There's plenty the state could have done to prevent that through regulation, a plan was even outlined in a state report following a similar but less severe event in 2011. They could have mandated natural gas plants and wind turbines to winterize, most importantly. Many of those deaths fell directly on the heads of Rick Perry and Greg Abbott, who collectively appointed every member of the Public Utility Commission that failed to implement that plan.

And also, that weather event was unprecedented in Texas recorded history in terms of its severity and its duration. No one who lives here had ever experienced anything like it, because the weak jet stream that caused the polar vortex to sag down to fucking Texas is a direct result of climate change and was new. I blame Texas state leadership, who don't represent me or my interests, for many of the deaths, but I'm not blaming any people or government for having difficulty containing a disaster of that magnitude. After Superstorm Sandy, over 8 million people in NY/NJ lost power. In New England in 2008, millions of people lost power for almost 2 weeks after an ice storm. Severe weather fucks shit up