Protect the Postal Service
The Issue
Dear Members of Congress,
I hope this letter finds you in better health than that of our nation, where my compatriots and I fear, everyday, under this government, that we move closer to living in an authoritarian society. First, the handling of this pandemic; where California has over 600,000 cases, as our Commander-in-Chief and His party, watching us die while obtaining wealth and congratulating themselves, to now; attempting to silence over 180 million Americans, who plan to voice their opinions through mail-in ballots. Not only is this worrisome, it’s unconstitutional on two accounts. The first being that He [the Commander-In-Chief] violated his oath to protect and defend the Constitution, by appointing supporters to essential offices, attempting to interfere this election; and, secondly, obstructing Congress of it’s duty to “establish post offices and post roads” under Article 1 § 8 by removing high speed sorting machines and prohibiting overtime hours, with the sole intent of maintaining and expanding His, and His party’s, power and influence. But while it’s easy to blame the Commander-In-Chief’s actions during a time of crisis, the true cause of the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) financial and structural ruin is the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 (PAEA).
In my research, I can say that 76% of the USPS's financial burden is due to PAEA. Before becoming law, the USPS’s net worth was $900 million profit, by solely delivering mail and selling custom made stamps. By 2009, the agency’s net worth was $3.6 billion loss, in a time when Amazon was an online book store and email was beginning to become popular. Under PAEA, the USPS was forced to cover the healthcare costs of its current and future retiree’s but was forbidden to raise prices on its products (i.e priority mail service) in order to help offset the required expenditures, giving the agency no room to pay for those expenditures, new employee’s, or new equipment (i.e more high speed sorting machines, transportation, etc).
As of Sunday, Speaker Pelosi said that she would call the House back to block any further changes to the USPS under this administration and that the agency would receive a bailout that will cover them until the end of the year. But Congress should also fix the PAEA burden problem as soon as possible and, as my representative, I request that you propose a bill onto the House floor with the following propositions:
1) The United States Postal Service is a nonpartisan federal agency that shall be protected from the influence of elected government officials and their actions of threatening, stalking, or inciting violence against the agency or any member working for the agency, and that committing these acts shall be a federal crime, punishable by impeachment and removal from office.
2) The United States Postal Service is a nonpartisan federal agency whereby, currently, the executive appoints members to the Postal Service Board of Governors (PSBGs), who then appoint the postmaster general, therefore; to qualify for:
A) Postal Service Board of Governors: a nominee, chosen by the executive branch, must have an extensive background in either experience and/or knowledge of the Postal Service and must show proof to both branches, serving PSBGs, and employees, before being appointed by employees of the USPS by majority vote.
B) Postmaster General: a nominee, chosen by the employees of the USPS, must have an extensive background in either experience and/or knowledge of the Postal Service and must show proof to both branches of government and serving PSBGs, before being appointed by serving PSBGs.
3) The United States Postal Service is a nonprofit postal company that serves to deliver to all areas within the United States, and therefore be considered an essential service that shall be protected from political conflicts (i.e government shutdowns, etc.) and be included in all relief/bailout bills under any government, being giving the requested amount, despite financial stability.
4) The United States Postal Service is a nonprofit postal company that is overseen by the federal government, therefore; has the right to determine their prices for their products without any interference from government officials and; has the right to expand its services (i.e postal banking, custom made stamps, etc) to be at least financially stable.
5) The United States Postal Service, alongside other agencies overseen by the federal government, shall have preparation procedures, and the necessary equipment to carry them out, provided by the federal government, for any and all national/global crisis (i.e pandemics).
The USPS is one of the most believe federal agencies in this country. To see it being dismantled is equivalent to dismantling our democracy. On behalf of my compatriots, and myself, please propose this bill so that our voices can be expressed this November without fear, and that the USPS can still bring and deliver our mail.
Sincerely,
Alexander J Kaloyanides
Students of 2020
The Issue
Dear Members of Congress,
I hope this letter finds you in better health than that of our nation, where my compatriots and I fear, everyday, under this government, that we move closer to living in an authoritarian society. First, the handling of this pandemic; where California has over 600,000 cases, as our Commander-in-Chief and His party, watching us die while obtaining wealth and congratulating themselves, to now; attempting to silence over 180 million Americans, who plan to voice their opinions through mail-in ballots. Not only is this worrisome, it’s unconstitutional on two accounts. The first being that He [the Commander-In-Chief] violated his oath to protect and defend the Constitution, by appointing supporters to essential offices, attempting to interfere this election; and, secondly, obstructing Congress of it’s duty to “establish post offices and post roads” under Article 1 § 8 by removing high speed sorting machines and prohibiting overtime hours, with the sole intent of maintaining and expanding His, and His party’s, power and influence. But while it’s easy to blame the Commander-In-Chief’s actions during a time of crisis, the true cause of the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) financial and structural ruin is the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 (PAEA).
In my research, I can say that 76% of the USPS's financial burden is due to PAEA. Before becoming law, the USPS’s net worth was $900 million profit, by solely delivering mail and selling custom made stamps. By 2009, the agency’s net worth was $3.6 billion loss, in a time when Amazon was an online book store and email was beginning to become popular. Under PAEA, the USPS was forced to cover the healthcare costs of its current and future retiree’s but was forbidden to raise prices on its products (i.e priority mail service) in order to help offset the required expenditures, giving the agency no room to pay for those expenditures, new employee’s, or new equipment (i.e more high speed sorting machines, transportation, etc).
As of Sunday, Speaker Pelosi said that she would call the House back to block any further changes to the USPS under this administration and that the agency would receive a bailout that will cover them until the end of the year. But Congress should also fix the PAEA burden problem as soon as possible and, as my representative, I request that you propose a bill onto the House floor with the following propositions:
1) The United States Postal Service is a nonpartisan federal agency that shall be protected from the influence of elected government officials and their actions of threatening, stalking, or inciting violence against the agency or any member working for the agency, and that committing these acts shall be a federal crime, punishable by impeachment and removal from office.
2) The United States Postal Service is a nonpartisan federal agency whereby, currently, the executive appoints members to the Postal Service Board of Governors (PSBGs), who then appoint the postmaster general, therefore; to qualify for:
A) Postal Service Board of Governors: a nominee, chosen by the executive branch, must have an extensive background in either experience and/or knowledge of the Postal Service and must show proof to both branches, serving PSBGs, and employees, before being appointed by employees of the USPS by majority vote.
B) Postmaster General: a nominee, chosen by the employees of the USPS, must have an extensive background in either experience and/or knowledge of the Postal Service and must show proof to both branches of government and serving PSBGs, before being appointed by serving PSBGs.
3) The United States Postal Service is a nonprofit postal company that serves to deliver to all areas within the United States, and therefore be considered an essential service that shall be protected from political conflicts (i.e government shutdowns, etc.) and be included in all relief/bailout bills under any government, being giving the requested amount, despite financial stability.
4) The United States Postal Service is a nonprofit postal company that is overseen by the federal government, therefore; has the right to determine their prices for their products without any interference from government officials and; has the right to expand its services (i.e postal banking, custom made stamps, etc) to be at least financially stable.
5) The United States Postal Service, alongside other agencies overseen by the federal government, shall have preparation procedures, and the necessary equipment to carry them out, provided by the federal government, for any and all national/global crisis (i.e pandemics).
The USPS is one of the most believe federal agencies in this country. To see it being dismantled is equivalent to dismantling our democracy. On behalf of my compatriots, and myself, please propose this bill so that our voices can be expressed this November without fear, and that the USPS can still bring and deliver our mail.
Sincerely,
Alexander J Kaloyanides
Students of 2020
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on August 18, 2020