Why We Need the Post Office

    

    The United States Postal Service could be so much more than mail. Now the Republicans wants to gut it.      
    The Postal Service revenue  has decreased by nearly a third and is projecting a $13 billion shortfall for the year. They are asking for an infusion of $89 billion but the President is opposes it. According to The Washington Post, the president threatened to veto the $2 trillion coronavirus aid package, or the CARES Act, if it provided funds to bail out the postal agency, (Meanwhile, the airlines will get a share of $25 billion in federal relief).

     The USPS is still the cheapest way to get mail from point A to point B. Rural communities,  will be severely affected by a cut in service. not to mention all the advertising that's done by mail. Oh how will you gut your bill? On line? Utility, insurance, credit card and banks can only reach those with internet connection. Look for more lines of poor people going to check cashing services.
     So what is with the sudden interest in slashing the Postal Service? The election, specifically voting by mail.The Constitution provides no advise on succession if there is no election.
     There may be an upside to this, without Federal funding the post office will be forced to innovate and be profitable in other ways - that's good. As outlined in an excellent New Yorker article,David C. Williams, former USPS Inspector General has proposed expanding services to delivering groceries, alert social-services agencies when people on their routes need help, or, even more ambitiously, supply “wellness services.” The latter might include delivering medicine to elderly people, or even just checking in on them in exchange for a fee. 
     The issue with the USPS is not trivial and the political outcome could well affect the future of elections and Democracy. Stay tuned.

USPS, post office, David C. Williams, New Yorker, vote by mail, CARES act