Whenever the government tries to keep something secret, that should send up a warning flag. Occasionally the reasons are legitimate, but most of the time not and it just means someone is trying to hide shady actions. The following article considers the validity of “secret holds” on legislation.
Mary Susan Littlepage | Watchdog Group Calls For Senate Ethics Committee to Review “Secret Holds”
Mary Susan Littlepage, Truthout: “Government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) on Wednesday asked the Senate Select Committee on Ethics to investigate senators’ failure to abide by a provision in the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (HLOGA). The act, enacted in September 2007, bans the use of “secret holds,” a parliamentary maneuver that’s often used to stall or stop legislation or nominations.”
Three Questions
1) Do you believe that “secret holds” are ethical or unethical?
2) Is the level of transparency in American government too high, about right, or too low?
3) Do you feel that the Senate Ethics Committee, watchdog groups, and others are doing an adequate job of ensuring that the American government behaves ethically … or are the foxes in charge of the henhouse?
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