Vietnam vet not happy with Hill’s office



I am a Vietnam veteran with a 60 percent service-connected disability.

On Nov. 18, I contacted Baron Hill’s office both online and with a letter to his office in Jeffersonville. I asked for his help with a problem I’m having with the Veterans Administration.

Not only has Rep. Hill not offered any assistance, but his office has neglected to even respond to my plea for aid. The last time I wrote my congressman was more than 20 years ago — to Lee Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton not only responded, but helped me resolve my issue with the federal government.

Baron Hill could learn a good lesson from his predecessor regarding who he actually serves and represents in the 9th District.

— Erich Winnecke Sr., Jeffersonville



Letter-writer wants universal health care



America’s Congress is trying hard to pass a universal health care bill. I know America is smart enough and brave enough to be among the best country in the world to provide health care for its citizens. We have the providers who can do it and the voters who want it.

America can erase its present position of being only the 36th highest industrial country in the world in providing health care for our citizens. We can be first, we have the expertise and the wherewithal. Let’s do it.

Let’s make sure that the 50 million Americans who are now without health care insurance get the care they need. Let’s eliminate the waste, fraud, excess profits, million dollar CEO bonuses, the growing high health care prices and excessive tax subsidies to the health insurance providers.

Come on America, we can do it!

— Robert White, Jeffersonville



Jeffersonville reader urges international military trial



There will be pandemonium again in New York if the trial of the 21st century is allowed venue in a civilian court of law with the 9/11 terrorist.

The Supreme Court has observed that the Army is not a deliberative body, but that it’s law is that of obedience (The Soldier and The Law, 1941). Thus, the army conducts a trial with corroborative facts and evidence, while a civilian court resorts to theatrics and innuendo to persuade prospective jurors, creating doubt and eventual acquittal of its clients.

The premeditated plot was a deliberate, dastardly attack against the United States — recalling, F.D.R.’s famous speech ringing of the self same sentiment felt now as was felt by that generation.

The perpetrators should be brought to justice in an eventual trial by a military tribunal of an allied body or a military coalition, because other world citizens were also lost in the 9/11 attack, making it an attack, not only of the U.S., but also of the world.

The power of a military court to proceed is dependent upon the status of the accused, i.e. whether he is a person “subject to military law” (The Soldier and The Law, 1941). A world court should be established, much like the Nuremberg tribunal for Nazi war criminals. The terrorist certainly are a genuine army for Allah’s jihad in their demented minds.

The reality is they are an army incognito, in citizen garb, with no outward appearance of any discernible uniform. These fifth columnists move freely about society, blending in and could be considered later as tribal spies, gathering information, and furthering their ambitious goals of terror and destruction (Article of War 82 and 92. The Soldier and The Law, 1941).

The United States should cease and desist trying to be the policeman of the world, needlessly shouldering huge world responsibilities that could eventually channel all hatred of the terrorist toward anything remotely U.S., and thereby subject its citizens toward future unsuspected attacks.

New York has a legal and moral right to try these terrorists in that state, since the crime was perpetrated there. However, this is more ill-advice from the president and New Yorkers and I believe a military court would rather be employed. After a federal court and not a state court tries the accused these men, considered soldiers, could ultimately be tried again under military law, if the verdict is found wanting.

Let’s let them do so by trying these terrorists in a world coalition war crimes tribunal, which would send a message to other terrorists that the world is not going to tolerate nor allow exception. You will be brought to accountability under the fullest extent of military justice and international law.

— Leroy Heil, Jeffersonville



Reader: Bayh will support Senate health care bill



I believe Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh has decided his course of action.

Several sources reported a few days ago that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had offered Bayh the opportunity to chair a special Senate panel on reviewing and/or limiting entitlements as an inducement to vote for passage of the evolving Senate health care bill.

That position would further embellish Bayh’s image — accurate or not — as a vigilant steward of the public treasury and protector of taxpayers. This morning, early, I saw a short sound byte of Bayh on the Senate floor decrying all of the current deficit spending — but not mentioning the health care bill and its certain staggering effect on the deficit and future taxes. Coincidence ... I don’t think so.

On a related note, a Courier-Journal editorial this morning revealed that the senator’s wife, Susan Bayh, pulls in $300,000 a year as a director of the Indianapolis-based Wellpoint, a huge health insurance company.

Which way does this cut?

I don’t know for sure, but I’d assume that the huge new market of potential insured, exercising their newly created right to purchase Wellpoint health insurance with stipends provided by Uncle Sam, would make Wellpoint executives and shareholders salivate at the prospect of the health care reform bill becoming the law of the land.

And I’d bet the farm that Bayh would not imperil that much annual income to his family just in order to cast a vote in the best interests of his constituents.

Bottom line: One vote for the Senate health care reform bill, bought and paid for.

— Thomas W. Sinex, Sellersburg