How Do You Like That Filibuster Now?

As Republicans prepare to take control of both chambers of Congress and the presidency, Senator Joe Manchin, the conservative West Virginia Democrat turned independent, has a question for his former Democratic teammates: “How do you like that filibuster now?”

Mr. Manchin is feeling sassy these days. His ex-party just got its clock cleaned and is facing two years, minimum, in the political wilderness. And, no surprise, as Mr. Manchin prepares to retire in January, he has plenty of thoughts on preserving the Senate’s role as an independent power center — a mission that feels especially vital with Donald Trump’s return to Washington.

Love him or loath him, Mr. Manchin is worth a listen as a man who understands how to use power whether you’re in the minority or the majority in the Senate. And at age 77, with more than four decades in politics, he takes the long view — a healthy mind-set for discouraged Democrats.