Letter to the editor: Real causes of problems in Texas

I am so grateful that Pennsylvania has a governor like Tom Wolf rather than someone in Texas like Gov. Greg Abbott or past governor Rick Perry. First Abbott refused to follow CDC guidelines, and more Texans than needed died. Now more Texans died unnecessarily due to a lack of electricity and water. This is a result of a conscious decision by the state of Texas to deregulate and privatize electricity.

What were they thinking? We know from past experience that privatization of essential services is filled with pitfalls. When you privatize, you must make a profit, and that usually means decreasing capital investment and reducing service and or labor.

The claim that they want freedom from regulations is flawed. Regulations give us freedoms. Because of regulations, we do not have the chaos we see in Texas. Because of regulations, we have the freedom to breath clean air, drink clean water and stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Fox News falsely tried to blame green energy initiatives for the problems in Texas. We should hold the radical right-wing media accountable for the lies they tell. They should not be allowed to use the public airways to spread falsehoods with impunity.

Katie Forsythe

North Huntingdon