12. Laelth, have you considered the Dallas area?

by Dallas, I mean in or directly adjacent to - not Van Zandt, etc.,

[Laelth]

14. Yes. I am sixty miles from Dallas.

There are no hotel rooms available within 100 miles, and that’s too far for us to travel. Dallas may have openings in shelters. I don’t know. We’re OK for the moment, but we will escape if need be, provided that the roads stay open.

This morning has been the first time in two days that my internet service has been adequate to even research such a question.

Understand that I am just now reading news of the disaster around the state. Ultimately, I have no clue what’s available anywhere.

-Laelth

[louis-t]

10. Gotta love that Texas pluck.

Whiny ass, repug hick mayor says what?

[DENVERPOPS]

11. He

probably takes pride in being in lockstep with the former president and RepubliCON U.S. Senators.

[Initech]

13. Taking lessons from Mayor Quimby are we?

[Nitram]

17. That's the Texas Way. When in doubt, revert to cannibalism

[usajumpedtheshark]

18. No one in Texas should be surprised by his statement. It is the official RepubliQan Party position

The poor and disadvantaged in American have been treated this way by GQP since the Reagan administration. Compassionate conservatism will always be an oxymoron.

[Ziggysmom]

19. If you must fend for yourself, then you shouldn't have to pay the city taxes, eh????

[niyad]

42. What is the mayo's salary? Whatever, he should be made to return it. No handouts!

[marble falls]

21. His better wording unfortunately was "Just STFU."

[Crowman2009]

22. Ever notice that pricks like this mayor espousing this "Survival of the fittest" mentality...

...are not fit either physically, mentally, or both. He's also not fit grammatically as well.

[Traildogbob]

23. Wow

All that take care of yourself shit. He owes them nothing. Yet they pay his salary and health insurance and meals during days.
The will re-elect him. He lives by What Would Jesus Do doctrine. Get him a Melania coat with that Christian quote on the back.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

58. I think I have an idea of what the Jewish carpenter would want to do...

about Boyd's callousness and lack of empathy. Boyd might get treated like those money changers Jesus chased from the Temple with a whip.

[droidamus2]

24. Just shows you

Part of the Republican game is to get people into powerful government positions not to help people or make for better government but strictly to make sure the government does not work and will not help all those little people out there during bad times.

[MadLinguist]

25. resigns during a blackout in frigid temperatures, yep!

That's the GOP way. Step on your tongue, reveal your heartless self, then duck out.
Get out and keep your klan to yourself.
Somebody who gives a shit about public safety can take it from here.
A dog could do a better job

[marble falls]

26. The nonapology apology ... (and yes, it's even worse) ...

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Colorado-City-mayor-Tim-Boyd-electricity-resigned-15956559.php

Below are Boyd's original message as well as his apology.

ORIGINAL FACEBOOK MESSAGE (since deleted):

Let me hurt some feelings while I have a minute!!

No one owes you are (sic) your family anything; nor is it the local government’s responsibility to support you during trying times like this! Sink or swim it’s your choice! The City and County, along with power providers or any other service owes you NOTHING! I’m sick and tired of people looking for a damn handout! If you don’t have electricity you step up and come up with a game plan to keep your family warm and safe. If you have no water you deal without and think outside of the box to survive and supply water to your family. If you are sitting at home in the cold because you have no power and are sitting there waiting for someone to come rescue you because your (sic) lazy is direct result of your raising! Only the strong will survive and the weak will parish (sic). Folks God has given us the tools to support ourselves in times like this. This is sadly a product of socialist government where they feed people to believe that the FEW will work and others will become dependent for handouts. Am I sorry that you have been dealing without electricity and water; yes! But I’ll be damned if I’m going to provide for anyone that is capable of doing it themselves! We have lost sight of those in need and those that take advantage of the system and meshed them in to one group!! Bottom line quit crying and looking for a handout! Get off your ass and take care of your own family!

Bottom line – DONT (sic) A PART OF PROBLEM, BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION!!

