Way back in 2008 when I was running for the U.S. Congress down here in the Colorado Springs area, I was treated very nicely by nearly every elected Democrat involved in Colorado politics. Mark Udall was especially kind, doing joint appearances with me and being a great booster. Ed Perlmutter was friendly and welcoming, as was Ken Salazar, who hosted a fund-raiser for me. Bill Ritter went well beyond what I might reasonably hope for in terms of support, even calling me the day after my election loss to console me and buck up my feelings. Heck, Federico Peña met with me twice and Dick Lamm huddled with me over strategy. Yup, all the elected Dems were great to me.

Except one…

Diana DeGette wouldn’t give me the time of day. Heck, she pretty much refused to even acknowledge that I was a fellow carbon-based life form. At the few events we both attended, she brushed me off, declining any further conversation or even a handshake. I admit, I was a tad miffed, given how great everyone else was. And, I further admit that I can be a tad childish and that I’ve carried a bit of a grudge against her since 2008, and I’ve kind of ignored her since then.

Which, of course, brings me to bragging on DeGette for getting something really great done recently.

As reported recently in Colorado Politics, President Biden (I still enjoy saying those two words together, but I digress…) signed a new law, championed by DeGette, to roll back the roll back of methane emissions ordered by former president Trump (and, not surprisingly, I really enjoy saying those three words together). Trump, as part of his apparent mission to eliminate any regulations his puppet masters didn’t like, had removed environmental protections involving the limitation of methane gas being vented into the atmosphere. 

Now, unless you are part of that tiny minority of scientists that still claims global climate change is just a hoax, you understand the significance of that rule rollback. Methane is an extremely helpful gas in many ways, but it is also a really good gas at trapping heat in our atmosphere. A warming Earth is a bad thing, and if you really think it’s all a deception, maybe give a call to a friend in Seattle or to a buddy in Canada, which just set a new all-time high temperature of 121 degrees in British Columbia. Let me say that again – it got to 121! In Canada! 

I’ve been involved with climate change issues since the late 1990s, when I wrote the first draft statement of the impact of climate change on the U.S. military and the Department of Defense overall. Spoiler alert: it isn’t good. Adjusting to a new normal of temperature, sea level, storms, heat waves, droughts, flooding, and other extremes in weather is already costing the Pentagon billions.

DeGette’s bill, now the law of the land, returns us to a much better set of methane rules, dating back to the Obama administration’s Oil and Natural Gas New Source Performance Standards. And DeGette should get lots of praise for her work on this new legislation. It is not a particularly glitzy bill, nor is it likely to get DeGette much camera time on national or local TV. But her work has now codified into law the idea that we need to be more responsible stewards of our planet, at least regarding methane.

As my regular reader (Hi Jeff!) will recall, I’ve often written about my affection and respect for legislators (regardless of political party) that are “workhorses” in DC and not “showhorses” that constantly seek attention (cough…Ted Cruz…cough…). We in Colorado are blessed to have two such workhorses as our senators, with Bennet and Hickenlooper far more interested in getting actual work done than in showing up on the evening news. On the congressional level, we have also been blessed with workhorses, with the aforementioned Perlmutter a workhorse, as is Joe Neguse and, apparently GOP Rep Ken Buck, with whom I disagree on, well, everything, but whom I respect for his hard work. And my old friend Jason Crow, a legit hero kind of guy from his military service, has already demonstrated his outstanding work ethic and dedication across a number of issues. On the other extreme are those members who get little to nothing done, but strut about, like Boebert and Lamborn.

It’s silly of me to still harbor any grouchiness about 2008 and I need to get over that. Her recent work on methane really helps, and it points strongly toward a workhorse mentality. DeGette should be quite proud of her recent legislative victory, as it will directly improve the lives of every American. The dean of the Colorado delegation has stepped up in an important way and should be congratulated for the achievement. 

Well done!

(OK, I feel better now.)