Op-Ed: AP: Secret Bill-Writing On the Rise

Op-Ed

As Democrats in Washington spend another week meeting behind closed doors to negotiate the future of every American's health care, the Associated Press is now reporting on the demise of transparency in the legislative process.

Democrats are refusing to open to the public the end-stage negotiations on how the government is going to change the delivery of health care.

And it's not just on the high-profile health care bill; the trend on much legislation is to shut the door and keep the minority party, cable TV and other media on the outside. [...]

Conferees did meet briefly last February on the $787 billion economic stimulus package, but only after the White House and Democratic leaders had reached agreement on the key issues. A few speeches were made, and the meeting was abruptly adjourned, never to be reconvened after Republicans asked when the negotiating with them might begin.

Other major bills sent to the president last year - a credit cardholder bill of rights, a women's fair pay bill, a smoking regulation bill and a war spending bill - were completed without open conference meetings.

House Republicans and the American people have a right to know what backroom deals Democrats are making in an effort to force government-run health care on an American public that clearly does not want it.

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