Senate procedure allows individual senators to place "holds" on bills. The majority leader -- Reid -- does not have to recognize holds, but by custom they are usually honored. Sixty votes are needed to pass a bill over a senator's objection.

Coburn's aide says he is apt to have 70 to 80 holds at one time.

Reid has repackaged 35 bills into a single bill, saving the Senate the trouble of engaging in 35 separate debates and votes.

While some Republicans grumble about "destroying the traditions of the Senate," you have to wonder where they were when the Republican party was threatening to do away with the filibuster for judicial nominees. Anyway, there's no tradition against combining bills that were once separate. To the extent that the tactic results in less debate over each individual item in the omnibus package, that harm is offset by the opportunity to enact worthy legislation that would easily pass if not for Coburn's holds.

The alternative -- trying to reason with Coburn -- isn't realistic. The Senate has wasted enough time over the years. By getting something done over the objections of a lone obstructionist, Reid is doing the right thing.