I actually think the super committee is a good idea

This HuffPo writer clearly doesn't. Considering that it may be the only way to get things done in our current political dysfunction, and it is not in fact a third house of the legislature, it may be necessary. On accountability, it's a toss-up as to whether the amendment process contributes to it or takes it away. Given that all sorts of cruft makes it into law through such amendments and no one knows where it came from, and all sorts of laws are killed by making their would-be supporters vote against them via poison pills, this might be a plus for accountability. Besides, when we're talking about accountability in the House, we're talking about accountability to Tea Party wackos that want to push the country into lasting default ("No debt ceiling increase, period!"). We'd be better off with less of that sort of accountability.