APOLOGY

All, I have set back and watched all this escalating and have tried to keep my mouth shut! I won’t deny for one minute what I said in my post this morning. Believe me when I say that many of the things I said were taken out of context and some of which were said without putting much thought in to it. I would never want to hurt the elderly or anyone that is in true need of help to be left to fend for themselves. I was only making the statement that those folks that are too lazy to get up and fend for themselves but are capable should not be dealt a handout. I apologize for the wording and some of the phrases that were used! I had already turned in my resignation and had not signed up to run for mayor again on the deadline that was February 12th! I spoke some of this out of the anger that the city and county was catching for situations which were out of their control. Please understand if I had it to do over again I would have just kept my words to myself and if I did say them I would have used better wording and been more descriptive.

The anger and harassment you have caused my wife and family is so undeserved....my wife was laid off of her job based off the association people gave to her and the business she worked for. She’s a very good person and was only defending me! But her to have to get fired from her job over things I said out of context is so horrible. I admit, there are things that are said all the time that I don’t agree with; but I would never harass you or your family to the point that they would lose there livelihood such as a form of income.

I ask that you each understand I never meant to speak for the city of Colorado City or Mitchell county! I was speaking as a citizen as I am NOT THE MAYOR anymore. I apologize for the wording and ask that you please not harass myself or my family anymore!

Threatening our lives with comments and messages is a horrible thing to have to wonder about. I won’t share any of those messages from those names as I feel they know who they are and hope after they see this they will retract the hateful things they have said!

Thank you

Tim Boyd(citizen)

[JudyM]

27. Guy doesn't deserve to be a public official.

[marble falls]

30. He deserves all the dump he's attracted.

[JudyM]

39. Yes, definitely. But he's complaining like it's unwarranted.

I’m hoping that more folks, generally, are seeing the false veil of righteousness these repugs have been wearing all along. I’m so grateful we are finally emboldened; an exciting time for Dems!

[marble falls]

43. I believe all undecided ought to be alligned Blue in the next few days.

[JudyM]

65. "Next few days?"

That’d be magnificent, if only.

[marble falls]

66. Four more days of this will turn it from stories to tell the grandkids to revenge in the voting ...

... booth. Texan's are knee-jerk voters. I believe the blue knee will jerk after this fiasco.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

50. Yes and he has the effing nerve to whine and complain

because he and his family are getting backlash over his horrid comments. Boyd should show some of that Texas pluck and toughness he posts about and quit trying to play the victim.

[meadowlander]

52. He should be demoted to gravedigger

And come back to us when he understands the consequences of his bullshit.

[HUAJIAO]

34. Did this guy ever get past 1st grade English?

[marble falls]

44. He more bulk than brains. He passed brawn years ago.

[niyad]

47. The editor in me wants to slap him. The human being in me wants to make him work in a

Shelter during a week-long power shortage in winter. But the ones in the shelter do not deserve that. My dark side has stuck a poppet of him in the freezer. Won't say what I did to it first.My light side is reminding me that I promised not to do that.(sorry, a bit hard of hearing, a bit forgetful today). . .


.okayyyyyyyyyy

May he receive everything he deserves. (Better??????))

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

51. Are you smarter than a fifth-grader?

In Tim Boyd's case, the answer is a resounding NO!

As for the slaps, where does the line form?

[niyad]

55. Line forms right behind me. I brought hot chocolate and cider.

Maybe have portable patio heaters on standby??

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

59. Very thoughtful and my wife will bring a pot

of hearty chili to make it a meal!

[niyad]

61. Ahhhhh, that will be perfect!

[marble falls]

53. I hope to splash a big puddle over him when he breaks down at the side of the street in a storm.

... He shoulda packed a dirt bike in the back of his Texas 'Cadillac'.

[niyad]

56. I hope you will be driving an 18 wheeler then!

[marble falls]

57. That's a 10-4 good buddy.

Last edited Wed Feb 17, 2021, 08:29 PM - Edit history (1)

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

60. Your posts gave me one heck of a big laugh! Well done!

[marble falls]

62. Just don't put me into a full Nelson!

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

67. lol, if you remember the nefarious Tanaka and Mr. Fuji from back in the day...

when the going got rough, they attacked their opponents with the ceremonial salt they brought to the ring!

