• Texas power prices soared 20,000% Wednesday evening amid another brutal heat wave.

  • Spot electricity prices topped $5,000 per megawatt-hour, up more than 200 times from Wednesday morning.

  • The state’s grid operator issued its second-highest energy emergency, then later said conditions returned to normal.

  • @thefartographer@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    English
    5910 months ago

    I’m trying so hard… I swear, our ballot boxes should be called wishing wells to better curb my hopes…

    • @WHYAREWEALLCAPS@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      1710 months ago

      The problem is Texas Democrats and those who’d stand against Republicans don’t vote. I don’t feel like digging out the exact numbers, but the 2022 gubernatorial race shows it best. Abbott got nearly 80% of the votes Trump did in 2020. Beto got 60% of the votes Biden did. Republicans show up, Democrats don’t. Until that changes. nothing in this state will change.

      • Hot Saucerman
        link
        fedilink
        English
        31
        edit-2
        10 months ago

        Wow, I’m so shocked that Democrat turnout is depressed in *checks notes… states that go out of their way to gerrymander so only the Republicans can win, and use authoritarian tactics and putting Yes Men in key positions, have laws like it being illegal to give water to people standing in the voting line, and in general violently repress their Democratic constituents.

        Gee I wonder why those votes might be depressed! It certainly has nothing to do with a system that has already been rigged against them! /s

        Being real though, that’s purposeful on the part of Republicans. They want Democrats to lose hope. Makes their job easier.

        • @LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
          link
          fedilink
          910 months ago

          Of course, but the only way out is to push through. People need to understand that although republicans put their fingers on the scales in any way they can get away with, with enough resistance and turnout, this can absolutely be overcome. Jaded ideas about election interference, gerrymandering, etc. only create hopeless apathy and make it easier for them to retain a tight grip on power.

          In fact, gerrymandering is often carefully calibrated to a particular electoral environment. It often involves creating many districts with just enough votes to be safe for the incumbent. But if that environment shifts, it can actually backfire as there are a huge number of districts with a similar level of partisan split. If you get enough votes to flip those, there can be a huge change.

          • @Demonbooker@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            1
            edit-2
            10 months ago

            While your right that the way past it is to literally push through and get the numbers up to break their margins, that’s hard to do when the system is rigged to make it so difficult to vote it might require you taking an entire day off to do it. So many people are living paycheck to paycheck that they can’t afford that, and the people with disposable income and time to do that are the old and the rich who typically vote republican. Which is the point.

        • Jaysyn
          link
          fedilink
          410 months ago

          have laws like it being illegal to give water to people standing in the voting line

          That was found unconstitutional at least.

          • Chozo
            link
            fedilink
            6
            edit-2
            10 months ago

            When has the Constitution ever stopped Republicans from violating the Constitution?

          • Hot Saucerman
            link
            fedilink
            English
            310 months ago

            Right, but the fact that people in red states have to fight that buffoonery tooth and nail every day is part of why they’re tired and feel like voting is hopeless.

        • @thefartographer@lemm.ee
          link
          fedilink
          English
          210 months ago

          You know what’s been shocking to me in my last two elections? How much fear I felt turning in my ballot that someone would attack me after. I’d rather die than lose my freedom to vote blue, but I’d rather not die…

        • artisanrox
          link
          fedilink
          -2
          edit-2
          10 months ago

          The Governorship isn’t gerrymandered. That’s a literal turnout issue. You HAVE TO vote to not be overlorded by fascists. @