Senator Frist, take down this secret hold!

I will not support a secret hold on legislation that impairs the transparency of operation of the Federal Government.

A nagging problem remains, however: Senate rules on collegiality may trump honesty to one's constituents. What is to keep a Senator who did place the hold on S.2590 from saying through his or her staffer that he or she didn't?

Would appointment of Senators have been better in this case? Can't say. A State has every bit as much incentive to solicit a Federal bribe in the form of pork, as would a group of voters in a city or county---perhaps more.