Perhaps given the chance to avert public eyes from his lackluster results with containing the deteriorating situation in Syria, nuclear talks with Iran, and the Middle East peace process, Secretary of State Kerry has chosen to flaunt his lack of scientific understanding as a needed diversion.

Kerry described those who do not accept that human activity causes global warming as "shoddy scientists" and "extreme ideologues," and said big companies and special interests should not be allowed to "hijack" the climate debate.  "Climate change can now be considered another weapon of mass destruction, perhaps the world's most fearsome weapon of mass destruction."

These sound-bite alarmism utterances from an ideologue lacking scientific training himself, shoddy or otherwise, are consistent with a special-interest politician always alert to the political climate.  By unilaterally labeling a fundamental, natural feature of Earth itself a "weapon of mass destruction," Kerry has now redefined "original sin" as being the result of excess man-made carbon dioxide.  He has removed the path of redemption from the hands of traditional religion and proclaimed salvation in government-imposed "global warming pollution reduction."  The failed 2010 Kerry/Lieberman "American Power Act" apparently lives on in Kerry's psyche.

Let Kerry produce the impartial evidence that would quantify how much human activity has caused how much global warming (or cooling).  The inherently chaotic nature of climate has defied attempts of climate modelers to accurately predict the future climate.  What is "normal climate" is heavily dependent on the time period and geographic place chosen.  The scientific record shows no global warming for the past 16 years, even as atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased about 9 percent.  True "weapons of mass destruction" have reliable on-off switches, well-calculated destructive impacts, and specific targets.

"Climate change" has been coopted by the progressive/liberal movement as something akin to the "universal solvent."  It is the term used to explain any untoward event anywhere, and direct blame to all of mankind...but with the exception of the ruling class.  It is the term that brings visions of guaranteed profits to the corporate cronyist, endless government research grants to compliant scientists, and elitist political control of the populace, whose function is reduced to paying for the scam.

Charles Battig, M.D., Piedmont Chapter president, VA-Scientists and Engineers for Energy and Environment (VA-SEEE). His website is www.climateis.wordpress.com