in your nov. 11 editorial (<u+201c> trump and the democrats <u+201d>), you argue that <u+201c>a gop senate won<u+2019>t tolerate a filibuster of a supreme court pick.<u+201d> it is time to completely end the filibuster rule. while it was originally intended to prevent a willful majority from trampling on the rights of the minority, a legitimate concern, what remains of the rule has had unintended consequences that outweigh that concern. the filibuster rule has been grossly abused by democrats to prevent a duly elected majority from enacting almost any significant part of its legislative agenda, which has substantially contributed to the current frustration of a majority of voters over the inability of the federal government to function effectively. it has enabled democrats to blame republicans for <u+201c>not doing anything,<u+201d> when in fact it has been democrats who have largely stymied republican legislative efforts. the majority is too often blamed for the obstructionist tactics of the minority. when the democrats were last in control of the senate, they didn<u+2019>t hesitate to abolish the filibuster rule as it related to judicial nominees to the lower federal courts. during the recent election, vice-presidential candidate tim kaine said that he thought that the democrats would be prepared to abolish the rule for supreme court nominees if the democrats again got control of the senate. if republicans don<u+2019>t act to end the filibuster rule when they are in control, it is likely democrats will do so when they next have the chance. after this highly divisive election, it is time to allow members of a legislative majority to enact their program and, with a republican president beginning in january 2017, the voters will know who to blame if that program isn<u+2019>t successful in accomplishing the goals they voted for when they gave one party control of both the executive and legislative branches of government. lou stahl phoenix sometimes it is more important to ask who lost. i suggest that it was the washington establishment. this election was more about angry voters who would have preferred an additional option <u+201c>none of the above.<u+201d> if the election had been between bernie sanders and jeb bush, bernie probably would have won, for the same reason that donald trump did. bill beecher aptos, calif. what we just witnessed was a revolution. we threw out our government but didn<u+2019>t bomb a city, take up arms or fire a shot. what the world has seen is the ultimate act of a mature, strong democracy. bobby freeman new york as i watch the riots around the nation, i wonder who is <u+201c>deplorable<u+201d> now? don hull cannon beach, ore.
senate democrats have given trump a sword - wsj
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