Rep. Lamar Smith, the chair of the House Science Committee wrote a bizarro op-ed that promotes all the good that global warming will cause in the world.
This hasn't come from Funny or Die, The Onion or the mind of Sarah Silverman.
Smith's piece, which appears in Heritage's "The Daily Signal" is aptly called:
"Don’t Believe the Hysteria Over Carbon Dioxide"
Rep. Smith does admit that carbon dioxide is increasing in the atmosphere, but insists it adds a lot of value to the world.
He writes, "The benefits of a changing climate are often ignored and under-researched. Our climate is too complex and the consequences of misguided policies too harsh to discount the positive effects of carbon enrichment."
Yes, with rising sea levels, massive storms and, rising temperatures comes a host of great growth and promise in Smith's mind.
Here's just a few of the benefits Smith claims comes out of global warming.
"A higher concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere would aid photosynthesis, which in turn contributes to increased plant growth."
"Besides food production, another benefit of increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the lush vegetation that results."
"Greater vegetation assists in controlling water runoff, provides more habitats for many animal species, and even aids in climate stabilization, as more vegetation absorbs more carbon dioxide."
And my favorite, "Also, as the Earth warms, we are seeing beneficial changes to the earth’s geography. For instance, Arctic sea ice is decreasing. This development will create new commercial shipping lanes that provide faster, more convenient, and less costly routes between ports in Asia, Europe, and eastern North America. This will increase international trade and strengthen the world economy."
TPM writes, "Smith, as chair of the House Science Committee, has led a crusade against climate scientists, in particular targeting a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration study in 2015. He has also gone after environmental groups and state attorneys general over investigations into ExxonMobil’s climate change denialism."
And this is the man in charge of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
