Inside the Beltway

BAD WEATHER

Make hay while the sun shines: The federal government appears eager to hire high-priced “climate change program managers” and “climate change scientists” who would make up to $179,700 a year. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management lists 13 open positions in the Department of Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency for such jobs, open for public application from Feb. 19 to March 12.

Job descriptions? A climate-change scientist is active in “the global climate change modeling community and will be responsible for validating the use of modeling information for climate change decision-support tools, including climate-scenarios, resource vulnerability assessments, and risk assessments,” notes a listing at usajobs.gov, the online federal employment repository.

A “director of climate protection partnerships” administers “programs that stimulate voluntary, public-private partnerships to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

The timing on these listings could prove either clueless or canny. Last week, Sen. James M. Inhofe released an analysis of “Climategate”; the Oklahoma Republican is calling for a criminal investigation of climate scientists who manipulated scientific data. He also wants to investigate Al Gore, who continues to issue global-warming warnings. See Mr. Inhofe’s report here: http://inhofe.senate.gov/public

But the job listings could reveal strategic maneuvering, some say.

“Looks like someone is trying to make an end run on this climate-change stuff by putting people in permanent federal positions. Also notice the salary levels,” says an Inside the Beltway reader who is monitoring the situation. “Most people who are literate and have science backgrounds know that climate change is political far-left hogwash. It makes me angry that taxpayers are going to be paying for, no doubt, carefully placed handpicked people to put into these positions. This is outrageous.”

PARTY LIKE REAGAN

Feb. 6, 2011, marks what would have been former President Ronald Reagan’s 100th birthday. But plans for the Reagan Centennial Celebration are already well under way, with events around the nation, plus the official shindig in Los Angeles, courtesy of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation.

Want to go? The foundation is offering a contest to award a free trip for two to the two-day celebration - airfare, hotel, a VIP tour of Reagan’s library, tickets to the Reagan Centennial Concert at the Hollywood Bowl and $500 in spending cash.

Register for the contest prize by signing up for the foundation’s free e-mail updates from now until March 12. No purchase or donations are necessary. Check it all out here: www.reagancentennial.com

CLASH OF THE TITANS

It could happen: Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin decide to share a 2012 presidential ticket. Meanwhile, here’s reaction to the fact that Mr. Romney will kick off his national book tour by appearing on NBC, ABC, Fox News and finally CBS’ “Late Night With David Letterman” on Tuesday, directly competing with Mrs. Palin, who will join Jay Leno on his revamped “Tonight Show.”

“Tuesday night GOP-off.” (Matthew Gilbert, Boston Globe)

“Late night GOP wars.” (Nikke Finke, Deadline.com)

Story Continues →