‘The Temperature On Mars Is Exactly As It Is Here’ Says Climate Change Denying Senator

A Kentucky Republican state senator during a hearing on EPA regulations claimed that “we all agree that the temperature on Mars is exactly as it is here.” Well, give or take about 138 degrees or so.

Brandon Smith is not only a career politician, a Kentucky Republican state senator, and a climate change denier, he’s the owner of Mohawk Energy. And he sits on the Kentucky Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Environment. Last week, during that committee’s hearing on EPA regulations, Senator Smith attempted to refute a claim that climate change is real.

“As you sit there in your chair with your data,” Senator Smith told an EPA official, “we sit up here in ours with our data and our constituents and stuff behind us. I don’t want to get into the debate about climate change, but I will simply point out that I think in academia we all agree that the temperature on Mars is exactly as it is here. Nobody will dispute that. Yet there are no coal mines on Mars. There are no factories on Mars that I’m aware of.”

That he’s aware of.

Of course, as many folks are “aware of,” the temperature on earth averages about 58 degrees fahrenheit. While most folks don’t know the actual temperature on the red planet (that’s Mars, up there in the photo), they are pretty sure it’s far from 58 degrees, as its a lot farther away from the sun.  And in fact, it’s about minus 80 degrees fahrenheit. 

Also, let’s revisit Senator Smith’s claim that he considers himself part of “academia.” 

Senator Smith is a Presbyterian, a free Mason, a Boy Scout district commissioner, a father of three, a husband, (as we mentioned earlier,) the owner of Mohawk Energy, and a graduate of the University of Kentucky (B.A. political science.) Nowhere in that fine list of accomplishments could “academia” be construed.

And yet, here is Senator Smith, claiming all that. 

Watch:

 

Hat tip: Leo Weekly and Joe Jervis