Excellent piece, Sam! I would respectfully disagree with one point, however, when you say the following:
"Everyone gets mail, and it’s astonishing that DeJoy can be so shortsighted and not realize that Republicans will also be up in arms over not getting their medicinal treatments on time."
I think that's exactly what DeJoy is counting on. And because Republicans don't get mad at things done to them by their Republican overlords, he'll blame it on "bureaucracy" and talk about how the USPS has been losing money for years (without mentioning the pension fiasco, or that it's a service and not a business, etc, etc and they'll all fall in line.
It's all part of the path towards privatization, which is exactly what people like DeJoy want. That their push towards destroying the USPS for the purpose of privatization just happens to now coincide with the President's push towards destroying the USPS for election theft is just the cherry on the top of this capitalist Shit Sundae.
This seems pretty likely. And those same Republican voters, who have been manipulated into blaming the USPS for what the GOP is doing to it, will also be UTTERLY SHOCKED when they find out how much it will cost to receive the same mail, if it's privatized.
destroying the USPS for the purpose of privatization just happens to now coincide with the President's push towards destroying the USPS for election theft.
Fascism is the endpoint of Capitalism. It's the only way 1 person can starve 99 to death in order to gorge themselves
"We are, in other words, a state which controls all forces acting in nature. We control political forces, we control moral forces, we control economic forces, therefore we are a full-blown Corporative state."
All of that stuff at the USPS store is really cool, but it really bothers me how we are basically funding them through bake sales when they should be getting the funding upfront.
Yeah, this is my problem with the calls to "support the USPS". Don't think I haven't boosted that idea as well. But this issue is much, much bigger than "hey everybody, go buy some stamps!" That's not going to solve it. I'm not even sure that will get us through to November, the way this guy is gutting it.
Yeah I completely feel that, and this often ends up being our refrain to systemic issues, as if an individual response will help. I'm sure to some extent it feels better than just understanding the greater forces at play.
Yeah. As I said, I really have been boosting the idea (on various platforms) to buy stamps, and buy merchandise! (And to take other actions, like calling reps and senators.) In the long run, it would be good for people to do that. But I fear in this case, individuals banding together won't give them enough money. And now, it's not just about the money -- it's about this asshole dismantling key structural elements in order to damage its functioning.
My anger over this administration's and congressional actions to tear down the USPS is fiery and unceasing. Here's an agency that works great when it's not tampered with, that's lifted up people of all races and genders for almost a century, that offers unfettered access to ALL Americans, that was founded by Benjamin FUCKING Franklin. Yet I've watched and fumed as Republicans have let the air out of the USPS's tires for most of my life. And for what? Because we should only spend money on our military?
The continual privatization obsession, to wrench every last cent out of everything, will ultimately be this society's downfall. And not in like, 20 years; more like 20 months. Mark my words.
God, I wish these problems had a face, so I could punch the shit out of them.
20 years ago was 2000; or, the last time a Republican was elected. So it's not like this is unprecedented, it's just what happens when the GOP gets power, and there was a Dem president between the last two. Really, it's surprising Trump waited as long as he did when gutting the USPS was apparently job #1 for W.
Also, the Postal and Accountability Enhancement Act that all the #Resistance centrists are currently bemoaning was approved overwhelmingly by democrats in both houses.
Which preceded it in a previous congress, and is functionally the same. 100% support from House dems - has all your favorite Heroes. Pelosi, Schiff, Hoyer, all yeas.
The dems had a -7 disadvantage in the House and there were 10 GOP defectors. They could have stopped it. Instead they passed it with more enthusiasm than the Republicans. It's almost like voting for the lesser of two evils, now, has way worse knock on effects, later.
Looks like it was Bush 1. 1992 28 years. Another 'run it like a business (into the ground)' fuckface.
Automotive CEO the entire time the domestic industry was turning out shit cars and getting housed by foreign competition. Clinton kept him on almost his entire term though, so there's bipartisanism for you.
Thanks for a great piece! I would just add that the Republicans have made us believe that the Post Office should be profitable or there's a problem. The US Mail is a service, just like the military or the CDC or the NIH. Congress funds them to provide the services they provide. No one is looking to shut down the CDC because it's not profitable—and the doctors and researchers there make a lot more money than postal workers.
And normally, Congress doesn't even fund the USPS. They don't get our tax dollars. What Congress does do is control whether they can raise postal rates, at all. And they've been refused the ability to do so many times.
That's what made Trump's comments about "they need to raise their rates!" so especially infuriating. Like, YES, MAYBE THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. Why don't you talk to the fucking Senate about that, hmm?
(I'm absolutely sure that Trump has no idea how the USPS works; a lot of Americans don't. I'm also absolutely sure that there's someone in the WH who does know, but who felt it wasn't in their best political interests to inform him. Or who knows, maybe they told him, and either he forgot again 2 minutes later, or because it didn't match up to the reality he prefers, he just ignored it. The result is the same.)
Excellent piece, Sam! I would respectfully disagree with one point, however, when you say the following:
"Everyone gets mail, and it’s astonishing that DeJoy can be so shortsighted and not realize that Republicans will also be up in arms over not getting their medicinal treatments on time."
