The Postal Service is a constitutionally mandated system which has been the victim of malfeasance by politicians for decades now. Particularly those on the right who see anything ran by the government efficiently as a thing to be put in Norquist's proverbial bathtub to drown along with everything else they hate.
They have been effective. Even before DeJoy started his butchery closing facilities left and right and causing all kinds of problems for our mail system funding bills designed to saddle the service with unsustainable debt obligations were passed. Bills mandating funding which no other organization has to accommodate which fed into a failure at every turn to modernize. Actions which have resulted in lower service levels, slower mail and massive layoffs in the false search for efficiency.
How do we move forward and repair the damage? I propose that instead of merely shoring up the damage we expand the post office in several major ways which will reinvent the system and revitalize all sectors of America providing improved access and at the same time undercutting big banks and voter suppression of the red states.
Proposed Enhancements to the Post Office
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Mandate Post Office Accessibility within a reasonable distance: Ensure every resident is within a reasonable distance of a post office, potentially providing transportation for those too far or on specific days. This helps guarantee public access to essential services.
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Transform Post Offices into Banking Centers: Allow post offices to offer checking and savings accounts at no cost, expanding banking access to underserved communities. This makes the post office a crucial service provider for the financially disadvantaged.
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Designate Post Offices as Voting Locations: Require all post offices to serve as voting centers for local and state elections, ensuring universal access to voting and reducing voter suppression. This strengthens democratic participation and voter security.
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Automatic Voter Registration and Savings Enrollment: Register individuals to vote and open savings accounts automatically when they establish a mailing address or turn 18. This promotes civic engagement and financial literacy.
Expanded Justifications for these changes.
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Mandate Post Office Accessibility within X Miles:
Ensuring that no one lives more than a specified distance from a local post office is crucial for maintaining equitable access to essential services. By setting a flexible distance requirement based on population density, the post office can remain accessible to all, including rural residents. Additionally, providing transportation for those in remote areas ensures that the post office remains the lowest common denominator for public access to vital services like mail delivery, financial transactions, and voting, reinforcing the post office's role as a key community hub.
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Transform Post Offices into Banking Centers:
By allowing post offices to function as checking and savings centers, the postal service can significantly expand access to banking services, particularly for underserved populations such as the poor and those in rural areas. This initiative would provide millions with a secure place to manage their finances, bridging the gap for those without access to traditional banks. This not only benefits individuals by providing financial security but also generates a new revenue stream for the postal service, ensuring its sustainability and continued relevance in an increasingly digital world.
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Designate Post Offices as Voting Locations:
Mandating that every post office serves as a voting location in all elections would make voting more accessible and reduce the potential for voter suppression. With post offices already located throughout communities and staffed by federal employees, they are ideally positioned to serve as secure, convenient voting sites. This would ensure that all citizens have access to a federally protected voting location, reducing barriers to voting and increasing voter turnout. The presence of post marshals would also enhance security and trust in the voting process, further reinforcing the integrity of elections.
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Automatic Voter Registration and Savings Enrollment:
Automatically registering individuals to vote and enrolling them in savings accounts when they establish a mailing address or turn 18 encourages both civic engagement and financial responsibility from a young age. By simplifying the registration process, more citizens will be encouraged to participate in elections, enhancing democratic representation. Simultaneously, initiating a savings account with a small starting balance promotes financial literacy and encourages a savings habit, providing a foundation for better financial stability throughout life. This dual approach not only empowers individuals but also strengthens the community as a whole.
These changes can all be accomplished with 51 senate votes if we eliminate the filibuster which is a likely to occur eventually anyway given the levels of Obstruction the GOP have normalized in the senate.
What do we think? Could this help trojan horse voting rights back into every red state no matter how anti voting they have made their local laws? Spread this to anyone you know who may have the ear of someone in power or comment below any suggestions/thoughts about the concept.
