<html><head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div id="tools" class="clearfix" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 8px; right: 5px;"><ul class="tools" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1em; position: relative; float: right; width: auto; list-style-type: none;"><li class="noborder" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; float: left; width: auto; border-left-style: none;"><a class="print" href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/08/15/demo-a15.html?view=print" target="_blank" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 2px; padding: 2px 3px 3px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; display: block; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1em; background-color: rgb(254, 254, 254); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Print</a></li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; float: left; width: auto;" class=""><a class="leaflet" href="http://intsse.com/wswspdf/en/articles/2020/08/15/demo-a15.pdf" target="_blank" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 2px; padding: 2px 3px 3px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; display: block; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1em; background-color: rgb(254, 254, 254); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Leaflet</a></li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; float: left; width: auto;" class=""><a class="feedback" href="https://www.wsws.org/en/special/contact.html?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsws.org%2Fen%2Farticles%2F2020%2F08%2F15%2Fdemo-a15.html&t=The%20Democrats%20and%20Republicans%3A%20Two%20wolves%20hunting%20the%20United%20States%20Postal%20Service" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 2px; padding: 2px 3px 3px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; display: block; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1em; background-color: rgb(254, 254, 254); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Feedback</a></li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; float: left; width: auto;" class=""><a class="share" href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/08/15/demo-a15.html?pk_campaign=newsletter&pk_kwd=wsws#" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 2px; padding: 2px 3px 3px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; display: block; font-size: 1.1em; line-height: 1em; background-color: rgb(254, 254, 254); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Share »</a></li></ul></div><h2 style="margin: 0.42em 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2em; font-size: 2.6em; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">The Democrats and Republicans: Two wolves hunting the United States Postal Service</h2><h5 style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 1.1em; font-style: italic; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="">By Shuvu Batta <br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">15 August 2020</h5><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">The move to privatize the US Postal Service led by Trump and the Postmaster General, top Trump donor Louis DeJoy, has sparked massive outrage throughout the United States. A <a href="https://www.change.org/p/save-the-usps" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;" class="">petition</a> to “Save the USPS” on <a href="http://change.org" class="">Change.org</a> has over 1.2 million signatures as of this writing. Another petition calling on Congress and the White House to fully fund the USPS on <a href="http://moveon.org" class="">Moveon.org</a> has over 425,000 signatures.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">The United States Postal Service is by far the most popular government agency, with a Pew Research survey released last year reporting that over 91 percent of respondents hold a favorable view. It delivers mail, at a flat rate, to unprofitable locations such as rural areas, delivering essential items at relatively low cost in comparison to its competitors. With the outbreak of COVID-19, the USPS and the service it provides has been rendered far more essential.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">However, at this critical time, USPS has <a href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/08/11/usps-a11.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;" class="">centralized its leadership</a> around DeJoy, which puts a question mark on the integrity of mail-in balloting in the November election, and delayed mail delivery nationwide. People around the country report delays in shipments of essential items, such as medicine, for as long as several weeks. VICE has recently reported that the USPS is removing mail sorting machines from facilities around the country without any official explanation or reason given.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">However, the drive to privatize the USPS is not solely an objective of the Republican Party and the Trump administration. The Democratic Party, the other wing of the capitalist political system, is equally responsible.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">In a recent <a href="https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2020/0807-pmg-bog-meeting-comments.htm" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;" class="">statement</a>, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said that the cause of USPS’ problems “[stemmed] from substantial declines in mail volume, a broken business model and a management strategy that has not adequately addressed these issues.” However, the truth is that the USPS has been sabotaged by its leadership, by both its Board of Governors and the political leaders in Congress and the White House responsible for nominating and electing them.</p><div id="widgetContainer" class="imageLeft" style="margin: 15px 10px 10px 0px; padding: 0px; float: left; width: 245px; background-color: rgb(241, 241, 241); overflow: hidden;"><div class="flash-messages" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px;"><div class="flash-message--thank-you-for-subscribing flash-message" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; max-height: 0px; overflow-y: hidden; text-align: center; transition: max-height 1s ease-in-out;"><h6 style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; font-size: 1.6em;" class=""></h6><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class=""></p></div><div class="flash-message--thank-you-double-opt-in flash-message" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; max-height: 0px; overflow-y: hidden; text-align: center; transition: max-height 1s ease-in-out;"><h6 style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; font-size: 1.6em;" class=""></h6><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class=""></p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class=""></p></div></div><div class="engagement-widget" style="margin: 0px; padding: 5px 20px;"><div id="mauticform_wrapper_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget" class="mauticform_wrapper" style="margin: 10px auto; padding: 0px; max-width: 600px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(103, 103, 103);"><form autocomplete="false" role="form" method="post" action="https://mautic.wsws.org/form/submit?formId=131" id="mauticform_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget" data-mautic-form="wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget" enctype="multipart/form-data" target="mauticiframe_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.3em;" class=""><div class="mauticform-error" id="mauticform_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_error" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; color: