I can only imagine how hard it was for Sen. Angus King and the other senators to decide to end the government shutdown. They gave up the chance to restore some of the budget cuts in order to end the very real suffering of unpaid federal workers and people depending on SNAP. 

I can understand people’s responses of disappointment (“Sen. King’s vote let me down,” letter, Nov. 15) and even anger at this decision. 

However, I’m focusing on what did not happen — the Republicans did not follow well-established procedures for passing a budget. They knew months in advance they would need 60 senators to pass their budget and that that would require bipartisan support. They were ineffective and incompetent at doing the job that we pay them for: funding the government. They flunked their most basic responsibility. 

I’m going to keep that in mind, now and the next time I vote. I hope others do too.

Susan Payne
Cape Elizabeth