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The United States Postal Service is a public service — period. It was written into the Constitution and established by the Second Continental Congress. Benjamin Franklin was its first postmaster general.
The Postal Service is one of the largest civilian employers in the United States. USPS employs 97,000 veterans who have served this country. USPS is also a large employer for thousands of Black and brown families, and Postal Service workers always go the extra mile to make sure your mail gets there on time.
Even in the wake of a massive storm this week, we’ve seen stories about the heart and dedication of Postal Service workers who ensured mail was delivered. These workers and their families simply deserve better than what they are getting right now. We’ve seen decades of attempts to privatize this independent agency, but what we are seeing now is beyond anti-government ideological rhetoric.
We are feeling the impact of damaging changes to how the Postal Service operates, causing mail delays and concentration of power to a single Republican donor with no experience with the Postal Service, sidestepping employees with institutional knowledge.
These threats are damaging to many families, including veterans who rely on mail order prescription medication to get to them on time, or simply letters to family members during this COVID-19 crisis where so many are unable to visit their loved ones. These delays are also a threat to our democracy itself.
Delays in mail ahead of an election reliant on mail delivery to ensure all of our voices are counted is a direct attack on our democracy. We are witnessing lawsuits by the Republican party across the country, attempting to make it more difficult for people to vote in a pandemic. It’s abhorrent, but Democrats are fighting back in court to ensure everyone has a voice. However, this structural attack from within the USPS cannot go unanswered.
Make noise, call your members of congress, and make it clear: an attack on the Postal Service is an attack on our communities and our democracy.
#SaveThePostOffice and stand with Postal Service workers.