If Trump’s Postmaster General Raises Mail-in Ballot Stamp Price, That Could Be an Unconstitutional P

[tulc]

full headline:

If Trump’s Postmaster General Raises Mail-in Ballot Stamp Price, That Could Be an Unconstitutional Poll Tax

If Trump’s Postmaster General Raises Mail-in Ballot Stamp Price, That Could Be an Unconstitutional Poll Tax

It has been reported that Donald Trump’s Postmaster General has floated a proposal to increase the price of postage for mail-in ballots from 20 cents to 55 cents. This is important not only because of the financial impact the increase could have on states and their voters, but also because it calls attention to the proposed spike in postage as a potentially unconstitutional poll tax.

tulc(thought this was interesting)

 

[Xenophon]

The post office is expected to make money as a self-sufficient agency and pays taxes on the money it makes to fund congress (seriously, the post office pays for their office supplies basically.) But every decision to the Postmaster tries to make to remain self-sufficient is continually revoked by congress or the executive and maybe also the courts.

The Post isn't doing well because of all the overtime having to paid out to get the COVID packages delivered. People are already not getting packages ordered from weeks prior due to ban on overtime put in place to remain profitable.

Now, the idea is to do mail-in-ballots, which is an incredible burden on the postal system. And the postmaster has been raising the idea of increasing postage since Bush (with minimal success.) Postage isn't a tax, and the post office has to make money.

Do you expect postmen to work 80 hours a week for free?

 

[Xenophon]

Already, the post office is filling 'associate' (who don't get any benefits) vacancies to try to cope with the great increase of package deliveries. The mail-in-ballot is going to be hell.

 

[Hank77]

The post office is expected to make money as a self-sufficient agency and pays taxes on the money it makes to fund congress (seriously, the post office pays for their office supplies basically.) But every decision to the Postmaster tries to make to remain self-sufficient is continually revoked by congress or the executive and maybe also the courts.

The Post isn't doing well because of all the overtime having to paid out to get the COVID packages delivered. People are already not getting packages ordered from weeks prior due to ban on overtime put in place to remain profitable.

Now, the idea is to do mail-in-ballots, which is an incredible burden on the postal system. And the postmaster has been raising the idea of increasing postage since Bush (with minimal success.) Postage isn't a tax, and the post office has to make money.

Do you expect postmen to work 80 hours a week for free?

He isn't suggesting raising the overall cost of a stamp for regular weight mail. He's suggesting raising the cost for JUST a mail-in ballot. Yes, that would be a poll tax.

 

[Xenophon]

He isn't suggesting raising the overall cost of a stamp for regular weight mail. He's suggesting raising the cost for JUST a mail-in ballot. Yes, that would be a poll tax.

Ah, but still the mail-in ballot is the burden. If you were to have any other corporation make such a decision, would there still be a complaint? The mail-in-ballot comes as a postal service product. If the product is more burdensome, then shouldn't the price be raised too - to pay the salaries of those carrying the burden? This is business - you are still asking for free labor.

 

[Hank77]

Ah, but still the mail-in ballot is the burden. If you were to have any other corporation make such a decision, would there still be a complaint? The mail-in-ballot comes as a postal service product. If the product is more burdensome, then shouldn't the price be raised too - to pay the salaries of those carrying the burden? This is business - you are still asking for free labor.

Well, I have to rollback my objection. He is proposing charging the same price as any other stamp for a letter, so I can't see how that would be a poll tax.
The problem is that it would be much more costly for the states. imo, Congress needs to make up the difference for this election as a cost of covid-19 mitigation.

 

[Xenophon]

Well, I have to rollback my objection. He is proposing charging the same price as any other stamp for a letter, so I can't see how that would be a poll tax.
The problem is that it would be much more costly for the states. imo, Congress needs to make up the difference for this election as a cost of covid-19 mitigation.

Now, that proposal is something I would agree with. If the vote is going to be mail-in, then it makes sense for the government to take on the cost and just pay the post office for all ballots.

 

[tulc]

The U.S. Postal Service should not be a business

Democrats have the right idea, but the point needs to be taken further: The U.S. Postal Service needs to be reabsorbed into the federal government proper, and treated as just another public function.
For the majority of its existence, the United States' Post Office was run as exactly that. It was simply another government department, funded out of general government revenue. If the Post Office charged fees for its services, it did so simply to add to that general government revenue, rather than to "pay its own way." No one asked if the Post Office was "making a profit" for the same reason no one asks that of the U.S. military: The question doesn't apply.

which is what I think it should be.
tulc(thought that article made some good points)

 

[Sistrin]

Historically the Democrat Party loves Poll Taxes, and has instituted them whenever they could. Quote:

"Beginning in the 1890s, southern states enacted literacy tests, poll taxes, elaborate registration systems, and eventually whites-only Democratic Party primaries to exclude black voters.

