Gov. Mark Sanford is right. It's absolutely critical that the state Senate change its antiquated rules that allow a few disgruntled senators to thwart the rule of the majority.

For South Carolina to move ahead, state senators must modernize their rules so they encourage productive debate and timely action on legislative proposals.

It took less than two years in the governor's office for Sanford to realize that changing some Senate rules is one of the most important things that must happen in the state legislature.

A single senator is able to stop legislation in the Senate. This isn't representative government; this is the tyranny of the minority. And the Senate allows it to happen.

Any change in the Senate rules must come during the first week of the legislative session in January, when it takes only a simple majority of senators to rewrite those rules.

Sanford is taking his case to the public in hopes that at least 24 senators can be persuaded to change how their legislative chamber does business.

Sanford's request is simple: If you don't like what you have seen take place in Columbia over the past few years, ask your state senator to support rules changes that will end gridlock and move South Carolina's government into the 21st century.