Carrying homemade signs, a dozen or so peaceful demonstrators gathered at the White Salmon Post Office Aug. 25 to lend their support to the beleaguered institution and to protest recent changes that have slowed mail delivery. The rally then moved to the Bingen Post Office, where, with a single exception, the protesters were greeted with friendly honks and waves.
Bea Lackaff organized the rally and carried a “Support our Post Office, NOT for sale” sign. She explained, “You have to do something to stop the destruction of our democracy and our postal service. We’ve been racking our brains asking, “What can we do? We happened to hear on the radio about this national day of action to save the post office. Here’s our chance to get involved.”
A sign board explained that 671 mail sorting machines have been removed since June. Those machines were each capable of sorting 30,000 pieces of mail an hour, adding up to millions a day. Hundreds of the familiar blue mail drop boxes have been removed and other changes add to the slowdown. Due to the pandemic many more people will be voting by mail and absentee ballot. The post office sent notices of concern to the states that ballots may be delayed enough to not be counted.
Roger Gadway carried a “Support our Post Office, Protect our Vote-Urgent” sign and explained his reasons for being there: “Because we’ve got to save the post office. It is being destroyed and taken over. It takes our ballots in and delivers our ballots. It’s kind of important,” he concluded as an obvious understatement. When asked about the fact the Post Office is losing money he replied, “Yes, so is the Army.”
“It’s about service. It’s not the United States postal business; it’s the United States Postal Service,” Chris Connolly explained. “They have a hard time because, unlike any other government agency or any business the Post Office has to fund their retirement system for 75 years in advance. That’s crazy.” She further stated “I think we need the post office more than anything. It is even mentioned in the constitution.” (Article 1, Section 8 states that “The Congress shall have the power to establish Post Offices and Post Roads.”)
“Protect our vote,” was Terry Anderson’s message. She explained, “We all know they are getting rid of the machines that sort the mail and they are trying to get rid of vote by mail which a lot of states have been doing successfully for many years now, including Washington and Oregon.
Monday the Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, was called before Congress to explain his actions. Although DeJoy defends sorting machine removal as cost cutting and efficiency measures, many fear he may be attempting to sabotage the institution for political reasons and/or personal gain. DeJoy is a Trump appointee and major campaign donor. Trump said on Fox and Friends that with widespread vote by mail, “You’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”
Both states have had vote by mail for nearly 20 years and have elected numerous Republicans. According to USA Today, DeJoy and his wife reported between at least $30 million to just over $75 million in assets from competitors with the US Postal Service, and so may gave an interest is seeing the post office privatized. In last week’s Congressional hearing Post Master DeJoy agreed to stop further actions against the Post Office operations.
However, DeJoy refused to re-commission the already dismantled sorting machines.
We in Washington and Oregon are fortunate to already have a well-established vote by mail system in place. Unfortunately, most states don’t. Let’s hope with postal service cuts and slowdowns that they are able to continue to do a good job and get the ballots in on time.
Remember to vote early and drop your ballot in one of the collection boxes if you can, and especially if you are near the deadline.
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