The Hill:
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) last week formally added his voice to growing calls for the transparent operation of the "supercommittee" charged with finding $1.5 trillion in spending cuts, by introducing legislation that would require open meetings of the committee in most cases.
Buchanan's bill, H.R. 2796, would require the new Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to hold open, televised meetings in all cases except those in which classified information is discussed. It would also require the so-called supercommittee's agenda to be made public.
Buchanan last week was one of several members who said he is worried about the idea of a 12-member committee agreeing to spending cuts that the rest of Congress is expected to accept in an up-or-down vote.
Giving the public full access to the Gang of 12's deliberations seems like a no-brainer. Does anybody really trust 12 members of Congress to develop a fair and honest plan to cut $1.5 trillion from the deficit behind closed doors?
So we have a bipartisan idea that's also a good idea ... which must mean that it's just not going to happen.