Kudos to the women of the Senate who worked together across party lines to pull our country out of the costly federal government shutdown and a ruinous default threat.
The Group of 14 — seven Republicans, six Democrats and one independent — met together for a potluck, talking about Sen. Susan Collins' plan for reopening the government with some basic compromises, then got to work the following day, widening the discussion to more senators, including men. But it is the collegiality of the women, the civil conversation, and their practical, no-nonsense approach that got the ball rolling. Our own Sen. Amy Klobuchar commented that the effort was successful "because we like each other. We work together well, and we look for common ground. It's how things used to work in Washington when people trusted each other."
We add our voices to that of John McCain: "Imagine what they could do if there were 50 of them." Amen, Senator. Amen.
SUSAN SHERIDAN TUCKER, St. Paul
The writer is executive director of the League of Women Voters Minnesota.
