The United States Postal Service is in problem.
You might have noticed that it’s taking longer to receive letters and packages through the USPS. You might have also seen that your social media timeline remains in an uproar over the Trump administration’s efforts to gut the Constitutionally-enshrined institution.
President Trump has actually repeatedly claimed that mail-in voting will lead to voter scams, with no evidence. He’s likewise refused to economically assist the USPS during the pandemic, Service Expert reports. And this is all happening during the lead-up to the November election, where many people are depending on mail-in tallies due to the pandemic. On Thursday, throughout an interview with Fox Business, Trump said: “They [the USPS] need that money in order to have the post workplace work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots.”
He continued: “If they don’t get those two products, that indicates you can’t have universal mail-in ballot because they’re not geared up to have it.” Confusingly, that exact same day Trump said he would sign legislation that included financing for the post workplace during the coronavirus press conference.
Even prior to Trump, the USPS was in a monetary deficiency. It lost $69 billion throughout the previous 11 years, according to the U.S. Federal Government Responsibility Workplace. A great deal of that relates to a 2006 law that put the USPS at a competitive disadvantage.
Plainly, we all need to pitch in to assist the flailing USPS and protect against government attempts to destabilize it. We have actually described a few ways you can do that below. Some take a couple minutes and others are a bit more time intensive.
1. Connect to your congressional agents
You have actually probably heard it before, but contacting your senators and agents truly does assistance press forward a concern. Remember, they depend on your votes to remain in office so they’re paid to appreciate what you appreciate.
Call them, email them, or tweet at them.
You can also rely on this useful bot that will sign a Change.org petition on your behalf and send it to your officials. All you have to do is text “USPS” to 50409. It literally takes 2 seconds.
You can also sign the Center for American Progress’ petition.
If you text USPS to 50409 they will correspond to your senators and agent in support of the postal service. It literally takes under a minute. Conserve our democracy.
Thank you #Anewpathforward #vote #AllenEllisonforCongress #DemCastFL #wtpfla #SupportUSPS pic.twitter.com/Pp9dI3IeWB
— Allen Ellison for Congress FL-17 (@AllenLEllison) August 15, 2020
Remember: It’s not just voters and people who like to correspond who rely on the USPS. It’s also seniors who need their medication and low-income people who depend on low-priced mailing and banking options. The USPS can even be a lifeline for homeless people who count on social services.
Tip also that #USPS permits bad and working class individuals access to inexpensive mailing, banking in neighborhoods like mine with no banks, po box addresses for homeless folks so they can access well-being and other services. #USPS should be conserved. https://t.co/MRU2OjVzMZ
— Victoria Brownworth #SaveTheUSPS (@VABVOX) August 15, 2020
2. Scream it from the roofs
Now is not the time to shut your mouth. Post on social media to tell people what the problem is and why the USPS is important. Discuss it with good friends, family, and hello, even complete strangers so they’re likewise familiar with the concern and can get the word out.
This kind of social media backlash might have even assisted to stop the recent disappearance of mail boxes in some parts of the country. On Friday, the USPS stated it would “stop eliminating packages nationally till after the election,” the Washington Post reported.
The agency said packages were being moved to “higher-volume areas.” However this claim prompted hesitation.
This doesn’t seek to me that they are simply “moving” underutilized mail boxes as they claimed. These look headed to some metal crusher for recycling, or even worse, left in the rain to rust away. Maybe USPS authorities in Wisconsin can clear this up for us. The optics are bad. https://t.co/OgmM7Pfa7x
— Kentucky Spirits (@KentuckySpirits) August 15, 2020
Whether or not mail boxes are in fact going to higher-traffic locations, keep the pressure on.
3. Oppose
If the last couple of months of anti-racist demonstrations have taught us anything, it’s that protesting can catapult a concern into the nationwide consciousness. Of course, whether real action follows is an entirely different subject.
