Global Warming - We Must Be Skeptical

So much for Al Gore's prediction that Arctic summer ice may all disappear by 2013 due to global warming caused by carbon emissions.  Recently we learned that Arctic ice has grown by 60% since last year at the same time. This is contrary to the 'expert' opinions that it would completely disappear in a few years.  http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2013/09/12/remember-all-those-breathy-predictions-about-an-ice-free-arctic-by-2015-nevermind/  And, in yet another study on climate research, the latest being published in science journal, Nature Climate Change, it was revealed that global warming has been wildly overestimated. Comparing 117 predictions on climate change made in the 1990's, only 3 have been roughly accurate, leaving 114 predictions flat, that there would be more warming than what has actually occurred.

According to John Christy, professor at University of Alabama, he "looked at 73 climate models going back to 1979 and every single one predicted more warming than happened in the real world.
Many of these 'overestimations also made their way into the popular press.' For instance, the Associated Press in 1989 reported, 'Using computer models, researchers concluded that global warming would raise average annual temperatures nationwide 2 degrees by 2010.'  Such articles then became the launching point for many other stories in local papers and national newscasts. According to NASA, though, 'global temperature has increased by less than half that—about 0.7 degrees Fahrenheit—from 1989 to 2010.'"  http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/09/13/Study-Climate-Predictions-Wildly-Overestimated-Global-Warming

According to climate scientist and professor at the Meteorological Institute of the University of Hamburg, Hans Von Storch, "despite predictions of a warming planet the temperature data for the past 15 years shows an increase 'very close to zero'."  When asked why the Earth's temperatures have not increased in any significant way in the past 15 years, despite the fact that CO2 emissions have increased more than expected, Storch attributes to unreliable climate models which forecast temperatures. http://www.theclimategatebook.com/global-warming-virtually-zero/

This seems to reinforce the 'climategate' scandal of 2009, which indicated that major climate scientists were manipulating data to support a global warming thesis, according to thousands of emails and documents (which were hacked into) from the Climate Research Unit in England. While there is some controversy over whether this scandal was a direct repudiation on global warming or not, one must be somewhat skeptical of a science that is presented on sketchy evidence. http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/peter-roff/2009/11/30/global-warming-e-mails-scandal-show-scientists-may-have-cooked-the-facts

And yet, Obama recently stated, “we also know that the climate is warming faster than anybody anticipated five or 10 years ago.” However, at a Senate hearing of Environment and Public Works, expert witnesses were asked if Obama's assertions were true.  Apparently, after several seconds of quiet, Heidi Cullen, former meteorologist for the Weather Channel, chimed in that warming has slowed, not accelerated.  A while later, another Senator looked for answers to the same question about the acceleration of global warming. This time, no one answered. Many of these witnesses were called by Senator Barbara Boxer, who must've been disappointed not to get the confirmation she was looking for about global warming.  She and others did not get the justification they needed for this administration to impose costly carbon emission restrictions. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jamestaylor/2013/07/19/senator-barbara-boxers-own-experts-contradict-obama-on-global-warming/

The President added, “I don’t have much patience for people who deny climate change.”  The new head of the EPA, Gina McCarthy, stated that the Obama administration is planning to bypass Congress on legislation regarding climate change.  Is it possible that it's his impatience to pass a redistributive political agenda that's growing? http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/14/climate-change-obama-epa-plan-action-sans-congress/  While Obama plans to make this a priority in his second term, this doesn't fit with how most Americans prioritize their concerns.  In a recent Pew Poll, dealing with global warming came in 21st on a list of issues important to the country. http://www.pewresearch.org/key-data-points/climate-change-key-data-points-from-pew-research/

The ramifications on our country will be significant.  Major reform on energy policies will undoubtedly affect productivity and industry, as well as individual costs to support these reforms. While our President may not have much patience for deniers, many Americans don't have much patience for those who want to turn our economy even more upside down with suffocating restrictions, higher taxes, and fewer energy sources. Skepticism is important. Let's be clear about the science before this country is negatively impacted.