USA Politics

[BasilValentine]

I heard reports from Postal Handlers Union 308 (NJ, DE, PA) workers this morning on NPR demonstrating that Louis DeJoy's supposed cost reduction measures at USPS are, in fact, purposeful attempts to disrupt and slow mail service. One thing he has ordered is the removal of more than half of the massive sorting machines in that area that do most of the logistical work. There is no indication he intends to have them put back in service. Other essential machinery was disassembled and left outdoors so it could never be used again. Testimony from customers in NJ indicates that some mail that formerly took three days to arrive is now delayed by weeks. Obviously, these measures will not save money. To meet the time deficits created by removing automated sorting equipment would require massive overtime work by human hand, while DeJoy is cutting overtime across the board. The conclusion is obvious: DeJoy's actions are attempts to cripple the USPS. There are two plausible motivations for these actions: (1) to increase the value of DeJoy's multi-million dollar holdings in competing carriers and in private subcontractors whose business includes sorting and handling mail — garden variety corruption — and (2) suppressing voting by mail at the behest of the Scumbag in Chief. Given that preliminary reports indicate that in some crucial states, FL for example, requests for mail-in ballots are much higher among democrats than among republicans, this suggests a measure designed to help steal the election. Expect DeJoy to be raked over the coals in his testimony today before Congress.

Oh, I almost forgot: Among the other measures, postal workers are no longer permitted in the course of their normal duties to act as witnesses for voters bringing their mail-in ballots to local post offices. In prior elections this was standard, especially in rural areas where witnesses are fewer and farther between.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I heard reports from Postal Handlers Union 308 (NJ, DE, PA) workers this morning on NPR demonstrating that Louis DeJoy's supposed cost reduction measures at USPS are, in fact, purposeful attempts to disrupt and slow mail service. One thing he has ordered is the removal of more than half of the massive sorting machines in that area that do most of the logistical work. There is no indication he intends to have them put back in service. Other essential machinery was disassembled and left outdoors so it could never be used again. Testimony from customers in NJ indicates that some mail that formerly took three days to arrive is now delayed by weeks. Obviously, these measures will not save money. To meet the time deficits created by removing automated sorting equipment would require massive overtime work by human hand, while DeJoy is cutting overtime across the board. The conclusion is obvious: DeJoy's actions are attempts to cripple the USPS. There are two plausible motivations for these actions: (1) to increase the value of DeJoy's multi-million dollar holdings in competing carriers and in private subcontractors whose business includes sorting and handling mail — garden variety corruption — and (2) suppressing voting by mail at the behest of the Scumbag in Chief. Given that preliminary reports indicate that in some crucial states, FL for example, requests for mail-in ballots are much higher among democrats than among republicans, this suggests a measure designed to help steal the election. Expect DeJoy to be raked over the coals in his testimony today before Congress.   

Hi Basil,

I came in partway on a NPR story (yesterday I think?) about the impact of the postal cuts.  One of the bits of news that I caught:  farmers are receiving dead chicks in the mail...Maine, was mentioned specifically.  I did find this CBS news story today:  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chicks-usps-pingree-dead-maine-farmers/  I am sure that other areas are being effected to as more people are wanting to raise their own chickens during the pandemic.

PD

[Todd]

I heard reports from Postal Handlers Union 308 (NJ, DE, PA) workers . . .

Union members whose jobs may be on the line may not necessarily give dispassionate analysis.  They may not even be informed on the legal mandates Congress has imposed on the USPS pertaining to long-term financial viability.  After today's political theater satisfies various sorts, the USPS will carry on as it did before until after the election, when changes will be attempted again, and the now finest and most important service in the world will revert to its status as run of the mill political football. 

[Karl Henning]

So says Fox News as well. Chris Wallace? Both candidates are old and have lost more than a step. Cognitive decline? I don't know. Is that a medical term? I see "cognitive impairment" online. Find me a Dr that's willing to say Biden has dementia and I'll find you one that says nay. I'm guessing these conditions aren't diagnosed online anyway. But it sounds like someone very much wants to say yay!

Troll's gonna troll.

[Karl Henning]

Decorated military hero Lt Col. Tammy Duckworth: "Donald Trump doesn't deserve to call himself commander in chief for another four minutes — let alone another four years."

[BasilValentine]

Union members whose jobs may be on the line may not necessarily give dispassionate analysis.  They may not even be informed on the legal mandates Congress has imposed on the USPS pertaining to long-term financial viability.  After today's political theater satisfies various sorts, the USPS will carry on as it did before until after the election, when changes will be attempted again, and the now finest and most important service in the world will revert to its status as run of the mill political football.

