June 12, 2012 09:29 PM UTC

Cory Gardner Blames Government for Mother Nature

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• by: Colorado Pols

We understand that saying “government is bad” is a popular position for a right-wing Republican to take on any issue, but it’s a bit absurd to see Rep. Cory Gardner go so far as to blame the government for lightning and forest fires.

From The Ft. Collins Coloradoan:

U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., is calling for an investigation into how federal roadless area policy related to bark beetle-killed trees may have contributed to the spread of the High Park Fire.

Just more than a month after the U.S. Forest Service finalized the Colorado Roadless Rule for the state’s national forests, the High Park Fire likely burned through the eastern edge of the White Pine Mountain Roadless Area in the Roosevelt National Forest, according to data appearing on a map of the fire that incident command presented to evacuees Monday.

Last month’s Hewlett Fire burned within the Greyrock Roadless Area.

“We will be asking for a full-blown investigation into whether or not roadless policies contributed to the severity of this fire,” said Gardner, who ordered his staff on Monday to track down maps of Colorado’s roadless areas to determine whether the High Park Fire has burned within a roadless area.”

So is this really a viable connection to make, or is Gardner just using a weird issue to grandstand about government regulations? It would seem the latter, as this quote confirms:

“Not knowing whether or not roadless policies contributed to the severity of the fire, that’s a question that has to be answered,” he said.

Got that? Gardner has no friggin’ idea if this question makes any sense whatsoever, but dammnit, he’s going to insinuate anyway!