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That’s the approach President Obama is taking with his deficit commission, otherwise known as his Show-Me-The-VAT Commission.  This commission is soon meeting again, but unlike their first meeting last week this one will be closed to the public. As The Los Angeles Times’ Andrew Malcom wrote, by keeping the commission’s important work behind closed doors “the most transparent administration ever” avoids having their proclivity for tax hikes haunt an already fragile congressional caucus this fall.

Obama has ordered his commission to come up with its suggestions in December. It's probably a mere coincidence, but December is the month after the November midterm elections. That way every one of the majority Democrats in both houses facing electoral unemployment on Nov. 2 can honestly answer angry voters all autumn by saying, "Of course, no one wants more taxes. Goshdarnit, we're all just stuck here waiting for the commission's recommendations."

When Bruce Reed, the commission’s executive director, was asked about the reason for the secrecy he responded, "[s]ometimes members want to have a boring meeting just by themselves." What exactly Is boring about a meeting where hundreds of billions of dollars worth of tax hikes and the future of our country is on the line?