red;"></div><div class="mauticform-message" id="mauticform_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_message" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; color: green;"></div><div class="mauticform-innerform" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div class="mauticform-page-wrapper mauticform-page-1" data-mautic-form-page="1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div id="mauticform_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_take_up_the_fight_for_soc" class="mauticform-row mauticform-freehtml mauticform-field-1" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><h3 id="mauticform_label_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_take_up_the_fight_for_soc" for="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_take_up_the_fight_for_soc" class="mauticform-label" style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.2em; font-size: 24px; color: rgb(43, 43, 43); clear: both; height: auto; background-image: none;">Take up the fight for socialism! </h3><div id="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_take_up_the_fight_for_soc" name="mauticform[take_up_the_fight_for_soc]" value="" class="mauticform-freehtml" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></div></div><div id="mauticform_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_first_name" data-validate="first_name" data-validation-type="text" class="mauticform-field-2 mauticform-row mauticform-required mauticform-text" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><label id="mauticform_label_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_first_name" for="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_first_name" class="mauticform-label" style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; display: block; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(43, 43, 43);">First Name</label><input id="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_first_name" name="mauticform[first_name]" value="" placeholder="First Name" class="mauticform-input" type="text" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em; width: 205px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 0px 0px inset; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; font-size: 16px;"></div><div id="mauticform_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_last_name" data-validate="last_name" data-validation-type="text" class="mauticform-required mauticform-row mauticform-field-3 mauticform-text" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><label id="mauticform_label_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_last_name" for="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_last_name" class="mauticform-label" style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; display: block; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(43, 43, 43);">Last Name</label><input id="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_last_name" name="mauticform[last_name]" value="" placeholder="Last Name" class="mauticform-input" type="text" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em; width: 205px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 0px 0px inset; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; font-size: 16px;"></div><div id="mauticform_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_mobile_phone" data-validate="mobile_phone" data-validation-type="tel" class="mauticform-field-4 mauticform-row mauticform-tel mauticform-required" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><label id="mauticform_label_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_mobile_phone" for="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_mobile_phone" class="mauticform-label" style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; display: block; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(43, 43, 43);">Mobile Phone</label><input id="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_mobile_phone" name="mauticform[mobile_phone]" value="" placeholder="Mobile Phone" class="mauticform-input" type="tel" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em; width: 205px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 0px 0px inset; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; font-size: 16px;"></div><div id="mauticform_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_country" data-validate="country" data-validation-type="country" class="mauticform-field-5 mauticform-row mauticform-required mauticform-select" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><label id="mauticform_label_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_country" for="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_country" class="mauticform-label" style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; display: block; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(43, 43, 43);">Country</label><select id="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_country" name="mauticform[country]" value="" class="mauticform-selectbox" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.5em; width: 205px; border-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 0px 0px inset; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px;"> <option value="" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class=""></option> <option value="Afghanistan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Afghanistan</option> <option value="Åland Islands" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Åland Islands</option> <option value="Albania" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Albania</option> <option value="Algeria" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Algeria</option> <option value="Andorra" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Andorra</option> <option value="Angola" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Angola</option> <option value="Anguilla" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Anguilla</option> <option value="Antarctica" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Antarctica</option> <option value="Antigua and Barbuda" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Antigua and Barbuda</option> <option value="Argentina" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Argentina</option> <option value="Armenia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Armenia</option> <option value="Aruba" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Aruba</option> <option value="Australia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Australia</option> <option value="Austria" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Austria</option> <option value="Azerbaijan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Azerbaijan</option> <option value="Bahamas" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Bahamas</option> <option value="Bahrain" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Bahrain</option> <option value="Bangladesh" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Bangladesh</option> <option value="Barbados" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Barbados</option> <option value="Belarus" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Belarus</option> <option value="Belgium" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Belgium</option> <option value="Belize" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Belize</option> <option value="Benin" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Benin</option> <option value="Bermuda" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Bermuda</option> <option value="Bhutan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Bhutan</option> <option value="Bolivia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Bolivia</option> <option