This is completely incompetent.
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How so? The postal system we have was developed in the day of the horse when most mail moved by rail. Much has changed since then. Their highly automated zip code bar code system is a plus. Decline in first class and large increase in parcel delivery are major changes. Will junk mail on paper go away? An important source of income.
A major update can make a difference–if Congress agrees to co-operate.
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Update or shut it down? The USPS is a government provided service, not really a business. Seems like you’re missing the point.
This is supposed to be an independent organization, the president doesn’t have the authority to do what he’s doing.
Also, it was established in 1970…
Bonkers that some are open to the president exercising authority contrary to the constitution. The duped will cheer on the end of our republic. Double bonkers.
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Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 of the United States Constitution gave Congress exclusive power to establish the postal system. Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 created an independent agency to manage USPS. Only an act of congress can abolish the USPS. The agency is protected by the United States Constitution
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Also, the way it is set up, legally only the Postmaster General and the Board of Governors could make drastic changes. Of course, if the majority of the Board agrees with President Musk’s directives, that’s that.
Pete
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Does the Postmaster General have a seat at the cabinet with the other secretaries? Can the president fire him? Probably. And new appointee approved by the Senate?
The current PG, was appointed by TIG, on his last go around. Remember how horrid mail service became, taking weeks to move first class mail that used to take two or three days? That was DeJoy’s doing. He announced he wants to leave the job a few days ago.
Steve
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Assuming he mismanages everything. Assume the law does not support this. Assume he will fire necessary workers. Assume he will find ways to fail.
It has nothing to do with horses and history.
I had coffee this morning with the regulars. One of them is a retired top lawyer out of DC. A Yale JD. He was marveling over the latest DC scuttlebutt this morning. I doubt he is happy now.
Assume pensions are on the chopping block. Roughshod.
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Looks like the current board of governors has hired a law firm to sue if the president tries to fire them.
Sources told The Washington Post that the board has retained outside counsel and issued instructions on suing the White House if the president attempts to alter the agency’s independent status – as backed up by the “Postal Clause” of the Constitution, which in effect gives USPS legal standing as an independent agency. USPS was further distanced from the White House’s direct influence in 1970 following the Postal Reorganization Act.
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No the only ones that can fire him is the board. Congress has control over the Post Office so Trump would be stepping on their toes. Whether they concede or not is another thing. But maybe the Post Office is past it’s time. That is something Congress would have to decide though.
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Anyone think that DeJoy throwing a wrench in the mail system, in the fall of 2020, when use of mail in ballots soared, because of the plague, was purely a coincidence? The mail got so slow then, I resorted to paying my bills on line, because, for the first time in my life, I questioned the reliability of the mail.
TIG said he wants to sell off government assets to fund his “sovereign wealth fund”. Thing is, “sovereign wealth funds” tend to be used by countries that have large financial surpluses to invest, rather than banana republic scale debt holes. The recurring question: who would get the skim?
Maybe the fund would be used to invest in sneakers, Bibles, medallions, NFTs, guitars, watches, and, especially, crypto, that have the “right” sponsorship?
Steve
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Saturday morning coffee my retired lawyer friend over coffee told us the USPS has rehired him as a consultant. He went to work this morning.
If the laws work in Trump’s favor against quasi government agencies Trump’s next claim is over the FED.
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Done, a couple days ago, by EO, to give him direct control over every “independent” agency. There is specific mention of the Fed.
(b) The term “independent regulatory agency” shall have the meaning given that term in section 3502(5) of title 44, United States Code. This order shall not apply to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or to the Federal Open Market Committee in its conduct of monetary policy. This order shall apply to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System only in connection with its conduct and authorities directly related to its supervision and regulation of financial institutions.
So, if Goldman doesn’t like a reg, hypothetically, all they need to do is “incentivize” the POTUS, and the reg goes away.
Steve
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It was protected by the US Constitution.
What could go wrong with upsetting a vast number of postal workers? Things are gonna get interesting.
Bingo! We have a winner.
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It is not an either/or. Control is also a way to set a precedence to control the FED.
1 Like