Seems moral to me. As a community member, I'm happy to play a bit to ensure those unable to pay don't freeze in the winter
Signed,
-Texan who was without power during a major cold snap and wonders why the "independent" electric grid isn't an active priority
"HA TRICK QUESTION! that's unnecessary because individuals can simply choose to partially and temporarily alleviate this issue in a very limited way!"
??? This is how you think?
"Nothing stopping you..." is all-too-often another way of saying, "I will make no attempt at making a good-faith argument".
In short, trolls.
I'd be happy to reiterate my point if it was unclear and you thought I was suggesting we run a voluntary social safety net.
That is an unhelpful comment and an antisocial position. (And as another commentator put it "a tax on empathy")
Humans are social creatures, we cannot survive on our own.
We are also monkeys with enormous brains, we can do better
How much extra per billing cycle should someone in exactly the same financial situation as the lady in the article pay?
Nah, that's being a human. We put clawbacks and riders in utility rates all the time, even breaks to operating companies. This isn't out-there policy and charitable help programs for utilities are common. Were I still living hand to mouth I'd continue supporting social safety net policies.
> This isn't out-there policy and charitable help programs for utilities are common.
Yes, in fact, that is what the first lady in the article utilized - an assistance program provided by the utility itself where they zeroed out her outstanding balance.
There is so much injustice perpetrated in the name of fairness
I see it as an injustice to take money out of a poor person's pocket now to pay for the failures of a different, unrelated poor person.
I find it interesting that you're latching onto the "eat the cost" phrase(which may have been incorrectly used) but you aren't too interested in rectifying your gross ignorance of the actual details of the system you're making claims about.