There is nothing Democrats seem to love more than a good ol’ fashion Blue Ribbon Commission. Former Gov. Bill Ritter was famous for creating them on everything from healthcare and education to transportation. It actually became a joke that anytime Ritter was too scared to take a position on real issues he would convene a blue ribbon commission to study it. 
Sometimes these commissions would make policy recommendations. However, even when that is the case, there is never enough political will to implement the suggestions.
Take President Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform – better known as the Simpson-Bowles Commission. It detailed a $2.5 trillion deficit reduction plan that is now collecting dust on a shelf in the White House. Obama even went to great lengths to distance himself from its recommendations.
These blue ribbon panels/commissions/boards – whatever you want to call them – produced absolutely bupkis. All they do is waste time and money and give politicos like Gov. John Hickenlooper and Rep. Jared Polis more empty talking points.
That is why the creation of yet another blue ribbon panel to study the issue of oil and gas is such a massive failure of leadership. A similar commission was created two years ago on this exact same issue. We’ve been there. We’ve done that.
Isn’t it time for a new approach?