Letters to the Editor: Where were Democrats when Trump was trying to get rid of the filibuster?

To the editor: I had no idea columnist Virginia Heffernan was a Trump supporter. I do not remember her writing supportively of the former president four years ago when he was calling on the Senate to get rid of the filibuster. (“What’s the matter with Kyrsten Sinema?” Opinion, June 4)

In 2017, 28 Republicans, 32 Democrats and one independent in the Senate signed a letter in support of the filibuster, citing its importance in facilitating bipartisanship. Now, the only Democrats willing to stand up for the filibuster are Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

Where are all those other Democratic senators who signed that letter four years ago? Who is playing politics here?

Donald Lau, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Sinema sounds like a child psychologist trying to explain to concerned parents why they should use reasoning instead of some sterner method when dealing with their tantrum-throwing toddler.

In her unyielding support for keeping the filibuster, Sinema has also stated that Democrats should try to change their colleagues’ behavior, not the rules. Whose behavior is she advocating changing?

The Senate is not some social science lab where there is time to experiment with behavior modification. As nice as it would be to modify many of the current senators’ behavior, we just do not have time for that.

Our democracy as we have known it for more than 200 years is at stake, coming perilously close to being destroyed.

Jacqueline West, Inglewood