Re "GOP wary of Lee's battle" (Tribune, Feb. 3):

Sen. Mike Lee is a member of a political party that has become ideologically extreme, scornful of compromise, not persuaded by conventional understanding of facts and dismissive of the legitimacy of political opposition. Lee needs to understand he was elected to be a senator and was not elected to be a Republican.

Barack Obama was elected president, and he and every president deserves and should expect to have nominees properly considered and voted on. The Founding Fathers did not intend a single senator to block his colleagues from voting on a presidential nominee. Moreover, just because the lights are on does not mean the Senate is in session.

Perhaps as Lee grows older he will obtain a greater knowledge and understanding of the U.S. Constitution.

Alden H. Laney

Salt Lake City