Leftists blame Trump for removing mailboxes, but USPS is just replacing old ones | The Post Millennial
News
Leftists blame Trump for removing mailboxes, but USPS is just replacing old ones
Photographs documenting the removal of US Postal Service collection boxes went viral on social media as leftists bought into the hoax that President Donald Trump is literally stealing the election from mail-in voters.
Photographs documenting the removal of US Postal Service collection boxes went viral on social media as leftists bought into the hoax that President Donald Trump is literally stealing the election from mail-in voters.
One bamboozled Oregonian tweeted: "Please share this picture far and wide. Trump is trying to steal the election. He is gutting the USPS to make it difficult for people to vote by mail. Here in Oregon, that’s our only option. This demands attention!"
The USPS clarified to Boston.com that the practice is regular procedure for replacing worn-down boxes that are rusted, in need of paint, or tagged with graffiti, which are then taken to the service's shop for repair while new ones are installed.
“These trucks are on the street daily,” USPS spokesman Steve Doherty told Boston.com in an email statement on Friday evening. “They’re part of our field maintenance fleet.”
This anti-Trump conspiracy theory was circulated by leftist critics of the president.
Former President Barack Obama accused Trump of suppressing votes, tweeting: "Everyone depends on the USPS. Seniors for their Social Security, veterans for their prescriptions, small businesses trying to keep their doors open. They can't be collateral damage for an administration more concerned with suppressing the vote than suppressing a virus."
Although 14,000 underused USPS collection boxes were removed over the past five years during the Obama Administration, according to a 2016 fiscal report.
Montana Sen. Jon Tester demanded for the USPS to stop the collection box retrieval and restoration process, which he claimed "would potentially cut off Montanans’ access to critical postal services."
Pop celebrity and hardcore left-winger Taylor Swift wasn't too swift either, tweeting: "Trump’s calculated dismantling of USPS proves one thing clearly: He is WELL AWARE that we do not want him as our president. He’s chosen to blatantly cheat and put millions of Americans’ lives at risk in an effort to hold on to power."
This comes after Trump acknowledged that withholding USPS funding could prevent a surge of mail-in ballots, which he believes enables voter fraud, in the upcoming presidential election.
Trump blamed Democrats for stalling a coronavirus stimulus package over demands that additional funds be allocated for the USPS and mail-in voting this November.
“They want $3.5 billion for something that’ll turn out to be fraudulent — that’s election money. Basically, they want $3.5 billion for the mail-in votes,” Trump told Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business Network on Thursday evening.
“They want $25 billion, billion, for the post office. Now, they need that money in order to have the post office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots,” Trump continued.
Meanwhile, mail deliveries have been delayed across the nation due to internal cost-cutting measures that remove overtime for the vast network of workers.
“Our financial position is dire,” postmaster general and Trump ally Louis DeJoy told the Postal Service Board of Governors last week at its Aug. 7 meeting, “stemming from substantial declines in mail volume, a broken business model and a management strategy that has not adequately addressed these issues.”
The New York Post reported that #NoJoyforDeJoy protesters gathered outside DeJoy's home on Saturday to call for his resignation, holding signs that read “Save democracy, stop sabotaging the USPS.”
These same protestor, who are demanding the seamless facilitation of mail-in voting, can venture to DeJoy's residence but not to the polls come November.
"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds," the USPS unofficial motto states.
However, these trying financial and partisan times for the postal service may be the one storm it cannot weather.
Libby’s Desk
Commentary and must-reads from Libby’s desk, straight to your inbox.
TPM Newsletter
The Post Millennial’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.