Editor:

The filibuster, an antiquated procedure used to prevent a bill from being brought to a vote, is preventing the U.S. Congress from being an effective third branch of government and should be ended in the Senate.

Regardless of your political leanings, we should all want a strong and functional Congress. We have three branches of government for a reason and when one is derelict the other two will expand to fill that space. We have seen that with an increasingly authoritative executive branch and we should all be concerned.

The role of Congress is to vote on and pass laws. Rules that prevent it from voting on legislation encourage polarization, as each party can promise to enact extreme legislation that they know will never be brought to a vote, much less become law. Productive governance is replaced by posturing and we are the ones who suffer. Sen. Diane Feinstein has expressed support for legislation on gun control, immigration and health care, and has urged Congress to act but refuses to make the change necessary to allow bills to be voted on and become law. She refuses to support changing or removing the filibuster rules. I encourage you to contact her office at (415) 393-0707 to express your views.

Sky McKinley, McKinleyville