[BfloGuy]

The answer is that that’s what the Founders intended.

I beg to disagree. Though the founders did, as you mentioned, intend the Senate to be the moderating force. They specified that its members would be chosen by each state legislature rather than by popular vote.

Thus, they thought, the Senators would be beholden to the state's governments and act to disapprove of any legislation that took power away from the states.

The filibuster wasn't thought of till 1806 and was almost never used for a century. It doesn't appear in the Constitution.

[Robert DeLong]

That's another issue entirely, but I agree with your statements.

An interesting article on the filibuster, if true. 8>)