Last week news broke that the United States Postal Service would not be included in the COVID-19 bailout funds. Did you know the USPS is not only one of our nation’s oldest institutions, but is considered the most trusted? The Trump administration views this as an opportunity to destroy the USPS, a government enterprise that is actually listed in the Constitution.
One way to save the USPS is by having it serve another purpose to an underserved community: the under- or unbanked. You can read my proposal here, or the TL;DR version is below:
Issuing $89 billion in Congressional stimulus appropriations to be immediately disbursed to USPS to address the pandemic-induced crisis and previous undermining of the institution
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Repealing of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act
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Amending the Postal Reorganization Act and placing the USPS back under Congressional purview
Re-introducing a nationwide Public Postal Banking System that will provide individuals with several financial services such as prepaid debit cards, mobile transactions, new check cashing services, savings accounts, and access to credit. All provided in the same locations as postal services.
We received some big news this week when I was endorsed by the New York Youth Climate Strike, American Progressives for STEM, and the Long Island Activists. It means so much to me to have the support of these groups. For a full list of endorsements, visit here.
After the last quarter of fundraising, we cemented our position as the #1 small-dollar fundraiser in our race with over 2000 total donors and 4000 total donations.
For many, including New Yorkers, the stay-at-home order has been extended to May 15, with expectations of another extension leading into summer. This is definitely not how I pictured the last three months of our campaign but I’m so grateful my volunteer team has found even more ways to reach our community, virtually. Will we see you this week?
Here’s what’s coming up this week:
Monday (4/20) 4:20pm EDT: Snacktime with Lauren: Virtual Cooking Class
Come join me for an afternoon in the kitchen! To celebrate 4/20, I’ll be baking brownies and making almond milk while smoking some CBD. We’re focused on raising awareness for social justice and fundraising as a vocal proponent of legalizing marijuana!
Tuesday (4/21) 2pm EDT: Ashcraft Volunteer Zoombaree!Â
Interested in volunteering for our campaign? Check out our Volunteer Zoombaree! You can meet other volunteers, talk with Team Ashcraft, and maybe even play some games!
Saturday (4/25) 7pm EDT: Twitch Time
Even congressional candidates need to blow off some steam! Come join me on Twitch! I’ll be answering questions while I build an amusement park full of dinosaurs who only occasionally escape...Â
See you on the Internet!
Sincerely,
P. S. We're going to be sending out mailers to voters in the district. Anything you can chip in helps us reach the number we need to win! Thank you so much for your support.
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