value="Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba</option> <option value="Bosnia and Herzegovina" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Bosnia and Herzegovina</option> <option value="Botswana" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Botswana</option> <option value="Bouvet Island" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Bouvet Island</option> <option value="Brazil" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Brazil</option> <option value="Brunei" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Brunei</option> <option value="Bulgaria" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Bulgaria</option> <option value="Burkina Faso" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Burkina Faso</option> <option value="Burundi" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Burundi</option> <option value="Cape Verde" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Cape Verde</option> <option value="Cambodia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Cambodia</option> <option value="Cameroon" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Cameroon</option> <option value="Canada" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Canada</option> <option value="Cayman Islands" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Cayman Islands</option> <option value="Central African Republic" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Central African Republic</option> <option value="Chad" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Chad</option> <option value="Chile" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Chile</option> <option value="China" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">China</option> <option value="Colombia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Colombia</option> <option value="Comoros" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Comoros</option> <option value="Cook Islands" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Cook Islands</option> <option value="Costa Rica" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Costa Rica</option> <option value="Croatia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Croatia</option> <option value="Cuba" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Cuba</option> <option value="Cyprus" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Cyprus</option> <option value="Czech Republic" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Czech Republic</option> <option value="Denmark" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Denmark</option> <option value="Djibouti" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Djibouti</option> <option value="Dominica" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Dominica</option> <option value="Dominican Republic" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Dominican Republic</option> <option value="Democratic Republic of the Congo" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Democratic Republic of the Congo</option> <option value="East Timor" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">East Timor</option> <option value="Ecuador" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Ecuador</option> <option value="Egypt" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Egypt</option> <option value="El Salvador" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">El Salvador</option> <option value="Equatorial Guinea" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Equatorial Guinea</option> <option value="Eritrea" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Eritrea</option> <option value="Estonia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Estonia</option> <option value="Ethiopia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Ethiopia</option> <option value="Falkland Islands" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Falkland Islands</option> <option value="Fiji" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Fiji</option> <option value="Finland" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Finland</option> <option value="France" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">France</option> <option value="French Guiana" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">French Guiana</option> <option value="French Polynesia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">French Polynesia</option> <option value="Gabon" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Gabon</option> <option value="Gambia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Gambia</option> <option value="Georgia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Georgia</option> <option value="Germany" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Germany</option> <option value="Ghana" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Ghana</option> <option value="Gibraltar" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Gibraltar</option> <option value="Greece" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Greece</option> <option value="Greenland" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Greenland</option> <option value="Grenada" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Grenada</option> <option value="Guadeloupe" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Guadeloupe</option> <option value="Guam" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Guam</option> <option value="Guatemala" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Guatemala</option> <option value="Guernsey" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Guernsey</option> <option value="Guinea" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Guinea</option> <option value="Guinea Bissau" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Guinea Bissau</option> <option value="Guyana" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Guyana</option> <option value="Haiti" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Haiti</option> <option value="Heard Island and McDonald Islands" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Heard Island and McDonald Islands</option> <option value="Holy See" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Holy See</option> <option value="Honduras" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Honduras</option> <option value="Hong Kong" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Hong Kong</option> <option value="Hungary" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Hungary</option> <option value="Iceland" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Iceland</option> <option value="India" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">India</option> <option value="Indonesia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Indonesia</option> <option value="Iran" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Iran</option> <option value="Iraq" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Iraq</option> <option value="Ireland" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Ireland</option> <option value="Israel" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Israel</option> <option value="Italy" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Italy</option> <option value="Ivory Coast" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Ivory Coast</option> <option value="Jamaica" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Jamaica</option> <option value="Japan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Japan</option> <option value="Jersey" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Jersey</option> <option value="Jordan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Jordan</option> <option value="Kazakhstan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Kazakhstan</option> <option value="Kenya" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Kenya</option> <option