[marble falls]

68. I go all the way back to the Galagher Bros, Gorgeous George, Johnny Powers, Haystack McGee, ...

... Bobo Brazil. I even saw Dr Sam Shepard wrestle pro.

[MarcA]

28. Typical whinny hypocritical authoritarian

He whines about how his family is treated while stating that he does not care about the feelings or the well being of others. The typical slave master mentality that those who have it must keep it and those who don't have it must be their owner's servants, if they are allowed to be at all. As for his wife losing her job, she was working at the local "socialist" school district so he should be proud not to have to depend on that "socialist" income. Sadly, he apparently has some local sycophants who believe others should forgive and forget. Forgetting allows evil to persist. BTW, would his attitude have anything to do with the increase in non-white residents there?

[reader1]

29. Sign of things to come.

Some says there is a link between climate change and the polar vertex dipping down more often to the southern states. While we should sympathize for the people of Texas, this disaster and the pandemic should be a lesson for the rest of us the importance to teach our family to consume less and live a frugal lifestyle.

The positive feedback loop has already began, so more breakdown of society will happen in the near future and our healthcare infrastructure may collapse, people living a healthy life not depending on cheap medications from China and India stands a better chance of survival. Sorry for the doom and gloom news I deduced from reading what most climatologist says will happen .

[dlk]

33. Apparently, Boyd wasn't strong enough to survive...

[Blue Hal]

35. Why haven't you cretins SECEDED yet, Boyd?

The country doesn't need you, and I personally don't want you!

[turbinetree]

36. All for one and one for all there mayor.............

must be a ayn rand libertarian............

[marble falls]

45. You assume he reads?

[turbinetree]

48. I keep forgetting

[marble falls]

49. That's OK, its a sign you hope against experience he might in some way be improvable ...

... that's because you have more milk of human kindness than a geezer like me.

[patphil]

40. I guess Tim Boyd never understood what a mayor is elected to do.

I guess he thought it was just a title for someone who sat in the back of a limo during parades and waved at the crowd.

Of course he should have realized his wave should not be his middle finger.

[CaptYossarian]

41. Tell them to burn their Ayn Rand books for warmth.

[marble falls]

46. You think he owns books?

[CaptYossarian]

69. No, I was aiming right at irony.

That's why I'm amused at Perry and Abbott's rejection of FERC, whilke they sit up and beg for FEMA's help (that they wouldn't have needed if they had joined with FERC).

The Dems always have to mop up after the party of less government.

[marble falls]

70. Amused isn't the word most Texans who get the issues would use right now: the politest ...

... might be: bitter fucking irony.

Part of the stupid part is the Federal Government will make give all the service, material needed to make Abbott the hero to the Texans who don't understand the issues.

The biggest goat in all of this is Dad of the Year, Ted Cruz, who's scapegoating his daughter for his being so stupid and unfeeling.

My wife and I have quarantined for almost a year. He could have sat out a week.

Like the tweet said: AOR raised one million dollars for Texan's relief. Cruz went to Cancun.

Does anyone know where Sen Cornyn is/ has been?

[CaptYossarian]

71. I have a greatdeal of empathy for the citizens of Texas.

They now have to switch to the party of Ann Richards for smart leadership. The amusing part is the backpedalomg and dishonest fingerpointing by the folks who made a bad situation much worse--exactly 10 years after the last time this happened. Abbott didn't learn from that. All of the Rs must be replaced.

Good people like Wendy Davis and Beto are ready and competent.

[Brainfodder]

54. They wanted less government, and I guess this is proof they succeeded?

Do the likes of Ted and Louie get a parade?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

63. He's resigned

Texas mayor resigns after telling freezing residents to stop complaining about cold snap

Only the right thing to do after being such a dumbass,

[Kablooie]

64. Cool! Let the law of the jungle rule the land.

Republican nirvana. Let the weak perish from the earth.