# Prediction: Postal Service shutdown
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [August 15, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138 "2020-08-15T00:29:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/1 "2020-08-15T00:29:50Z")
Trump and his stooge of a Postmaster General are going to shut down the Postal Service about 2 weeks before the election. People will complain there’s critical (non-election) mail that has to be delivered and it won’t matter. They’ll do it anyway.
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### Author:  [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/2 "2020-08-15T00:48:36Z")
I don’t think Trump will do that, but your post is a good reminder of untoward possibilities.
In any state like mine, where seriously early voting is legal: Strike a blow against October suprises by sending in your ballot in September.
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### Author:  [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/3 "2020-08-15T00:54:10Z")
The USPS is authorized by the constitution. I have no idea if the president can just “shut it down” on a whim (I have no doubt that this particular president thinks can do exactly that).
Also, the USPS is one of the largest (the largest?) civilian employers in the country. Putting many hundreds of thousands of people out of work 2 weeks before the election would be some pretty bad optics for someone who likes to brag about about how many jobs he’s created.
Republicans utilize the USPS just as much as democrats. He’d be creating a shitload of problems for his base.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/4 "2020-08-15T00:57:12Z")
Like all stupid crooks, they’re undermining their own plan. Announcing the moves ahead of time was idiotic. Both Republicans and Democrats are already furious. The president is not alone on the ballot; all the lower races are as well. No state wants the entirety of its elections sabotaged in public view; the whole Republican party is endangered. They’ll gang up on Trump themselves.
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/5 "2020-08-15T01:10:55Z")
🤔
[crosses fingers]
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### Author:  [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/6 "2020-08-15T01:12:34Z")
Once the postal slowdown starts impacting more middle Americans I wonder what kind of blow back it will create.
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/7 "2020-08-15T01:20:34Z")
Trump continues to turn up the heat and the average American still sits in the pot of water as it gets hotter and hotter. By the time they realize it, it will be too late.
Because it will take time to rebuild the sorting machines being taken offline and dismantled.
Because it will take time to acquire manual sorting tables that are being dismantled and trashed.
Because it will take time to address the backlog of US mail.
We haven’t seen it yet, but expect the number of mail delivery trucks to just “go away.”
We haven’t seen it yet, but expect the number of long haul mail semi-trucks to just “go away.”
We haven’t seen it yet, but expect air mail cargo containers to just “go away.”
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### Author:  [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/8 "2020-08-15T01:23:20Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> . … the whole Republican party is endangered. They’ll gang up on Trump themselves.
Past experience is that they won’t.
Impeachment gave them a perfect opportunity. If GOP senators had convicted Trump, they now would have a ticket led by someone – Mike Pence – who would have done much better, at least in a PR sense, during the pandemic.
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/9 "2020-08-15T01:30:28Z")
> [@Lancia](#):
>
> The USPS is authorized by the constitution.
The constitution says congress has the power to establish a post office. It does not say they have to.
That said it is a power granted to congress (legislative branch). I am not sure how the executive can infringe on the post office.
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### Author:  [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/10 "2020-08-15T01:31:47Z")
There are reports that the USPS has warned something like 45 states that mail in ballots may not arrive in time to be counted. Is that because in those states, there’s a postmark date of election day, and then an arrival to be counted date that is, according to USPS, too soon after that?
It’s confusing to me, because I live in a state where the postmark doesn’t matter – your ballot has to be received by 8 pm on election day, period. There’s a date given as a courtesy after which you are advised to drop off rather than mail in. Would it help for more states change to that? Will a USPS slowdown be obvious enough that courts can just extend the received-by date as appropriate, as long as the postmark date is met? (IOW, if there’s a one week shut down or slowing, then courts order ballots arriving up to a week late to be counted.)
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### Author:  [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/11 "2020-08-15T01:54:35Z")
> [@Lancia](#):
>
> The USPS is authorized by the constitution. I have no idea if the president can just “shut it down” on a whim (I have no doubt that this particular president thinks can do exactly that).
Oh, it won’t be a permanent shutdown. Just for about three weeks. If you’re voting absentee or in an all-mail state, I advise you to drop off your ballot. Even mailing 3 weeks ahead of time may not be soon enough.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/12 "2020-08-15T01:58:30Z")
There’s basically one person who’s opinion on this matters, and that is McConnell.
Do you think that this will sway him to actually take action against the administration?
If so, great, I hope to join in your optimism.
If not, then it will be just one more thing that he is allowed to get away with.
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### Author:  [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/13 "2020-08-15T01:58:46Z")
> [@Lancia](#):
>
> The USPS is authorized by the constitution. I have no idea if the president can just “shut it down” on a whim (I have no doubt that this particular president thinks can do exactly that).
How can you possibly think this matters? Postmaster general orders everyone to shut it down. People are fired if they deliver ballots however they plan on doing it. Lets say it’s obviously unconstitutional. Who enforces it? Goes to SCOTUS sometime way way after the election. Wouldn’t matter at that point, and that’s the only thing that matters.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/14 "2020-08-15T02:02:50Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> That said it is a power granted to congress (legislative branch). I am not sure how the executive can infringe on the post office.
By doing so and no one stopping him.
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/15 "2020-08-15T02:46:47Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> Both Republicans and Democrats are already furious.
I see no evidence of this. Democrats, sure. Republicans are all in on Trump.
No chance the election is fair. Zero.
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### Author:  [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/16 "2020-08-15T03:10:37Z")
Here’s what I don’t get about Trump mucking around with the Post Office: you know who actually gives a damn about the mail? Old people. Old people who Trump needs to vote for him if he wants to have a chance. And as all those birthday cards to little Timmy and hard copies of _AARP The Magazine_ start piling up at sorting centers for weeks, old people are going to get pissed. And Trump has been so transparent about how he’s deliberately trying to screw up the Post Office that they’re going to blame him.
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### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/17 "2020-08-15T03:11:46Z")
Not the ones that watch Fox.
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### Author:  [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/18 "2020-08-15T04:27:14Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#):
>
> In any state like mine, where seriously early voting is legal: Strike a blow against October suprises by sending in your ballot in September.
Everybody: Find out if there will be ballot drop-off boxes in your area. If so, take your ballot there.
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### Author:  [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/19 "2020-08-15T12:37:50Z")
> [@Senegoid](#):
>
> Everybody: Find out if there will be ballot drop-off boxes in your area. If so, take your ballot there.
That’s fine, but postal panic is overblown except for last-minute voters.
The U.S. post office delivers about 13 billion mail pieces a month. Adding 100 million, or even 200 million, above normal, over a six week period, is not the Christmas rush.
At risk of stoking paranoia, somewhere there will be a drop off box, in a neighborhood where voters are overwhelmingly of one party, destroyed out of a political motivation. There’s less risk of that with the mailbox down the corner. I’m not saying to avoid the ballot drop boxes. I am saying that I’ve never gotten into my car to vote before and see no need to do it this time.
Also, I will check the web site to confirm my ballot was received and vote in person if it is not.
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### Author:  [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2020, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/prediction-postal-service-shutdown/918138/20 "2020-08-15T12:49:39Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#):
>
> That’s fine, but postal panic is overblown except for last-minute voters.
The large majority of people didn’t think Trump would win the election, either. It hasn’t paid off to be optimistic the past few years.
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