By JOHN NORTH

The two speakers fielded a range of questions — but none that were hostile — about their critiques of global-warming policy during a 15-minute question-and-answer period following their presentations in a “State Global Warming Policy” program last Wednesday at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville.

The opening question, directed by an unidentified man to Christy, the weather expert, asked for an assessment of the general knowledge level of Americans regarding global warming.

Davd Tuerck

John Christy

“Most people have a very shallow understanding of climate change,” Christy replied evenly.

Another man asked about a claim he had seen elsewhere about the possibility of burning seawater to produce energy.

“There are combustible materials in seawater, if you add something to it,” Christy said, trying to suppress a grin. “But I haven’t seen any burning seawater ... lately.”

A man asked for more details on the theory of how carbon-dioxide levels could affect global warming.

“Carbon dioxide is increasing and it will change the climate —  somehow,” Christy replied. “There are so many things that are unpredictable that is makes it very hard to predict climate change.”

In noting the great complexity of climate science with its plethora of variables — and even of forecasting the next day’s weather — Christy prompted laughter when he added, “Climate is more difficult to predict than a football game!”

A man then asked a question on the costs to industry of proposed government policies to control global warming.

Tuerck, the economist, replied that such policies tend to try to put a cap on pollution, permitting industries or nations to buy, sell or trade carbon-dioxide credits.

“It’s often marketed as a free-market solution, but it’s really just a tax,” he said of the carbon-credit plan.

Another man asked, “What would happen if a company needed more credits for pollution and couldn’t find anybody to buy them from?”

“They’d have to cut back or shut down until they found someone” with carbon credits, Tuerck answered.

The only woman who spoke at the program asked the two speakers to address her theory that “we know the reason that the global-warming issue has come up” — because government agencies need money to justify th.eir continued existence and to expand.

To her assertion, Christy responded, “It’s true, agencies are able to get money if they can come up with a threat — and it’s a big one” if it involves global warming trumped up to include the possible demise of mankind.

Tuerck, the other speaker, added, “There are many who stand to benefit from all this,” referring to what he considered the over-hyped concern about humanity’s dire future on the planet.

A man asked, “Al Gore is training hundreds of robots to promote a megabillion (dollar) worldview. There’s just 100 of us here today. So what can we do?”

Christy replied that, to counteract the “junk science” aspects of the Gore effort, the JLF luncheon attendees need to lobby for the inclusion of “accurate” global-warming science in high-school textbooks.

JLF moderator Roy Lordato then closed the Q&A by noting, “Something else you can do is make a contribution to the John Locke Foundation because, in North Carolina, we’re heading the charge to challenge the global-warming” policy recommendations.

Lordato also noted that Dick Morris, a Fox News Channel commentator and New York Post columist, will discuss the current U.S. political climate and “all things politic” at noon April 22 during the next Headliner Luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Asheville.