In 2018 Michigan voters passed a ballot proposal to allow voting by mail by all registered voters regardless of the reason. In times like the current coronavirus pandemic, who wants to stand in long lines of people and expose ourselves to possible contamination? The Democrats in Congress want to pass legislation that would allow voting by mail for all registered voters in the United States. President Trump says that would allow all Democrats to win. Why voting by mail would do that I have no idea.
So why not shut down the United States Postal Service? Then we could not vote by mail and would have to stand in long lines or not vote at all. Do you think this sounds preposterous? Well, let me fill you in on the facts. Donald Trump wants to destroy the USPS and the pandemic is just the tool to do it.
Have you received a Kohl’s, a JC Penney, Bath and Body works ad lately? With all the businesses closed, no ads are being sent. With your workplace closed or doing limited business, are you having merchandise sent to your home? This has devastated the Postal Service. They are losing money on a daily basis.
Coronavirus legislation passed in March authorized a 10 billion dollar line of credit to the Postal Service which has not been given to them because Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will not release the money unless postal worker unions make concessions and rates are drastically raised.
Along with that complication, comes the fact that a Republican House and Senate in 2006 mandated that the US Postal Service had to prefund retiree health benefits for 70 years. Other federal agencies and private sector companies use a “pay as you go” system by which the entity pays premiums as they are billed. A “pay as you go” system would save the post office billions every year. Right now it causes unnecessary revenue losses every year and makes them look inefficient.
To help Trump along in his quest to destroy the Post Office he has named Louis DeJoy as the new Postmaster General. DeJoy is a top donor to President Trump and also a top donor to the Republican National Committee. He is currently in charge of fundraising for the Republican National Convention. The action will install a stalwart Trump ally to lead the Postal Service. DeJoy will be the first Postmaster General in two decades who did not rise through the agency's ranks and has no postal experience.
The former Postmaster General Brennan, with the consent of the board of governors, went to Congress to ask for a direct bailout of more than 89 billion to stave off pandemic losses and other running accumulated debts. The Postal Service says it may not be able to make payroll and continue mail service uninterrupted past September. Top Treasury officials were furious with the request! So put a Trump lackey in charge of the post office and see it die.
Do you still feel it is entirely possible to vote by mail in November? We need to urge our Representatives and Senators to save the Post Office.
Call and write them today. The future of safe elections depends on it!
Senator Stabenow's DC office: (202) 224-4822
Senator Peters' DC office: (202-224-6221)
Rep. Paul Mitchell's DC office: (202) 224-3121
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