Florida Today - Bill Posey: U.S. Agencies Should Stick to Core Missions

Op-Ed

By Bill Posey

There are perhaps few words as politically charged as "climate change." Taken at face value, the words simply mean that the climate of the earth changes over time. This is observably the case with seasonal changes, but also over greater spans of time. We were taught in school about the Ice Age, and our scientists believe there were multiple ice ages. Obviously, there are long-term fluctuations in the climate or there would have been one continuous ice age.

In Washington, however, climate change means something different. It's a political agenda with its supporters lobbying on behalf of special interest groups to set policies that include more unnecessary red tape for American businesses, higher taxes, fees and other actions that have stifled competition and hindered job creation.

Just look at the workforce participation rate; it's at a 40-year low. This economy is not growing like it should. Climate change is publicly acknowledged as a core agenda for the Obama administration. And it's everywhere, occupying the time and taxpayer resources of federal agencies -- even those you might least expect.

This administration directed our military and intelligence agencies to evaluate climate change. How they have the resources to do this when ISIS is on the march and Russia and China are flexing their muscles on the world stage is beyond me.

Source