value="Kiribati" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Kiribati</option> <option value="Kuwait" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Kuwait</option> <option value="Kyrgyzstan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Kyrgyzstan</option> <option value="Laos" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Laos</option> <option value="Latvia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Latvia</option> <option value="Lebanon" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Lebanon</option> <option value="Lesotho" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Lesotho</option> <option value="Liberia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Liberia</option> <option value="Libya" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Libya</option> <option value="Liechtenstein" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Liechtenstein</option> <option value="Lithuania" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Lithuania</option> <option value="Luxembourg" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Luxembourg</option> <option value="Macao" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Macao</option> <option value="Macedonia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Macedonia</option> <option value="Madagascar" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Madagascar</option> <option value="Malawi" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Malawi</option> <option value="Malaysia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Malaysia</option> <option value="Maldives" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Maldives</option> <option value="Mali" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Mali</option> <option value="Malta" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Malta</option> <option value="Marshall Islands" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Marshall Islands</option> <option value="Martinique" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Martinique</option> <option value="Mauritania" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Mauritania</option> <option value="Mauritius" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Mauritius</option> <option value="Mayotte" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Mayotte</option> <option value="Mexico" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Mexico</option> <option value="Micronesia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Micronesia</option> <option value="Moldova" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Moldova</option> <option value="Monaco" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Monaco</option> <option value="Mongolia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Mongolia</option> <option value="Montenegro" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Montenegro</option> <option value="Montserrat" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Montserrat</option> <option value="Morocco" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Morocco</option> <option value="Mozambique" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Mozambique</option> <option value="Myanmar" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Myanmar</option> <option value="Namibia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Namibia</option> <option value="Nauru" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Nauru</option> <option value="Nepal" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Nepal</option> <option value="Netherlands" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Netherlands</option> <option value="New Caledonia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">New Caledonia</option> <option value="New Zealand" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">New Zealand</option> <option value="Nicaragua" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Nicaragua</option> <option value="Niger" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Niger</option> <option value="Nigeria" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Nigeria</option> <option value="Niue" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Niue</option> <option value="North Korea" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">North Korea</option> <option value="Northern Mariana Islands" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Northern Mariana Islands</option> <option value="Norway" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Norway</option> <option value="Oman" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Oman</option> <option value="Pakistan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Pakistan</option> <option value="Palau" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Palau</option> <option value="Palestine" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Palestine</option> <option value="Panama" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Panama</option> <option value="Papua New Guinea" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Papua New Guinea</option> <option value="Paraguay" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Paraguay</option> <option value="Peru" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Peru</option> <option value="Philippines" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Philippines</option> <option value="Pitcairn" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Pitcairn</option> <option value="Poland" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Poland</option> <option value="Portugal" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Portugal</option> <option value="Puerto Rico" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Puerto Rico</option> <option value="Qatar" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Qatar</option> <option value="Republic of the Congo" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Republic of the Congo</option> <option value="Réunion" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Réunion</option> <option value="Romania" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Romania</option> <option value="Russia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Russia</option> <option value="Rwanda" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Rwanda</option> <option value="Saint Barthelemy" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Saint Barthelemy</option> <option value="Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha</option> <option value="Saint Kitts and Nevis" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Saint Kitts and Nevis</option> <option value="Saint Lucia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Saint Lucia</option> <option value="Saint Martin" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Saint Martin</option> <option value="Saint Pierre and Miquelon" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Saint Pierre and Miquelon</option> <option value="Saint Vincent and the Grenadines" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Saint Vincent and the Grenadines</option> <option value="Samoa" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Samoa</option> <option value="San Marino" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">San Marino</option> <option value="Sao Tome and Principe" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Sao Tome and Principe</option> <option value="Saudi Arabia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Saudi Arabia</option> <option value="Senegal" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Senegal</option> <option value="Serbia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Serbia</option> <option value="Seychelles" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Seychelles</option> <option