The Denver Post

End the filibuster and provide for Americans’ needs

-

It is time to get rid of the filibuster.

It’s become clear that Sen. Mitch McConnell, Rep. Kevin McCarthy and most Republican lawmakers have decided to ignore the will of the people and block the Biden/Harris agenda. We must pass H.R. 1, gun legislatio­n, police reform, equality, climate protection, and, most importantl­y, voting rights legislatio­n!

It is imperative to do it now. It is what the majority of the American people want. With the filibuster in place, this common-sense legislatio­n is in danger of not going anywhere.

I expect Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenloop­er to talk to Sens. Joe Manchin, Kyrsten Sinema, and others who are unwilling to reform the filibuster to convince them to be on the right side of history. I expect to see them on TV making the case.

Our democracy is at stake now! We voted for Democrats to protect it, among other things. Lynda O’Mara, Lakewood

BBB

I am an American and a taxpayer. I have lived a pretty long life, seen many changes in our country, and visited other countries.

I would like to know why Americans can’t have universal health care, high-speed trains and internet, paid family leave, high-quality and affordable child care, free quality public education through at least two years postsecond­ary, which other countries provide.

I am so sick of being ruled by Republican­s whose only concern is acquiring more money and more power and who only talk about how much those things would cost. Somehow they think they are entitled to live in a country with pretty good (not exceptiona­l) conditions for most people, supplement­ed by the luxuries they can afford, oblivious to the suffering and struggles of many, and not have to pay their fair share for things.

Wouldn’t we all be better off if we had those things? We could pay for them with a fair tax structure. The investment in those things taken for granted in other countries would reap multiple returns in a vastly improved and more equitably distribute­d economy.

We need to eliminate the filibuster power of the 50 senators who are suppressin­g the good and the will of the people, and we need Congress to pass President Joe Biden’s infrastruc­ture/jobs bill. We can afford it; we need it and we deserve it!

Martha J. Karnopp, Aurora

Send letters of 250 words or fewer to openforum@denverpost.com or 5990 Washington St., Denver, CO, 80216. Please include full name, city and phone number. Contact informatio­n is for our purposes only; we will not share it with anyone else. You can reach us by telephone at 303-954-1201.

 ?? David Fitzsimmon­s, The Arizona Star ??
David Fitzsimmon­s, The Arizona Star

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States