Readers write

Sniping over health care has gone on far too long

I’m remembering over a decade ago when the Affordable Healthcare Act was passed during the Obama administration, and almost immediately, there began a partisan campaign to ditch that program. We heard over and over, “repeal and replace ACA,” but no replacement was offered by either party.

One humorous event was interviewing people on the street and asking what they thought about the Affordable Health Care Act. The answer was “That’s great.” Then they were asked what they thought about Obamacare; the answer was “No, I don’t want that!”

We all remember when, in President Donald Trump’s first term, he wanted to repeal the ACA, and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. (a hero to me), was the no vote that made it fail. Help me research my history. Was there ever even a replacement plan then, or was it just all partisan revenge?

Now, in Trump’s second term, he said on Fox News he had a great new plan that everyone would love, and maybe it would be called Trump Care. Really?

When can our Congress get together to discuss real legislation like adults and make really practical decisions that benefit the public instead of their party, and stop the sniping at each other?

CLAIR MULLER, ATLANTA

Defendants have the right to know why they’re accused

The Department of Justice’s “hide the ball” tactics resulted in the DOJ being ordered to provide former FBI Director James Comey with basic information for his defense against a federal indictment.

The Sixth Amendment guarantees, “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right … to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation.” The Fifth Amendment adds, “No person shall be … deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” Thus, every defendant is entitled to discover evidence on which the charge is based and which is exculpatory. That is criminal procedure 101.

A trial is not supposed to be an ambush. An ambush runs contrary to the guarantee “to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation.”

“Due process of law” includes the right to confront witnesses in a public courtroom. Jurors are told: The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The indictment against the defendant is only an accusation, nothing more, and is not proof of guilt. The burden of proof is always on the government, which must prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.