To the editor:

The undemocratic rules of the U.S. Senate permit a minority of 41 to defeat the will of a majority of 59. No true democracy would permit this. A Senate bill should be passable by a majority of 51-49. Filibustering should be forbidden.

In Britain, the House of Lords was long ago stripped of any power to block the House of Commons, which passes bills by simple majority. In Europe and about all the world’s democracies, simple majorities pass legislation.

The U.S. Senate is basically chosen undemocratically. Only two senators represent populous states such as California, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida and Texas, while states with small populations such as North Dakota, Alaska, Rhode Island, Wyoming, Nebraska and Delaware also have two U.S. senators.