Inhofe: Obama is using his administration to ‘advance a radical agenda’

Inhofe’s remarks were prompted by a speech Obama gave earlier this summer on carbon pollution. Obama announced that his administration would regulate carbon emissions from power plants in order to improve the air quality and environment within the United States.

{mosads}Inhofe said Obama was trying to enact cap and trade legislation through regulation since a bill couldn’t pass Congress.

He said the regulation would cost the U.S. economy more than $600 billion a year.

“It’s going to cost a lot of money. It would be the largest tax increase ever on America and even if you do it, it won’t lower emissions,” Inhofe said. “So why would they do it? Because there are a lot of liberal who really believe government should control our lives more.”

The Oklahoma senator has argued that climate change is a “hoax.”

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) countered Inhofe’s remarks Wednesday.

“I have to say to my good friend Jim Inhofe: he is dead wrong,” Sanders said on the Senate floor. “Human activity is causing climate change. … Global warming is real, it is happening right now and it will only get worse if we do not act.”

Possibly this week, the Senate will confirm Obama’s nominee to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Gina McCarthy. Inhofe said he wouldn’t vote for McCarthy because she supports and would implement Obama’s proposed regulations.

Republicans agreed to vote on her nomination as part of a deal to avoid Senate rule changes limiting the minorities right to filibuster executive branch nominees.