US Post Office Is Getting Rid of Over 600 Machines Ahead of the Election
The United States Post Office (USPS) is planning to remove hundreds of high-volume mail sorting machines in the months leading up to the 2020 presidential election, which is likely to depend on mail-in voting if the coronavirus pandemic does not abate.
On Thursday, CNN reported that USPS documents showed that 671 machines are scheduled for “reduction” and that the process of getting rid of machines has been underway since June.
Vice previously reported that they identified 19 mail processing machines that have been or are scheduled to be removed.
In a recent statement, the post office said that the USPS “routinely moves equipment around its network as necessary to match changing mail and package volumes.”
It added, “Package volume is up, but mail volume continues to decline. Adapting our processing infrastructure to the current volumes will ensure more efficient, cost effective operations and better service for our customers.”
In a Thursday interview, Trump admitted that he is fighting Democrats on funding the post office as he referred to mail-in voting, saying, “They want $25 billion for the post office. Now, they need that money in order to have the post office work so it could take all of these millions and millions of ballots.”
He added, “Now, in the meantime, they aren’t getting there. By the way, those are just two items. But if they don’t get those two items, that means you can’t have universal mail-in voting, because they’re not equipped to have it.”
Watch his comments below (starting at 10:30):
Trump has repeatedly bashed mail-in voting, which he has said is rampant with fraud, though there’s little evidence to support the theory that mail-in voting is subject to massive corruption.
The president himself recently requested a mail-in ballot for the general election in Florida.
Democrats have roundly condemned his attacks on mail-in voting and his refusal to fund the post office. On Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called it “a domestic assault on our Constitution.”
Ken Goodman, The “671 machines” being removed are sorting machines, not mail collection boxes. My brother, a Vietnam veteran, receives his cardiac medications via mail. When it took over 2 weeks for his meds to arrive the 50 mile trip from Pittsburgh to his home, he blamed the VA—only to discover that it was a delay in the postal system. The neighborhood mail collection boxes were an unnecessary convenience —sorting machines affect the speed of delivery of your mail and if that is medications or billing payments, that is more than an inconvenience. It could jeopardize your health or credit rating.
Those old mailboxes make great smokers.
Friend buys the boxes for next to nothing at government auctions and converts them to BBQ smokers.
Scotty the Imposter here are the facts from the USPS blog site on Sept 19, 2016. Scotty just the facts not your fantasy.
“ Mail collection boxes are practically as American as apple pie. They also seem to be disappearing as quickly as mom’s homemade apple pie.
Nationally, the number of collection boxes declined by more than 12,000 in the past 5 years. Some customers have complained the U.S. Postal Service has gone too far and removed too many collection boxes in neighborhoods. They’ve also questioned whether this effort is saving USPS money in the long run.
It’s a tough balancing act for the Postal Service. Some collection boxes are barely used and are expensive to maintain. On the other hand, mail collection boxes are a visible representation of the Postal Service to the American public, and their disappearance has been noted. They also are reliable, secure, and convenient receptacles for mail.
As part of its efforts to keep its collection infrastructure proportionate to customers’ needs at a reasonable cost, the Postal Service has eliminated underused collection boxes that on average receive fewer than 25 pieces a day; it has also added collection boxes where they are convenient for customers.“
Again Scotty the Imposter just the FACTS! Your fantasies don’t mean crap!
No time is better to retire equipment, launch new reorganizations, and cut back on overtime like the moment when people need the post office to vote down Trump. Seems like a plan.
Scotty the Imposter aka the Troll- bullshit, mail drop boxes have been removed well before Trump got in. Get the Facts not fantasies.
This has been in the works for years. Mail volume because of email is way way done.. most mail now is packages. Why keep equipment you dont use. Liberals have refused support for the Post Office for years, now suddenly they’re their biggest benefactor
It’s going to take a long time to clear up the damage wrought by Mr. Trump at the end of his brief public life.
I warned about this for two days. Street dropboxes are also being removed, too.
This is deliberate sabotage of the post office.
In what world does this make sense unless you are actively trying to impact vote by mail.