This one is a no-brainer -- so much so that even the Houston Chronicle is on the right side of the issue.

Imagine a representative democracy in which legislators could pass or defeat bills without letting their constituents know which way each legislator voted. Voters, in turn, would have no way of holding their representative accountable at election time.

Such a scenario, in which legislators could say they voted yea or nay regardless of the truth, seems unthinkable. Yet it exists in Austin in the Texas Legislature. While the Texas House passed an internal rule requiring a recorded vote on final passage of all bills, it does not have the force of law and could be suspended at any time.

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Texas needs a constitutional amendment requiring a recorded vote on every amendment and on second and third readings of every bill. A vote against recorded votes is a vote against open government, accountability and the principles of democracy itself.

Interestingly enough, though, it has only taken the Chronicle 140 years to get around to supporting such a measure -- which they never felt a need to do during the 135 consecutive years when Democrats held control of the legislature. Open government, accountability, and the principles of democracy are only important, one would have to presume, when Republicans are in control.

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