Sun should investigate the US Postal Service

We have always found the “Sun Investigates” pieces to be credible, informative and a help in keeping government and political leaders more accountable. Please consider an investigation of the Baltimore post office (“Mail delays abound in Baltimore as postal service bemoans historic volumes of holiday mail,” Dec. 19).

What in the world is going on? It has been bad enough to have Christmas cards to family and friends delayed in delivery by up to three weeks (both sending and receiving); and to have a small package mailed to our son in Oregon for which we paid $27 postage for delivery in two or three days, arrive 18 days later (after stops in Raleigh, North Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida).

But now, our credit is being damaged. Bill payments we mailed in mid-December (credit card, medical, mortgage, internet provider) have still not been delivered in more than three weeks! We’re receiving dunning notices and service-suspension notices. And what about others waiting for pension checks, Social Security checks, medicines?

Is 3-plus weeks the “new normal” for first-class delivery? We need the Sun to investigate and get a credible explanation and credible solution.

George Conklin, Ellicott City

Trump’s impeachment upholds rule of law

David Dougherty’s recent commentary, “Impeaching Trump (again) is a bad idea” (Jan. 11), suggests that even the first impeachment was a bad idea. Mr. Dougherty concedes, “What [Trump] did rose to the ‘high crimes and misdemeanors’ requirement of the Constitution, and the Mueller Report contains stronger reasons to impeach.” Now, Mr. Dougherty suggests the same is true of the latest impeachment and states his objection to both impeachments is, “pragmatism based on simple arithmetic.” Because the Constitution requires that two-thirds of the senators vote to convict and it has always been clear Republican senators will block conviction, it’s a bad idea.

But Mr. Dougherty, whether he realizes it or not, continues in his op-ed to explain exactly why impeachment was and is appropriate. First, as Mr. Dougherty states, “If convicted, Mr. Trump could be barred from any future federal office and some lifetime perks.”

Making a statement through impeachment, whether Republicans block it or not, gives testimony that there are those in this country who believe no one is above the law and that everyone should be accountable for their actions

Secondly, Mr. Dougherty states, “With his history of paranoia and narcissism, and his becoming increasingly bereft of sycophants, it’s hard to imagine what mischief Mr. Trump is capable of in the next few days.” Knowing our president may at any moment, because of his instability, become a clear and present danger to our country is reason enough to remove him.

Lastly, Mr. Dougherty states, “equally concerning are the ways in which the insurrectionists who participated in and backed the Capitol invasion will respond …. a second impeachment is likely to add fuel to the fire of revolution that’s been simmering, and flaring up, over the past four years.” Failure to draw the line earlier has caused the problem today.

The rule of law, the Constitution, the presidential oath to protect and defend the Constitution, and the fact that President Donald Trump has violated laws, committed numerous impeachable offenses and incited insurrection seem to have no place in Mr. Dougherty’s reasoning.

If no one is above the law, if the Constitution is more than a piece of paper, if a presidential oath of office has any meaning, then holding the president accountable for his actions should be the duty of every member of the House and Senate and should be supported by every citizen who actually believes in the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution.

If the Republican Party and Mr. Dougherty want to be on the wrong side of history, so be it. I want to stand with those who are making an effort to stop an insurrection that is jeopardizing our democracy.

Kenneth Buck, Woodstock

Trump finally got a wall built

Donald Trump went to Texas Tuesday to check the speed with which his wall was being built. He could have simply left the White House and walked a few blocks up to the Capitol building and noticed a different type of wall he was entirely responsible for erecting, within a matter of hours. How utterly sad.

Patrick Francis, Baltimore