Climate change alarmists raised an alert Sunday after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced he would not support President Joe Biden’s “Built Back Better” plan. The bill contained more than a half-trillion dollars of climate change spending.

However, radio host Hugh Hewitt pointed out the alarm is not as serious — or as sincere — as Democrats claim.

What was claimed?

People concerned about the alleged impacts of climate change said, for example, that Manchin's decision to not support the Build Back Better Act, essentially killing the bill, is "devastating for the planet."

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) was one such person raising alarm over the climate aspect of Build Back Better's sudden death. In fact, he called it a "climate disaster."

"Losing Build Back Better would be a climate disaster. We must power everything with renewable energy. I won’t stop fighting for this vision," Merkley said.

That we still don\u2019t have 50 votes tells you how far we\u2019ve fallen. Losing Build Back Better would be a climate disaster. We must power everything with renewable energy. I won\u2019t stop fighting for this vision.

— Senator Jeff Merkley (@Senator Jeff Merkley) 1639937797

The Biden administration billed its "Built Back Better" climate provisions as the "largest effort to combat climate change in American history."

Specifically, the plan sought to:

• Significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions — 50%-52% lower than 2005 levels — by 2030
• Offer "substantial consumer rebates" for families who transition to renewable energy
• Ensure that "clean energy technology ... will be built in the United States"
• Invest in "coastal restoration, forest management, and soil conservation"

Of course, the plan also sought to advance "environmental justice."

How did Hewitt say?

The conservative radio host exposed how rhetoric from climate change hawks like Merkley is more hyperbole than substance.

According to Hewitt, if climate change presented such a grave threat to humanity and the giant space rock called "Earth" that scientists estimate has been floating in perfect gravitational distance from the sun for billions of years, then Democrats would have advocated for legislation that only addressed climate change — not a bill promoting a partisan social agenda.

"If this was true Senate Ds would have stripped everything out of #BBB except climate-related measures and added in a huge subsidy for nuclear power plants and research," Hewitt pointed out.

"Voters are not stupid Senator," he added. "They don’t agree w/ you, and the actions of the @SenateDems belie your urgency."

If this was true Senate Ds would have stripped everything out of #BBB except climate-related measures and added in a huge subsidy for nuclear power plants and research. Voters are not stupid Senator. They don\u2019t agree w/ you, and the actions of the @SenateDems belie your urgency.https://twitter.com/senjeffmerkley/status/1472631974632243213\u00a0\u2026

— Hugh Hewitt (@Hugh Hewitt) 1639938761

As the Wall Street Journal explained, the Biden administration still has several avenues through which it can enact its agenda on climate change, such as through a separate bill, executive action, regulatory measures, and state-led campaigns.

One wonders, however, why Democrats did not lead with a climate-change-only bill if, as Merkley proposed, climate disaster is on the horizon because one country did not enact partisan legislation.