The laws proved very effective."

Given Biden's view that African Americans are one giant monolith incapable of diverse thought or action, why stop now?

 

[Xenophon]

The U.S. Postal Service should not be a business

which is what I think it should be.
tulc(thought that article made some good points)

I'm not sure about that proposal. I don't know what the Union's position on the proposal is. If it weakens the union, then I'm against it.

If it means our investigative service is to become corrupt like most federal law enforcement, then I don't like that either. (Only the USPS Investigative Service complied fullywith the recent Congressional push for Child Sex Abuse statistics - in comparison, the FBI stalled for two years before turning over partial records... of more than 300 agents who had been involved in Child Sex Abuse crimes.)

 

[tulc]

Historically the Democrat Party loves Poll Taxes, and has instituted them whenever they could. (snip)

So...one more thing the modern Republicans are adopting from the old southern Democrat party.
tulc(good point Sistrin, thanks for pointing it out)

 

[Sistrin]

Actually, I appreciate your admission the Democrat Party historically is the party of racism.

 

[tulc]

Actually, I appreciate your admission the Democrat Party historically is the party of racism.

And I appreciate your admitting they no longer are and that the Republican Party of today has taken their place.
tulc(is glad we can agree on that)

 

[Sistrin]

And I appreciate your admitting they no longer are...

That is the exact opposite of what I said, and you know it. Seriously, if you can't be honest with your commentary, then please stop commenting.

 

[jgarden]

If Trump’s Postmaster General Raises Mail-in Ballot Stamp Price, That Could Be an Unconstitutional P

After 4 years in office, it has become abundantly clear that this President doesn't make political appointments because they are "the best people" for the job - his appointments are based on the understanding that they are personally loyal to him!

Given that this is an election year and the President is far behind in the polls, Trump will be shamelessly pulling out all the stops and collecting on all of his political IOUs in the next 4 months - and that includes the Postmaster!"

 

[Hazelelponi]

full headline:


If Trump’s Postmaster General Raises Mail-in Ballot Stamp Price, That Could Be an Unconstitutional Poll Tax

tulc(thought this was interesting)

Okay, but in the middle of this pandemic our post offices are having very real difficulties and delays with regular mail..

When we add the sheer quantity of mail coming into the post offices as a result of absentee voting due to the virus, coupled with all the deadlines that entails, and the post office itself is voicing concerns over being able to handle the load.

Raising the price right now may be the only way to get the extra manpower needed to deal with the surge in mail due to absentee voting.

 

[jgarden]

Okay, but in the middle of this pandemic our post offices are having very real difficulties and delays with regular mail..

When we add the sheer quantity of mail coming into the post offices as a result of absentee voting due to the virus, coupled with all the deadlines that entails, and the post office itself is voicing concerns over being able to handle the load.

Raising the price right now may be the only way to get the extra manpower needed to deal with the surge in mail due to absentee voting.

The Democrats provided for increases funding to the US Post Office in "The Heroes Bill" that has been sitting collecting dust on McConnell's desk for the last 7 weeks without any attempt to negotiate a compromise!

With only 4 months before the 2020 Election, the current negotiations indicate that once again the Republicans have no interest in providing the Post Office with additional funding - which only confirms that this President and his supporters have a vested interest in disrupting mail delivery!

 

[tulc]

That is the exact opposite of what I said, and you know it. Seriously, if you can't be honest with your commentary, then please stop commenting.

...you responded to my post, I would think I was being rude not to answer back.
tulc(thinks that's kind of how these forums work)

 

[Hazelelponi]

Given that the Democrats want to increase funding to the US Post Office and are being blocked by the Republicans 4 months before the 2020 Election confirms the fact that this President and his supporters have a vested interest in disrupting mail delivery!

No, I don't think so. That's quite a leap of the imagination there....

 

[tulc]

Give the unemployment rate wouldn't now be a good time to increase the Post Office budget in order to hire some people to handle all that extra mail?
tulc(thinks that sounds like a win/win sort of thing)