Here’s an idea we might want to think about as we brace ourselves for the second Trump administration: Why not just get rid of the Senate?

After all, Donald Trump has made it clear that he wants to ignore and usurp the Senate if it gets in the way of his plans to nominate cronies for high office.

Why not cut to the chase, send senators home, and tell them they can come back only when they are needed to rubber-stamp Trump’s ideas?

The ancient Romans did it — essentially neutralizing their legislature on the way from being a republic to an empire.

Of course, we know things eventually didn’t go so well for the Roman emperors.

But with his demand for Congress to allow recess appointments for his executive and judicial appointments, Trump is letting his imperial side show.

So unless the Senate wants to accept being immediately and maybe permanently sidelined, it’s essential that it make it crystal clear right now that it won’t submit. It must protect its constitutional role in our system of checks and balances, and not give an inch to Trump.

I’m not saying that out of any great love for the institution of the Senate, which has........

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