This election year is one rife with controversy and division. Oddly enough, amongst all this chaos, one of the main discussions arising from this election is that of the post office, something many people have taken for granted their whole lives.
Because of COVID-19, the post office has become a necessity for many, both for providing them with groceries and other necessary items, and in the coming months specifically, for people to easily and safely vote in this election. Many ballots will have to go through the post office. However, President Donald Trump has decided to crack down on the post office, claiming that it is a potential hub for fraudulent ballots and could skew the votes in the direction of his opponents. Outside of this being obvious fearmongering, it is dangerous to the fabric of the United States as we know it.
The USPS is an entity protected by the first article of the Constitution, a document that President Trump and his supporters claim is very dear to them (they primarily seem to be focused on the Second Amendment of said document, but that’s beside the point). Not only would slowing down or even eliminating the USPS be a flippant disregarding of the Constitution, but it is also a move that could potentially hurt Trump’s own voter base, a majority of which live in rural areas.
Even before COVID-19, many people in rural areas of the country relied on the USPS to deliver packages secondarily from UPS or FedEx, or to deliver bills in a timely fashion, which they may not be able to be notified of in any other manner than a hard copy. Even if the post office were to be privatized efficiently, the costs would rise out of the price range that those who depend on the post office can pay easily. People in these areas depend on the USPS for their way of life and well-being.
With Postmaster General Louis DeJoy in charge of the post office, changes will occur that will slow down the rate of shipping significantly. These are changes conveniently pushed forward during a time when mail-in votes are a necessity for as many people as possible to vote in the upcoming election.
The USPS is not only a right under the Constitution, but it is now also a necessity to participate in the process of democracy in our country. Anything that gets in the way of that process must be stopped.
