Mail being sabotaged

Although there are compelling arguments as to why today’s United States Postal Service should not be required to make a profit or run like a business, nonetheless, the USPS’ current problems began in 2006, when Congress enacted the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, which required the USPS to fund its retirees’ health-care benefits for 50 years! No corporation is required to do that. Many believe that the current USPS crisis is directly attributable to this legislation, which plunged the USPS into debt.

Our current Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, was appointed despite his owning stock options in a USPS competitor and also owning millions of dollars’ worth of shares in a company that does work for the USPS. Even more concerning than these conflicts of interest are, as soon as he took over, he fired the top USPS management, began removing mail sorters and mailboxes, and cut back on all overtime. As a consequence, mail has slowed drastically. Food being shipped by the USPS is rotting. Baby chicks arrive dead at their destination. And all before an election where millions more people will send their ballots through the mail, as is their legal right.

Although French Hill sent a letter of concern to the postmaster, he lacked the courage to vote for the bill to give the USPS sufficient funds to assure prompt, dependable delivery of ballots in November. Citizens in District 2 deserve better than Mr. Hill; his opponent, state Sen. Joyce Elliott, understanding that voting is a right, not a privilege, has pushed for expanded mail voting given the recent experience with voters and covid-19, and she has pledged to protect essential services like the USPS. A vote for Joyce Elliott would be a step in the right direction.

DONNA DRURY North Little Rock