I’ve been watching the debate about national health care with a sinking feeling in my stomach. If it is this hard to build a consensus around assuring that all Americans have access to decent health care, how will we ever summon the conviction necessary to make sure that all Americans have the right to a decent defense when accused of a crime?
Every American accused of a crime should have the right to a court-appointed lawyer and the funds necessary to investigate and present a defense. It’s only fair, after all: A decision to prosecute is always supported by public funds. A state’s attorney brings a case, and his or her office has investigators, state-supported experts and police officers on tap to advance the state’s position. Taxpayers pay for it all.
