CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- America's least-democratic body might be the U.S. Senate, which doesn't represent Americans equally. The mere 500,000 residents of Wyoming have two senators, while California's 38 million people have the same number. Even more lopsided, a minority of senators can stage a filibuster and prevent the majority from voting on a vital proposal.

Worst of all, a single, anonymous senator can put a "secret hold" on legislation and stymie it. One person can block the whole nation. The holds work like this:

A lone senator privately informs either the minority or majority leader of intent to obstruct the "unanimous consent" step used to bring a proposal to the floor. Other senators and the U.S. public aren't told the name of the stonewalling senator. Without unanimous consent, the Senate must go through a laborious, time-consuming process to scrape up 60 votes needed to make floor action possible.

Earlier this year, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., imposed holds on confirmation of 70 of President Obama's federal nominees. Shelby was trying to force the White House to spend billions for an FBI center and manufacture of U.S. Air Force tankers in his state. After his name became known, he relented.

In April, two-thirds of senators -- mostly Democrats -- signed a letter pledging never to apply secret holds, and now Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is pushing the Secret Holds Elimination Act.

The bill's name is deceptive. It doesn't eliminate holds -- it merely makes public the name of any senator who uses the tactic. Presumably, public scorn would deter such a senator from being an obstructionist.

We don't know whether the glare of sunshine would shame opponents into desisting, but public openness always is better than skulking in darkness. If blockers are going to sabotage legislation, at least they should have enough honesty to do it in daylight.

We hope West Virginia's two senators, Jay Rockefeller and Carte Goodwin, enthusiastically support this cleanup reform.