Politics The Postal Service, Voting, and Covid

* "The U.S. Postal Service removed mail collection boxes in at least three states and is eliminating automatic letter-sorting machines that speed delivery ahead of an expected surge of mail-in ballots in the Nov. 3 elections.


As the Postal Service began to dismantle its own process for speedy mail delivery, it sent a letter to 46 states warning that voters could be disenfranchised because their mail-in ballots may not be delivered in time to make vote deadlines, The Washington Post reported Friday. Some states are quickly moving up deadlines, forcing voters to request or cast ballots sooner.


The startling actions appear to support accusations by Democratic lawmakers and voting rights groups that Postal Service management — now headed by major Donald Trump contributor Louis DeJoy — is sabotaging mail delivery before Election Day.


The USPS has removed mailboxes in Oregon and Montana and in Manhattan. Trucks filled with the blue metal boxes alarmed Oregon residents in Portland, where four were removed, and Eugene (28 boxes) this week. A USPS spokesperson said they’re being removed because of “declining” mail volume, The Oregonian reported Thursday.

"The USPS is also currently eliminating 15% of mail sorting machines that have significantly speeded up mail processing. "


https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trum...ballot-louis-dejoy_n_5f36f7adc5b6959911e471de

 

hey man...sorry to come at you so hard

I'm pretty aggravated that trump and his corrupt party are doing everything they can to steal this election. In a time of a deadly pandemic, nothing makes more immediate sense than to make it voting by mail easy, safe, and accessible. It's in the best public interest in several different ways

problem is way too many people, who can see the crime being committed in real time (since it's so blatant and obvious) are not saying anything. There should be outrage and lots of it.

 

I'm one of those people.

 

Well, I did say I didnt like it. Being angry on the internets not going to make much of a difference.

 

Under pressure, post office agreed to stop removing mail boxes but will not replace those already removed.

Mail sorters cost millions of dollars. The ones removed have been not put into storage, they have been destroyed or taken to dumpsters. So if a court injunction stops removal they can't be quickly replaced. Sorters removed are in high population centers which have high mail volume and also trend Democratic.

Oh yes, cookies I sent Monday have not arrived and probably aren't good any more.

Nixon was an evil evil person but given a final choice of leave office or burn down the country he left office. For Trump the country doesn't exist except as background for him.

 

This is the most blatant attempt at fascism a president has ever attempted in this nation. I certainly hope that the people will stop it. I don't get my hopes up though after reading this site.

 

Good to see.

 

If there is one good thing that the Trump presidency has brought to light is where things really need to fixed to limit the power grab of the executive branch.

 

Because the Republicans decided tax cuts for the rich and hard right judges are all they care about. They enable everything he does no matter how corrupt, illegal, or damaging.

 

it's also because the Senate is obsolete, unrepresentative, and undemocratic....just like the electoral college

the 2 million people of North Dakota, Alaska, and Wyoming have the same clout as the 51 million people of California, Washington, and Oregon. Oregon has twice as many people as those first 3 states but only 1/3 of the senators. (and yeah, I know, Texas vs Oregon)

 

At present half the population lives in 15 states and gets 30 senators. The other half spreads among 35 states and gets 70. But mid century 2/3 of the population will be in those 15, so 2/3 of the country gets 30 senators and 1/3 gets 70. And those states are older, whiter, more likely to be Christian as the overall percentage of Christians declines, and less likely to be college educated.

 

Shoot, why don't they just raise the price of a postage stamp to, say, $1. I'd pay that. Instant shot in the arm.

 

yep....like I said, the Senate is terribly obsolete and the opposite of representative democracy.