value="Sierra Leone" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Sierra Leone</option> <option value="Singapore" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Singapore</option> <option value="Slovakia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Slovakia</option> <option value="Slovenia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Slovenia</option> <option value="Solomon Islands" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Solomon Islands</option> <option value="Somalia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Somalia</option> <option value="South Africa" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">South Africa</option> <option value="South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands</option> <option value="South Korea" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">South Korea</option> <option value="South Sudan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">South Sudan</option> <option value="Spain" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Spain</option> <option value="Sri Lanka" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Sri Lanka</option> <option value="Svalbard and Jan Mayen" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Svalbard and Jan Mayen</option> <option value="Sudan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Sudan</option> <option value="Suriname" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Suriname</option> <option value="Swaziland" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Swaziland</option> <option value="Sweden" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Sweden</option> <option value="Switzerland" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Switzerland</option> <option value="Syria" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Syria</option> <option value="Tahiti" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Tahiti</option> <option value="Taiwan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Taiwan</option> <option value="Tajikistan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Tajikistan</option> <option value="Tanzania" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Tanzania</option> <option value="Thailand" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Thailand</option> <option value="Togo" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Togo</option> <option value="Tokelau" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Tokelau</option> <option value="Tonga" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Tonga</option> <option value="Trinidad and Tobago" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Trinidad and Tobago</option> <option value="Tunisia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Tunisia</option> <option value="Turkey" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Turkey</option> <option value="Turkmenistan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Turkmenistan</option> <option value="Turks and Caicos Islands" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Turks and Caicos Islands</option> <option value="Tuvalu" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Tuvalu</option> <option value="United Kingdom" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">United Kingdom</option> <option value="United States" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">United States</option> <option value="Unknown" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Unknown</option> <option value="Uganda" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Uganda</option> <option value="Ukraine" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Ukraine</option> <option value="United Arab Emirates" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">United Arab Emirates</option> <option value="Uruguay" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Uruguay</option> <option value="Uzbekistan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Uzbekistan</option> <option value="Vanuatu" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Vanuatu</option> <option value="Venezuela" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Venezuela</option> <option value="Vietnam" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Vietnam</option> <option value="Virgin Islands (British)" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Virgin Islands (British)</option> <option value="Virgin Islands (U.S.)" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Virgin Islands (U.S.)</option> <option value="Wallis and Futuna" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Wallis and Futuna</option> <option value="Western Sahara" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Western Sahara</option> <option value="Yemen" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Yemen</option> <option value="Yugoslavia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Yugoslavia</option> <option value="Zambia" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Zambia</option> <option value="Zimbabwe" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" class="">Zimbabwe</option> </select></div><div id="mauticform_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_zip" data-validate="zip" data-validation-type="text" class="mauticform-required mauticform-row mauticform-field-6 mauticform-text" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><label id="mauticform_label_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_zip" for="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_zip" class="mauticform-label" style="margin: 0px 0px 3px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.1em; display: block; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(43, 43, 43);">Zip</label><input id="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_zip" name="mauticform[zip]" value="" placeholder="Zip" class="mauticform-input" type="text" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em; width: 205px; border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); box-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 0px 0px inset; border-top-left-radius: 4px; border-top-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-right-radius: 4px; border-bottom-left-radius: 4px; font-size: 16px;"></div><div id="mauticform_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_informed_consent" data-validate="informed_consent" data-validation-type="checkboxgrp" class="mauticform-required mauticform-row mauticform-checkboxgrp mauticform-field-7" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><div class="mauticform-checkboxgrp-row" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><label id="mauticform_checkboxgrp_label_informed_consent_Yes0" for="mauticform_checkboxgrp_checkbox_informed_consent_Yes0" class="mauticform-checkboxgrp-label" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-weight: bold;"><input class="mauticform-checkboxgrp-checkbox" name="mauticform[informed_consent][]" id="mauticform_checkboxgrp_checkbox_informed_consent_Yes0" type="checkbox" value="Yes" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> I would like to be contacted by the Socialist Equality Party or the WSWS. I acknowledge that the WSWS uses my personal information in accordance with its <a href="https://www.wsws.org/en/special/privacy.html" target="_blank" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none;" class="">privacy policy</a>. </label></div></div><div id="mauticform_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_submit" class="mauticform-row mauticform-button-wrapper mauticform-field-8" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><button type="submit" name="mauticform[submit]" id="mauticform_input_wswsnewsletterconversionqualifiedleadconversionwidget_submit" value="" class="mauticform-button btn btn-default" style="margin: 0px; padding: 12px 16px; font-weight: 600; vertical-align: middle; cursor: pointer; border: rgb(204, 0, 0); white-space: nowrap; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.3856; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; -webkit-user-select: none; color: rgb(255, 255, 255); background-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); width: 205px;">Submit</button></div></div></div></form></div></div></div><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">The Postal Service’s budget crisis started in 2006, with the landmark Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act passed by the Republican George W. Bush administration. The act required the prefunding of the health benefits of retirees, a requirement no other entity, public or private, has to make. This required putting away an extra $5.6 billion per year, strongly contributing to the USPS’ loss of over $62.4 billion between 2007 and 2016.