I think that's exactly what DeJoy is counting on. And because Republicans don't get mad at things done to them by their Republican overlords, he'll blame it on "bureaucracy" and talk about how the USPS has been losing money for years (without mentioning the pension fiasco, or that it's a service and not a business, etc, etc and they'll all fall in line.
It's all part of the path towards privatization, which is exactly what people like DeJoy want. That their push towards destroying the USPS for the purpose of privatization just happens to now coincide with the President's push towards destroying the USPS for election theft is just the cherry on the top of this capitalist Shit Sundae.
This seems pretty likely. And those same Republican voters, who have been manipulated into blaming the USPS for what the GOP is doing to it, will also be UTTERLY SHOCKED when they find out how much it will cost to receive the same mail, if it's privatized.
destroying the USPS for the purpose of privatization just happens to now coincide with the President's push towards destroying the USPS for election theft.
Fascism is the endpoint of Capitalism. It's the only way 1 person can starve 99 to death in order to gorge themselves
"We are, in other words, a state which controls all forces acting in nature. We control political forces, we control moral forces, we control economic forces, therefore we are a full-blown Corporative state."
-Benito Mussolini
All of that stuff at the USPS store is really cool, but it really bothers me how we are basically funding them through bake sales when they should be getting the funding upfront.
Yeah, this is my problem with the calls to "support the USPS". Don't think I haven't boosted that idea as well. But this issue is much, much bigger than "hey everybody, go buy some stamps!" That's not going to solve it. I'm not even sure that will get us through to November, the way this guy is gutting it.
Yeah I completely feel that, and this often ends up being our refrain to systemic issues, as if an individual response will help. I'm sure to some extent it feels better than just understanding the greater forces at play.
Yeah. As I said, I really have been boosting the idea (on various platforms) to buy stamps, and buy merchandise! (And to take other actions, like calling reps and senators.) In the long run, it would be good for people to do that. But I fear in this case, individuals banding together won't give them enough money. And now, it's not just about the money -- it's about this asshole dismantling key structural elements in order to damage its functioning.
In case you're also wondering who the illustrator was, Rafi's friend Hope has kindly shared that the illustrator's name is Mary Engelbreit :)
My anger over this administration's and congressional actions to tear down the USPS is fiery and unceasing. Here's an agency that works great when it's not tampered with, that's lifted up people of all races and genders for almost a century, that offers unfettered access to ALL Americans, that was founded by Benjamin FUCKING Franklin. Yet I've watched and fumed as Republicans have let the air out of the USPS's tires for most of my life. And for what? Because we should only spend money on our military?
The continual privatization obsession, to wrench every last cent out of everything, will ultimately be this society's downfall. And not in like, 20 years; more like 20 months. Mark my words.
God, I wish these problems had a face, so I could punch the shit out of them.
Your last sentence is my sentiment for many things these days, unfortunately.
20 years ago was 2000; or, the last time a Republican was elected. So it's not like this is unprecedented, it's just what happens when the GOP gets power, and there was a Dem president between the last two. Really, it's surprising Trump waited as long as he did when gutting the USPS was apparently job #1 for W.
Also, the Postal and Accountability Enhancement Act that all the #Resistance centrists are currently bemoaning was approved overwhelmingly by democrats in both houses.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/109/hr6407
Passed so unanimously in both houses that no record of who voted how was made, but
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/109-2005/h430
Which preceded it in a previous congress, and is functionally the same. 100% support from House dems - has all your favorite Heroes. Pelosi, Schiff, Hoyer, all yeas.
The dems had a -7 disadvantage in the House and there were 10 GOP defectors. They could have stopped it. Instead they passed it with more enthusiasm than the Republicans. It's almost like voting for the lesser of two evils, now, has way worse knock on effects, later.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Travis_Runyon
Looks like it was Bush 1. 1992 28 years. Another 'run it like a business (into the ground)' fuckface.
Automotive CEO the entire time the domestic industry was turning out shit cars and getting housed by foreign competition. Clinton kept him on almost his entire term though, so there's bipartisanism for you.
the mr. zip shirt is dope https://store.usps.com/store/product/stamp-gifts/mr-zip-t-shirt-blue-P_843283
Thanks for a great piece! I would just add that the Republicans have made us believe that the Post Office should be profitable or there's a problem. The US Mail is a service, just like the military or the CDC or the NIH. Congress funds them to provide the services they provide. No one is looking to shut down the CDC because it's not profitable—and the doctors and researchers there make a lot more money than postal workers.
And normally, Congress doesn't even fund the USPS. They don't get our tax dollars. What Congress does do is control whether they can raise postal rates, at all. And they've been refused the ability to do so many times.
That's what made Trump's comments about "they need to raise their rates!" so especially infuriating. Like, YES, MAYBE THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. Why don't you talk to the fucking Senate about that, hmm?
(I'm absolutely sure that Trump has no idea how the USPS works; a lot of Americans don't. I'm also absolutely sure that there's someone in the WH who does know, but who felt it wasn't in their best political interests to inform him. Or who knows, maybe they told him, and either he forgot again 2 minutes later, or because it didn't match up to the reality he prefers, he just ignored it. The result is the same.)
"No one is looking to shut down the CDC because it's not profitable"
Careful, you may have just given Republicans a new talking point.