OUTRAGEOUS new scheme to suppress vote by mail

[LymphocyteLover]

🚨🚨🚨 🚨🚨🚨
The Postal Service has informed states that they’ll need to pay first-class 55-cent postage to mail ballots to voters, rather than the normal 20-cent bulk rate. That nearly triples the per-ballot cost.

https://prospect.org/coronavirus/unsanitized-federal-benefit-extension-anger-unemployment-evictions/

[Doodley]

1. Should be free for all.

[BSdetect]

2. Full Banana Republic move

[enough]

3. Outrageous is right. NT

[yonder]

4. Sounds like a poll tax.

[Native]

8. You called it!

[Iliyah]

5. Doesn't the post office have to go thru . . .

commissioner(s) for approval first?

[LymphocyteLover]

12. the ones they just fired?

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/08/07/friday-night-massacre-us-postal-service-postmaster-general-major-trump-donor-ousts

[dalton99a]

6. Louis DeJoy is a traitor and saboteur.

[Kaleva]

7. OP is missing some important info

The rate increase has to be approved first by the Postal Regulatory Commission which hasn't done so and even if the Commission approves the rate increase, there will certainly be litigation.

[LymphocyteLover]

11. thanks-- but clearly they are trying hard to mess with things

But does this have anything to do with those rules?
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/08/07/friday-night-massacre-us-postal-service-postmaster-general-major-trump-donor-ousts

[Squinch]

9. This is a done deal. Donny Bodybags had a Saturday Night Massacre at the post office, and now

his toadies are running things.

This is not fixable until Joe gets elected. We will not be able to make this right by the election. This is GOING to be used to cheat, and cheat big. It doesn't even matter if Congress pours money into the PO. The Trump-appointed criminals who are now running the PO will not allow Democratic votes to get to their destination.

The remedy is to vote in-person.

Prepare now. Get your hands on a face shield and an N95 mask. Vote early. But put that ballot into the machine with your own hands.

We take risks every time we go out. This is at least as worth the risk as going to the grocery store.

[LymphocyteLover]

10. I just saw that-- also outrageous!!! FUCK!!!

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/08/07/friday-night-massacre-us-postal-service-postmaster-general-major-trump-donor-ousts

[flibbitygiblets]

13. Yeah what about us in all vote by mail states?

there's drop boxes I suppose. Although trump is suing PA to suppress that too.

[Squinch]

19. I imagine there is somewhere you can drop it off in person. Do that.

[csziggy]

21. This is the fee the states and counties pay to SEND ballots to voters

So every ballot mailed out will cost our local governments much more than previously.

Ballots should be under the same category as the mailings sent out by Congress members. They get free postage, even though voters have to pay to send stuff to them.

[Baked Potato]

14. Plenty of time for states to react.

[pwb]

15. Of course Ballots would be first class?

Bulk mail is mostly junk. I don't get this?

[Midnight Writer]

16. I don't either. Even First Class mail is eligible for discounts if pre-sorted.

And pre-sorting is very easy with today's computer software.

[2naSalit]

17. There was an article earlier this week

with reports that the auto sorting machines are being shut down and hand sorting is being done to purposely waste time.

[Midnight Writer]

18. Yes. That is why mail pre-sorted by the customer gets a discount.

The Postal clerks don't have to sort it. The mail is submitted to the Post Office in trays or bundles directed to specific mail routes.. That way they don't have to sort piece by piece. Pre-sorted mail will get faster service and the mailer gets a discount.

This is contingent upon the customer having a permit, the mail being spot checked for accuracy, and a minimum volume requirement. Should not be a problem with such a massive project.

[LymphocyteLover]

20. Interesting-- thanks