As I am sure that you have heard, Trump and his campaign contributor, who he has placed in charge of the United State Postal Service, are working to sabotage the mail system to slow the delivery of mail for political advantage. I am sure that you agree this is an outrageous attack on our democracy.

During this dangerous pandemic, many seniors and those with pre-existing conditions are very concerned about standing in line at polling stations with many other people, waiting in line to cast their ballots in upcoming general election. Unlike the previous election seniors are much more likely to vote against Trump and he knows it.

We are now more dependent than ever on our mail system to not only deliver our requests for absentee ballots and then to deliver our votes on time, but more than ever we need our other mail and packages delivered without delay.  We are more dependent than ever on the postal system to deliver our social security and company checks, prescriptions, items we ordered online, and other critical mail. This is no time to be playing dangerous political games.

The governing board of the Postal Service has asked for $25 Billion in government funding to insure that all of our mail is delivered on time.  The Republicans in the US Senate, at Trump’s bidding, are dragging their feet at providing the additional much needed pandemic relief package which includes the funds needed for the postal service.

Speaker Pelosi is in the process of calling the House of Representatives back into secession to at least pass a standalone bill to sufficiently fund the US Postal Service, but we obviously need the Senate to pass it as well.  That means we need to get our Senators, especially a sufficient number of Republican Senators on board.  All congressmen are already hearing from their constituents about the slowdown in the delivery of their mail, but we need to amplify those complaints one hundred fold.

The House is already on board, but we need to put pressure on our senators, especially our Republican Senators, to come back into session and pass the House legislation. Please contact your senators to put pressure on them to act in the best interest of the American people and our democracy. If we can get a bill passed to sufficiently fund the postal service we can dare Trump to veto it. Whether he does or not it will still be a great victory.

Suggestions:

Amplify your voice by contacting your senators by multiple means.  Use email and/or messaging on their website and call both their local and Washington offices.

If applicable, state how the slowing of mail services is affecting not only your ability to vote, but also your ability to receive government and/or company checks, prescriptions, goods you have ordered online, etc. Stress how the slow down is particularly dangerous in the middle of this pandemic.

By nice and state your concerns in positive terms.

If dealing with a Republican senator, remember that he/she will be particularly sensitive to the needs of those who voted for him/her.  So it won’t hurt to pretend to be a Republican voter and stress how this issue, if not resolved, is going to hurt the Republican party. (Be assured that is absolutely true.)

However, regardless of how you decide to proceed, please take a few minutes of your time NOW, before you forget, to contact your senators.  This is an opportunity to now only do the right thing, but also to back Trump into a corner on an issue he cannot win.  

Cajun (Rick Guilbeau)   8/18/2020