Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s potential plans for his extensive post-Election Day overhaul at the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) reportedly involve price raises that could lead to more damage to the agency’s operations than previously reported.
The way I read it, the Constitution allows that the Congress will set up a Postal Service.
From the wikipedia article on this:
‘" Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 of the United States Constitution , known as the Postal Clause or the Postal Power, empowers Congress “To establish Post Offices and Post Roads.”’
It says nothing about how it needs to pay for itself. It was a service deemed by the founders to be most necessary for the country. Go figure.
The House needs to act now with appropriate legislation and at least try to get the Senate to follow.
(Adding a bit more, here’s the conservative Cato institute’s take on this: https://www.cato.org/blog/us-postal-service-constitution . They basically say the Postal Service need not be exclusive, etc., etc., but they don’t deny the Constitutional aspect of it.)
According to the Washington Post, DeJoy is considering gutting a USPS program that covers the cost of shipping groceries to distant areas in Alaska known as the Alaska Bypass program.
This is a dagger to the heart of rural Alaska. And ammunition for the Senate campaign of Dr. Al Gross, who has a real shot to unseat the current GOP Senator Dan Sullivan. Make Alaskans know that the Republican Party is dismantling the federal infrastructure that makes normal life possible in all far-flung corners of the Last Frontier!
Cripple it and then sell it for a pittance to your pals. Also, all that sweet pre-paid pension cash now controlled by who-the-fuck. It is the story of too many US companies since the 80s.
(Via Wapo) They include raising package rates, particularly when delivering the last mile on behalf of big retailers; setting higher prices for service in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico; curbing discounts for nonprofits; requiring election ballots to use first-class postage; and leasing space in Postal Service facilities to other government agencies and companies.
Ding-ding-ding…Walmart & Amazon grocery deliveries!
And of course, there is the vengeful saboteur 
DeJoy won’t be Trumpmaster General come January, so there’s still time to save the Post Office
Ari Melber has a long segment last night on Trump’s vendetta against Bezos. That’s his big reason for going after the USPS.
The USPS probably should get increased rates for a lot of things. But the thing to remember is that it’s a national service. So Congress should also be appropriating money for the parts of USPS operations that hold the nation together.
Right…because the PO is not a ‘right’ as enumerated in the Constitution but a ‘business’ to be fked over and destroyed until the only ‘choice’ is private industry. I hate these motherfkers. I had to turn the cables off this morning and am tuned into local news. It’s more cheery than the liars at the hearing.
Yes when they sell off the USPS who will administer the pension plan?
Price elasticity of demand for those products will suggest price rises will simply reduce demand. But that would require analysis. However, if all you want to so is run the thing onto the ground to allow for-profit companies to take over ( and jettison entirely any services they don’t find profitable), this is just how to do it. Deliver everywhere in the US? Nah.
Here’s the link.
Question: Mr Dejoy do you support vote by mail ?
Answer Yes I do,everyone should be able to vote by mail . OOOPPSS !
Of course, as a national service, it’s not required to operate at a profit: it’s not a business.
I take that to mean that it’s meant to provide an affordable means of communication and shipping to the citizenry. It’s not supposed to be in an adversarial relationship with its ‘customers.’
Even so, it would not be in the straights it’s in if a hostile Congress hadn’t given it an unprecedented requirement to prefund its pension fund for 75 years.
We can’t have, you know, ‘socialism.’
He may not be next week, either. This is not going well for him.
Canada Post charges $0.92 for a first class letter. At current exchange rates that would be around $ 0.73 US. So that might be a fair price.
The Postmaster General is appointed by the USPS Board of Governors to a 5-year term. I’m sure there must be a way to remove him but the question is “How long would it take?”
One thing is certain, DeJoy has enough conflicts of interest with the post office that they may even wander into criminal territory. [fingers crossed] But again, how long would it take to bring charges?
One thing is certain: If we are blessed enough to finally remove Dr. Cadet Bone Spurs investigators and prosecutors far and wide are going to be very busy right up to the time statutes of limitations kick in serving up these curs’ just rewards, while various other agencies attempt to undue the unfathomable damage this maladministration has wrought — providing, of course, Biden doesn’t pull an Obama and “look forward, not backwards.”
Very true, but if his padon option leaves in January, I could see him bailing before January and getting a pardon.
After all, he is a bigly Trump donor. He’s entitled to one.
As long as he’s gone, right?
