The fillibuster moderates the Senate but is that good or bad?
Re: “Is it time for America to eliminate the filibuster? Not so fast,” Oct. 5 commentary
L. Roger Hutson suggests that the filibuster is a tool to “force” bipartisan governance. It does no such thing. What bipartisan governance?
Instead, it allows near-zero governance, which is what we have in Washington, and which is doing serious damage to our country. The filibuster serves the majority party in the Senate by giving them an excuse for not being able to pass legislation, and it serves the minority party by allowing them to stop any legislation from being passed.
The extra-constitutional filibuster serves politicians of both parties while denying the voters the legislation they need and want. In the process, the voters are denied a voice in what would otherwise be the self-governance the Founders envisioned.
The filibuster does not “protect the minority from the tyranny of the majority,” as asserted, it protects the politicians from the wrath of the voters, whom our Founders intended to grant a voice. It’s past time to protect the majority from the tyranny of the minority and make our elected representatives accountable to the voters. If, as expected, extreme and unconscionable legislation is passed, so be it. The politicians responsible for it will be held accountable by the voters they purport to represent.
Andrew R. Lewism Englewood
I agree with many points Roger Hutson made regarding not eliminating the filibuster. That being said when the Republicans carved out an exception with regard to approval for Supreme Court justices it created a very partisan Supreme Court which has caused Roe vs Wade to be overturned along with many other long-standing laws that were considered settled law.
Because of this carve-out President Donald Trump was able to appoint three far-right justices who along with Roberts, Alito and Thomas have tilted the court so far to the right that public approval of the court is at an all-time low. These justices would never have been confirmed if the filibuster was kept in place.
These decisions have had major repercussions for our country that may continue for decades with no term limits and no reasonable ethical standards for the sitting judges. Yes, the filibuster can be a valuable tool to push through bipartisan legislation but the lack of a filibuster when appointing Supreme Court justices has turned the current court far to the right on too many major issues.
It is time to put in a reasonable ethics code along with term limits and hope that the balance of the court moderates. If not decisions like one of the most recent giving Donald Trump immunity for actions taken while being president will fracture our fragile democracy. No one is above the law.
Dave Shaw, Highlands Ranch
Ranked Choice Voting could become a popularity contest
As your candidate for Colorado state House District 3, I’m deeply concerned about the impact Proposition 131 could have on our election system. While it’s being sold as a way to reform and improve our process, I fear it does the opposite. This proposal risks taking power away from individual voters and concentrating it in the hands of those who are simply the most popular or best-funded. I’m worried that this change could result in a system where voters feel pressured to strategize rather than truly vote for the candidates they believe in.
Ranked-choice voting and all-candidate primaries may seem like positive innovations, but in practice, they could leave us with candidates who appeal to the masses without addressing real issues or representing core values. The thought of reducing our elections to popularity contests worries me deeply. We deserve strong, thoughtful candidates on all sides, but Prop 131 could push us to settle for the worst.
I believe that power belongs in the hands of the people. If we allow Prop 131 to pass, we risk losing that power and weakening the foundation of our democracy. Please join me in voting “no” on Proposition 131 — let’s keep the strength of your vote intact.
Mickey Neal, Englewood
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