I wish folks in Texas were as lucky as I am :(

One of the good things about living in Jackson Heights, Queens, in New York City is that all of our utility wires and pipes are buried.  We rarely lose electric power, heat, or gas for our stove.  Even our internet connection works most of the time.  How can people in my own country be literally freezing to death because the utility companies were too cheap to insulate their fuel pipes and/or transmission lines?

How can parts of the United States be so poorly prepared for cold weather that thousands of people are scrounging for drinkable water because the pipes in thousands of homes froze and burst?