Friend, the Washington Post just reported that the USPS is telling states it "cannot guarantee" all mail ballots will be delivered on time to be counted. [3]
This is absolutely unacceptable -- now is our moment to massively escalate our pressure on Congress to act and ensure a safe election.
You should know the facts and make sure your friends and family do too -- it's important to request and send back your mail ballot as early as possible, and many states offer the option to drop your ballot off securely in person. [4] Please read the below message for more details.
Friend, Donald Trump just admitted his attacks on the United States Postal Service are nothing short of intentional -- and key to his war on mail-in voting.
He told Fox News yesterday that he was against funding the USPS because “They need that money in order to make the Post Office work so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots.” [1]
Trump’s saying the quiet part out loud -- that doesn’t surprise us, but it should alarm every American who cares about a free and fair 2020 election.
I’m equally alarmed by the actions of Trump’s handpicked postmaster general Louis DeJoy -- a Trump mega-donor with no previous USPS experience. He’s imposed multiple new restrictions that could interfere with mail-in voting -- over the objections of voting experts and career USPS employees. [2]
Friend, I’m especially thankful for the USPS during this pandemic -- and I’m sure you are, too. Americans are using it every day to stay in touch with loved ones, to receive life-saving medications, and to keep up with the news.
I’m planning to cast my general election ballot by mail too -- as are millions of my fellow voters. And just last month, I used the USPS to do my civic duty and send in my 2020 Census form as well.
But President Trump says he’ll veto any stimulus bill if it funds the USPS. He’s escalating his attacks on mail-in voting -- first by spreading disinformation from his presidential bully pulpit, and now by trying to make it much harder for anyone to vote by mail this November.
But Friend, I find it hard to believe that Trump would actually follow through on his threat. If we can get a stimulus bill that funds the USPS on his desk -- with his re-election prospects depending on Americans getting relief -- he’ll have no choice but to sign it.
That means for the sake of our democracy, we need to call Trump’s bluff -- and put every single member of Congress on notice that we are watching. Common Cause has called for an investigation into DeJoy’s anti-voting actions -- and we’re ready to go to the wire to make sure Congress steps up to defend our United States Postal Service.
So, I’m asking Common Cause members like you -- if you can spare a contribution right now -- to step up to help win this fight. Can you make a contribution of $3 or more to help us save the USPS and mobilize millions of Americans in defense of this necessary public service?
It’s a simple question: will members of Congress side with Trump’s efforts to block a free and fair 2020 election? Or will they fund an overwhelmingly popular public service that millions of Americans -- Republican, Democrat, and Independent -- rely on every single day?
I’m confident this is a fight we can win -- but only if we can rely on your help. Right now, Congress’s negotiations are deadlocked -- but any deal they make will likely be the last before November’s elections.
We urgently need to mobilize to ensure all of our priorities -- election funding, protecting the Census, oversight of bailout money, and a strong and resilient USPS -- are included in that deal.
Friend, the ONLY way to do that is to make sure all Senators on this year’s ballot know that their political careers are on the line. As I write, we are mobilizing our members in these key states -- and across the country -- to put enormous pressure on Senate Republicans to protect our democracy.
But we’ll have to push even further if we want to win -- and we’re counting on your support to step up our work. Can you fund our urgent Save The USPS campaign today?
This isn’t the first time politicians have tried to gut public services like the USPS -- so they can be exploited for private profit. But it’s particularly shameful during a pandemic -- when millions of Americans (and our democracy) rely on a strong and functional Postal Service.
We won’t let it happen. Common Cause members like you have already been a crucial voice in Congress’s negotiations -- and I’m confident that we will be able to do what it takes to protect our right to vote safely and securely by mail.
Thanks for all you do,
Aaron Scherb, Director of Legislative Affairs
and the team at Common Cause
[1] https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/13/politics/trump-usps-funding-comments-2020-election/index.html
[2] https://www.npr.org/2020/08/11/901219097/how-are-postmaster-general-dejoys-changes-affecting-workers
[3] https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/usps-states-delayed-mail-in-ballots/2020/08/14/64bf3c3c-dcc7-11ea-8051-d5f887d73381_story.html?
[4] https://www.nass.org/can-i-vote/absentee-early-voting
