Kate, I read the piece on why conservatives ‘know’ how valuable these holds can be, but I’m afraid I don’t buy it. An essential part of the democratic process ought to be know what our legislators (whose salaries we pay, not so incidentally) are up to. If that means that, in doing the right thing, they have to (publicly) take an unpopular stand, so be it. That’s what they are paid to do.

It’s good to see, meanwhile, that Senator Frist (writing about S. 2590) has come out with this: “I am calling on all members, when asked by the blog community, to instruct their staff to answer whether or not they have a hold, honestly and transparently, so I can pass this bill. And I encourage Minority Leader Reid to do the same.”

Quite right.