You didn't read carefully. DeJoy said the cost cutting measures will be discontinued. He quite pointedly did not mention reversing the actions already taken. If the postal handlers reports are true, equipment has already been destroyed. Service will not resume as usual unless the automated equipment is put back into service immediately. Removing more than half the sorting machines has already crippled service.

It's not the handlers' jobs on the line. Every one of those workers will now be more essential. It's machinery that's being retired. In other words, the waste of millions of dollars in material assets. So what do you think is going to happen to the retired sorting machines? I would guess that in the not too distant future they'll be auctioned off and bought up cheaply by private logistics firms like the ones implicated in DeJoy's conflicts of interest.

[Todd]

DeJoy said the cost cutting measures will be discontinued.

Post Office Chief Suspends Controversial Changes Until After Election

To avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, I am suspending these initiatives until after the election is concluded

[Todd]

I can't recall if this was ever posted here before, but even if it was, it may be time for a refresher:

Why the most informed voters are often the most badly misled

Achens and Bartels's conclusion is grim: much of what looks like learning in American politics is actually, they argue, an elaborate performance of justifying the beliefs we already hold. "Most of the time, the voters are merely reaffirming their partisan and group identities at the polls. They do not reason very much or very often. What they do is rationalize."

This does not apply to GMG, of course, but it may apply elsewhere. 

[BasilValentine]

Post Office Chief Suspends Controversial Changes Until After Election

Yes, it is this ^ ^ ^ you haven't read carefully.

[Todd]

Yes, it is this ^ ^ ^ you haven't read carefully.

Right.

[Herman]

So says Fox News as well. Chris Wallace? Both candidates are old and have lost more than a step. Cognitive decline? I don't know. Is that a medical term? I see "cognitive impairment" online. Find me a Dr that's willing to say Biden has dementia and I'll find you one that says nay. I'm guessing these conditions aren't diagnosed online anyway. But it sounds like someone very much wants to say yay!

Diner Cop has done Law School, School of Medicine and of course an MBA.
So don't second guess him; he's got more degrees than Einstein!
He's even clued in that major political figures use speech writers!

[Todd]

Diner Cop

Potent.  Keep using it.

[greg]

No doubt some posters on GMG actually believe Biden wrote his speech.

Self-deception in order to vote against someone is the way to go.

Or it could be he discovered the Fountain of Youth a few days ago and got surgical tubes up to his brain for the water to flow into it, so that only his brain has reversed its age. Anything is possible.

[Todd]

Self-deception in order to vote against someone is the way to go.

Sure is.  Now, of course, no one on GMG does that.  No sir.  Most especially people who can't even vote at all.

[milk]

Self-deception in order to vote against someone is the way to go.

Or it could be he discovered the Fountain of Youth a few days ago and got surgical tubes up to his brain for the water to flow into it, so that only his brain has reversed its age. Anything is possible.

It comes down to a choice. I think a lot of people see it that way and not so many Democrats feel it's anything but that. I mean even despite some of the drivel that comes from the media. On the other hand, tump has real enthusiastic dupes, I mean supporters, who actually think Jesus has his hand on Tump's shoulder.

[Karl Henning]

Yes, it is this ^ ^ ^ you haven't read carefully.

The brilliance extends only so far, I suppose.

[drogulus]

     The point of efforts to make voting easier is not to get better voters. The goal is to frustrate pols choosing voters instead of voters choosing pols.

     I'm not beliefy about the quality of the jury pool like this law professor. Let them have their beliefs and choose their experts if that's what they do. My concern is the quality of the rules for voting, whether they amount to pols choosing the voters who choose them or let voters make their choices unhindered.

     

[Todd]

Facebook Braces Itself for Trump to Cast Doubt on Election Results

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive, and some of his lieutenants have started holding daily meetings about minimizing how the platform can be used to dispute the election, the people said. They have discussed a "kill switch" to shut off political advertising after Election Day since the ads, which Facebook does not police for truthfulness, could be used to spread misinformation, the people said.

[BasilValentine]

Facebook Braces Itself for Trump to Cast Doubt on Election Results

They're late. He's been doing it for months.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Another article about the current state of mail (in LA):  people have been ordering more goods during the pandemic, so now with cutbacks of both staff and/or hours, and removal of sorting machines, you have rotting steaks, fruit, dead chicks and dead crickets and rats(!) running around there, and other mail piling up too--like people's medicines!

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-08-20/usps-cutbacks-post-office-chaos

PD