Is global warming real or is it some sort of hoax?

My dad says that global warming is just a liberal hoax to try to justify spending money on a made-up cause. Is this true?

Climatology is an inexact science. Over time our models get better.

All we have to go on is the fact that the best and brightest minds all feel that global warming is real, what we are seeing is now is outside of normal cyclic change and that the large release of CO2 caused by burning fossil fuel is the cause.

The real money is in being a climate change skeptic. Pretty much any journalist or scientist who is willing to add their name to the list of people skeptical of global warming will get money thrown at them from the oil industry. The people with an agenda are the ones arguing against climate change.

The way news is presented where both people who believe in or are skeptical of climate change are given equal time leads people to believe that the jury is still out on this issue. In reality the vast majority of climatologists feel that man made climate change is real and a big problem. Only fringe wingnuts on the other side and arguing otherwise.

In my humble opinion, I believe it is simply an earth cycle (warmer this time period / colder that time period)....no matter what the imbalance, nature has a way, over time, of balancing...from what I have read the scientific community is definately divided on this...I heard one Climintologist say that many are speaking as experts and they aren't in that field/qualified to do so....it is unfortunate we live in a time where ANYONE is allowed to speak as an expert (not having the credentials and not being challenged) people just readily accept as fact....and those that know better, don't speak up....it didn't used to be that way....thus I believe we live in a time when someones agenda can easily be forced on others....we all must use due caution