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">The bill was passed with a bipartisan consensus. It was co-sponsored by Republican John M. McHugh of New York and two Democrats, Henry Waxman of California and Danny K. Davis of Illinois. It was passed <a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2005430" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;" class="">almost unanimously</a> in the House of Representatives with 201 Democrats voting Yes and one abstaining. Among Republicans, 208 voted Yes, 20 No, and two abstained. <a href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/08/05/sand-a05.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;" class="">Bernie Sanders of Vermont</a>, then a member of the House of Representatives, voted Yes. It passed the Senate, then composed of 44 Democrats and 55 Republicans, without a roll call vote through “unanimous consent.” A direct consequence of this action was the reduction of the USPS workforce by over 65,000 postal workers in 2009 and the start of yearly budget deficits.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">Democratic President <a href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2017/01/10/pers-j10.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;" class="">Barack Obama</a>continued and accelerated the assault on USPS workers.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">In 2011, under the pretext of reducing the federal budget deficit, the Obama administration outlined a plan to restructure the Retiree Health Benefit Fund and “refund” $6.8 Billion from the fund to the federal government. In response, The American Postal Workers Union ignored the attack and announced in a statement, “APWU Praises Obama’s effort, but Long-Term Solution is Needed.” During his term in office, Obama nominated a Republican board of governors, and the management pushed through severe restructuring. During his term, over 3,700 Post Offices were shut down and over 150,000 career employee positions were cut. The real estate firm CBRE, headed by Richard Blum, the husband of California Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein, won the contract to sell off the post offices.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">President Donald J. Trump has further accelerated the attack on the post office in an unprecedented manner, but enjoys <a href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/08/04/usps-a04.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;" class="">bipartisan support</a>. The latest nominees for board of governors were composed of figures of both parties and were unanimously approved.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">The “opposition” offered by the Democratic Party against Trump and DeJoy’s attacks on USPS workers has been of a purely verbal character. The Democrats have signed on to a letter demanding measures in the final spending bill that would give the agency $25 billion in one-time spending, but this proposal would never pass the Republican-controlled Senate and would be vetoed by Trump even if it were to pass. The same is true of new legislation introduced Wednesday in the House of Representatives that aims to reverse the recent changes instituted by Postmaster Louis DeJoy. Democrats showed no such concern for the future of the post office when they controlled both houses of Congress during the beginning of Obama’s first term.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">The reality is that the dictatorial powers exercised by Trump, not only in denying funding for the postal service and its ability to provide universal mail-in voting during a pandemic, but also in carrying out police-state measures in <a href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/07/23/poli-j23.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;" class="">cities across the US</a> and spearheading the <a href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/08/13/scho-a13-1.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;" class="">back-to-school drive</a>, have been based on the groundwork laid by the previous administration of the Democratic Party.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">Alongside the dismantling of the USPS, President Obama proclaimed the right of the president to assassinate American citizens without due process, killing three US citizens in drone strikes, expanded the militarization of police departments, and presided over an unprecedented transfer of wealth from the bottom 90 percent of the population to the top 10, only recently to be surpassed by Trump.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">The Democratic party is attempting to direct the opposition brewing among postal workers and all sections of workers against Trump toward the election of former vice president Joe Biden and Senator <a href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/08/13/pers-a13.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;" class="">Kamala Harris</a>. Biden recently tweeted, “We can’t let Donald Trump destroy the Postal Service.”</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">But Biden served in the Obama administration, which spearheaded its own attacks not just on postal workers but on autoworkers and the entire working class in the aftermath of the 2009 recession. This has not prevented the APWU from endorsing Biden, demonstrating its role as a tool of management and political prop for the Democratic Party.</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">The fight to halt the privatization of the United States Postal Service requires instead the mobilization of the working class completely independent of the Democratic Party and its trade union appendages. This requires the formation of rank-and-file safety committees of postal workers, connected with teachers, autoworkers and all other workers, toward the movement of a <a href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/08/05/pers-a05.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;" class="">general strike</a> .</p><p style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; font-size: 1.4em; line-height: 1.36em;" class="">We urge all postal workers that agree with this article to <a href="https://www.wsws.org/en/special/contact.html" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(68, 86, 137); text-decoration: none; font-weight: 700;" class="">reach out to us</a>, and to organize their fellow co-workers in their workplaces. We will assist you every step of the way.</p><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="campaign" style="margin: 20px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;"><div data-track-content="" data-content-name="End of article" data-content-piece="govt-us" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px;" class=""></div></div></div></body></html>