The finger-pointing escalated this week as some Republicans argued that a major utility company run by Democratic appointees has “woke” policies on diversity and tree-trimming that are the causes of customers’ woes.
There’s bipartisan and widespread consensus that Nashville Electric Service, which serves the city as well as surrounding counties, mishandled the storm, struggling to mobilize enough workers and equipment to quickly clear fallen trees and restore service.
There is nothing political about this. At all. There are trees. They need to be cut within a certain distance of the line. Budges get cut, they get behind, and a tree they thought they’d trim again in 2 years becomes one that causes a power outage 3 years later. That’s how it goes.
There’s not a left or right wing way to trim a tree. There’s a correct way and a wrong way. It’s about how many miles they need to do in how much time.
You’re imagining an argument about fast and efficient vs. slow and careful. In reality they’re highlighting the dangerous trees and making sure those ones get done in ideal weather, and the others can get done in less than ideal weather. It gets done at the speed it gets done.
Again, it could not be less political.
Except it is, because the Republicans make it political.
Yeah, and the Republicans want to force it to be done wrong while claiming the opposite. It’s nonsense, but you can’t deny the nonsense exists.
It only takes one side to politicize.
These contracts are short, like 1-2 years. Typically you re-trim every 2 years. So if you do a terrible job and then get outbid 2 years later, you basically walk away with money and leave the next contractor with extra work. That’s the typical situation. That’s often how these sorts of disasters happen. Someone underbid and then couldn’t deliver. Now it’s the taxpayer’s problem.
Again, it’s not political. Someone underbid. Someone accepted the underbid. The contractor that underbid couldn’t accomplish the task. Now they’re behind. Where are you seeing a left and right in this?