Trump vs The Post Office

[Amy Candiotti]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/04/24/trump-postal-se...

This is ridiculous, and has an effect on us all. Please contact your people, if you are in the US.

https://www.senate.gov/senators/How_to_correspond_senators.htm https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

[allison]

these are so nice! great rubber stamps! i decided to leave the envelopes somewhat plain but my letters are handwritten... i'm thinking i might send a set of postcards for good measure

[Amy Candiotti]

Nice!  I like seeing your work surface, too.

[Motherbrando]

Done Last week , another set going out this week as well. 

[Sabrina S]

Beautiful mail!

[1bmbphlc9wilp]

Beautiful!

[Alan Brignull]

Unfortunately I don't think he'd take any notice of mail from a foreigner, especially one from a country where the 'Royal Mail' is now owned by private investors.

But (and don't count this as support for Trump) yesterday I received an envelope from the USA stamped with $1.04 for 35g (1.2 oz). Could this be correct, there was no surcharge? The reply, same weight, cost me £2.62 ($3.27). It does seem that US mail prices are very cheap compared internationally.

[Sabrina S]

Your right, prices in the US seem to be quite cheap. In Germany, too. I pay $ 1,19 for a "normal" letter (20 g). I was surprised to see how expensive for example Greek postage is, taking into account that I guess that most likely lot of Greeks don't earn as much money as average Germans due to economic power of the countries.... 

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Sending a little message on the mail art envelopes:

to thank the Mailman, Postman, USPS...

[allison]

re: contacting senators about relief for the USPS -- i've emailed as well as mailed.

senator klobuchar's office sent a general 'your message has been received' reply via email, but senator smith's office sent quite a nice response via email that directly addresses the issue:

***

Dear Allison,

Thank you for contacting me about relief for the Postal Service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are facing an unprecedented public health and economic crisis that has affected every facet of our society. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is one of our nation's oldest and most important public services. Established in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, the Postal Service has helped to unite our country quite literally for over 200 years. The budget of the Postal Service is already strained due to the requirement that it pre-fund retiree health premiums for its employees. Declining revenue as a result of this public health and economic crisis makes the need for emergency relief funding even more serious. During this uncertain time, we must ensure that the Postal Service can continue to serve all areas of Minnesota and the country, no matter how remote, with consistent and reliable service.

As Minnesotans are following social distancing guidelines to avoid further spread of the coronavirus, we have become more dependent than ever on the Postal Service to deliver necessary household goods and life-saving medication, while also helping us stay in touch with our loved ones. While most of us have the ability to stay safe in our homes during this pandemic, the employees of the Postal Service have no choice but to continue their essential work. The over 600,000 employees of the Postal Service are putting their lives at risk to deliver mail to every zip code in the country, and they must be fairly compensated with hazard pay and provided appropriate Personal Protective Equipment. Essential workers, in any sector of the economy, should have the protections they need if we expect them to continue working on the frontlines of this crisis.

We need to make sure that Americans can rely on the Postal Service for essential deliveries, and with the November elections right around the corner, it is even more critical that we have the proper mechanisms in place to ensure that every America has a chance to cast their vote. The right to vote is our most sacred right and responsibility as citizens and every eligible citizen has a right to a safe and accessible ballot.

To ensure Congress supports the Postal Service during this time, I've written to Senate leadership emphasizing the importance of the Postal Service and urging them to provide emergency relief funding for the Postal Service and support for Postal Service employees in the next coronavirus (COVID-19) legislative package. In addition, I also joined many of my Senate colleagues in sending a letter to Treasury Secretary Mnuchin urging him not to impose unnecessary conditions on loans already promised to the Postal Service in the recently enacted CARES Act. The Administration should protect the Postal Service from politically-motivated attacks and must recognize its importance as a vital public institution. It is my hope that Congress can come together on an agreement to provide the Postal Service with much needed funding and reform.

Thank you again for contacting me on this issue. Please do not hesitate to stay in touch.

Sincerely,

Signature

Tina Smith
United States Senator

[Amy Candiotti]

That's great!

[Erin Morse]

There is a collaborative art project called Artists For The USPS over on Instagram at instagram.com/uspsartproject/ (also on Facebook).

Also, there is an excellent and humorous explanation of the USPS's funding issue on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. It's easy to find on YouTube.

[Amy Candiotti]

Democracy Now report on what's happening at the USPS now:

https://www.democracynow.org/2020/8/10/usps_postmaster_general_mail...