The United States Postal Service

The US Postal Service

 

I don’t know about you, but recently it’s taking my letters two weeks to reach their destinations where previously it took a day or two. Shoddy mail service during a pandemic where we are encouraged to stay home and limit social interactions is more than annoying; it can be life threatening when medications, funds, supplies and equipment necessary for survival are delayed.

 

It turns out that Trump’s new Postmaster General has canned all the USPS top leadership and slowed the postal service. https://www.businessinsider.com/postmaster-general-carriers-leave-mail-delays-routes-usps-postal-service-2020-7 This is hurting small businesses, rural customers and you and me. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/n7w9nd/usps-package-delays-mail-slowdown-hurts-small-businesses

 

Postmaster General Louis Dejoy has denied this is part and parcel of the Trump Administration’s plan to hamper mail in balloting in November. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/08/07/postal-service-chief-denies-slowing-down-election-mail-to-assist-trump-392555 However, the Postal Service has advised its customers to leave a 15-day window for mail in balloting in October and November. https://www.businessinsider.com/voters-should-request-mail-ballots-15-days-before-election-usps-2020-7 Dejoy has proposed to nearly triple the costs of mail in balloting for states. https://www.salon.com/2020/08/10/us-postal-service-officials-push-proposal-to-nearly-triple-cost-of-sending-mail-in-ballots-report/

                                                                                                                             

 

Recently, Dejoy has terminated or transferred 23 top leaders at USPS. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/08/07/postal-service-investigation-dejoy/

 

USPS is in deep financial trouble due in part to a Congressionally mandated requirement to pre-fund 75 years of its employee’s retirement health benefits, partly because it is being displaced by e-mail, and partly because of leadership troubles and union-management impasses; all of these are fixable. See https://www.gao.gov/key_issues/us_postal_service_financial_viability/issue_summary and  https://www.politico.com/news/agenda/2020/04/16/the-right-way-to-bail-out-the-post-office-190271

 

The Trump Administration’s position is no funding for USPS as a part of the 4th Stimulus Package; the House Democrats are proposing $25 billion. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/06/25/postal-service-packages-coronavirus/ Congress has to take action and there are some glimmers of bi-partisan support for USPS in the Senate. Please contact your Senators and Representative.

President Trump was quite explicit today (August 13) that he intends to use a hold up in funding for the Postal Service and a hold up in funding for state’s electoral systems as a way to keep Americans from voting against him this fall. https://slate.com/business/2020/08/trump-admits-hes-blocking-usps-funding.html

 

Prepared by: Lucien Wulsin

Dated: 8/12/20

Report from LA -- 8/12/20

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