Why aren’t Sens. Graham and Scott doing more to help improve roads in South Carolina?

On Trump’s impeachment

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has expressed his intent to coordinate with the White House on how it will respond to the Senate’s impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.

Meanwhile, Sen. Lindsey Graham has said that he has no intention of being a fair and impartial juror during the impeachment trial.

And Sen. Tim Scott has complained that the Democratic-controlled House was partisan in how it drafted the articles of impeachment — instead of focusing on simply doing what he can to make sure the Senate’s impeachment trial is as fair as possible.

I just want the Senate to do its constitutional duty during the impeachment trial and fairly judge President Trump on the articles of impeachment that have been put forward. It is important that our senators put our country before their political parties during the impeachment trial.

Christopher Durham, Spartanburg

On our state roads

I recently passed through your state on my way to a wedding in Atlanta, and Interstate 85 looked as though the pavement had been plowed up to plant cotton.

Instead of doing whatever it is they’re now doing with their time in Washington, D.C., shouldn’t your two senators devote more of their time and attention to making sure South Carolina gets its proper share of infrastructure funds?

Kerry Sipe, Locust Grove, Va.

On Cayce

While the city of Cayce is spending various funds hand over fist on art and beautification projects, other communities inside the city continue to be ignored.

When the city built the Cayce Riverwalk during the 1990s, an existing storm drain was moved and pointed directly toward the homes of residents in a nearby neighborhood. Since then stormwater issues, the 2015 flood and an overall lack of maintenance has caused what was once a small stream to become a wide and deep canyon that has damaged properties in this neighborhood. Unfortunately, pleas for swift repairs have fallen upon deaf ears and there is no sign that the problems will be resolved soon.

The city of Cayce should not be allowing the private properties of homeowners to be destroyed while it frivolously spends our money on other projects that may also be eventually affected by infrastructure issues.

Karen Dawkins, Cayce

On cancer research

Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer personally shared with me his plans to double cancer research funding in the nation. It was invigorating to hear a major candidate speak about the importance of research and understand the positive impact that it can have on the cancer survivor community.

Cancer — and the effort to help people fight cancer — are subjects of discussion that should be brought to the political forefront. Our policymakers have the power to make decisions that support public policies that can reduce the cancer burden.

I want the other presidential candidates to follow Steyer’s lead and discuss cancer research; we need to hear them share their platforms on this and other health policy issues that affect South Carolinians and their families.

I would also encourage everyone to visit the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network’s website — www.acscan.org — to learn about the impact that elected officials can have on the fight against cancer.

Alex Simmons, Columbia