Locals at the Washington, D.C. condominium that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy calls home got up Saturday morning to the cacophony of protesters outside his house in D.C. The demonstration was arranged by the direct action group Shut Down DC to rally versus his leadership.
DeJoy has been behind cost-cutting changes of the USPS, which have actually consisted of a ban on overtime pay, the early shutdown of sorting devices, and the requirement that workers “leave mail behind when needed to prevent additional journeys or late delivery on routes,” the Washington Post reported. DeJoy has actually also donated $2.7 million to Trump and Republican since 2017, reported Reuters.
Whoa.
This is going on now outside USPS Postmaster General DeJoy’s house.
via @Meg4Congress #saturdaymorning #AMJoy #SaturdayMotivation
pic.twitter.com/hpC6QNYVRh
— Holly Figueroa O’Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) August 15, 2020
Thx to individuals protesting Trump’s strategy to close down USPS, in front of your home of Louis DeJoy aka Louis DeFraud. I’ve wondered
for months when the pro-USPS protests would begin. If I was in DC I ‘d picket the White Home daily in support of USPS #SaveTheUSPS pic.twitter.com/RrIFdrjqeL
— Susan Bevhills(@susan_bevhills)August 15, 2020 So far it does not appear like USPS protests have captured on beyond D.C. However it doesn’t harmed to do a search on Facebook (use its occasion tab), Twitter, or groups geared toward activism to discover if a demonstration is happening near you. Organize your own. 4. Write to the USPS Board of Governors Do not put away your wise phone quite. Contact the USPS Board of Governors
, a group of approximately nine individuals (in this case, they’re all white guys)who are appointed by the president. The Senate likewise weighs in on the choice. The guvs imitate a board of directors for the USPS. These men picked DeJoy as postmaster general(as is the procedure )and also choose the deputy postmaster general(currently vacant). Per the guidelines, no greater than five of the 9 are allowed to belong to the very same political party. All however two of the governors are Republicans. Here’s the combined contact info for the USPS Board of Governors. These wealthy men have the power & task to #StopDeJoy & avoid Election Day mayhem. Their cushy day-jobs will have to wait while they fix the mess they triggered as Governors. Let’s help them hear our voices. pic.twitter.com/HxEj5NYf2j– Wetlip Hamilton (@WetLipHamilton)August 14, 2020 5. Buy stamps and USPS merch Although the USPS is a federal government agency, it does not get taxpayer cash. Instead, it counts on money from postage and its other services. If you can manage it, think about
buying stamps and USPS merch
. He’s missing the little bundle however Dante is totally helpful of the USPS merch shop ❤ pic.twitter.com/4OJo4vC3z2– Eva Dominguez(@evajules91 )August 15, 2020 I can’t think Gen Z has to buy postal service-themed crop tops
from the USPS merch shop so that the United States of America can have free & fair elections.– A. Navin(@thatssonavin)August 14, 2020 If all else fails, you can take a page out of the Great Depression-era government’s book and paint murals illustrating scenes of what the U.S. would look like without its earliest institution. Throughout the #GreatDepression, our government
paid #artists to develop aspirational #PostOffice
#murals of American life. During the #TrumpDepression, a petulant totalitarian damages the #USPS, imperiling millions of Americans, to prevent indictment. #SaveThePostOffice #SaveTheUSPS pic.twitter.com/GQz3OHd1qd– cassandracarolina(@cassandra17lina)August 15, 2020 Looking for more ideas? Have a look at this fantastic thread going through ideas, existing occasions, and important talking points for anyone desiring to take a more active function in sounding the alarm about Trump’s dismantling of the USPS. Ok, here’s a list of #USPS actions for anybody who needs it, shared federal/state/local actions. 1. Please share as needed. 2
. I desire to stress: because we are still in a pandemic, states/local gov. want to consider emergency alternatives they generally wouldn’t.– Celeste P. states wear a mask, stay at home.( @Celeste_pewter) August 15, 2020
