Post Office

Reliable postal service in urban neighborhoods anchors vital communications, business enterprise and community organizing.  Of course, the same remains true for suburban and rural settings.  The local post office serves as an essential gathering place, a crossroads of sorts for residents and business owners and operators. 

Economically and historically, the postal service has opened a pathway into the middle class for millions of workers of color.  The postal service must not be regarded as just another business.  In fact, it is much, much more.  The ongoing subsidy required to keep the mail moving is a vital investment in the nation's life and well-being.  

But now we notice a marked change in postal service quality.  At least we do here in inner-city East Dallas.  

Our experience with the postal service over the past 3 years or so presents a marked change in quality, reliability and scheduling.  Our bills must be mailed much earlier to assure they make the payment deadline in many cases, both for local delivery and for out of city and state obligations. 

We've noted that much more often than ever before days with no mail delivered to our home.  

It reached the point for us that we  asked one of our letter carriers what was up.  She described exactly what recent news reports indicate.  The Trump administration's management combines the removal of automated sorting machines with a new policy of no overtime pay for postal workers.  Our carrier reported to us that, thanks to this policy, mail backing up for several days is not uncommon.  

Frankly, this erosion of service and reliability aggravates me. It is downright annoying.  

It also concerns me more and at a deeper level as we consider the potential impact  of this new policy on mail in ballots for the coming general election in November 2020.   

It may be past time to get on the phone, fire off an email or, yes, write letters.  If you decide on a letter,  just factor in a couple of weeks for delayed delivery!  

October 22, 2012: Election is here!

Early voting begins today in Texas!  

Be sure and vote!

Don't fail us today...

The transfer of power, the continual "adjustment" of leadership and approach, even philosophy across the American political landscape amazes me every election day. How privileged we are to possess the right, the obligation to express our views by ballot.

The sometimes brutal, often unfair and inaccurate claims and counter-claims of election campaigns have always been a part of the political process in the United States. While in graduate school, I read scores of newspapers from across the nation dated in the 1830s. The hatred, the tactics, the tone all combined to make for bitter races from state houses to the White House! Like it or not, this combative spirit has been a part of the process from the beginning.

The tone, tactics or tiresome tools of political races must not deter us.

Today is election day!

Today we have the final say, at least until the next time we're asked to vote!

Don't take this amazing right for granted. Unless you've voted early, don't neglect the gift of your freedom.

Don't walk away from the obligation of liberty!

Be involved: VOTE!

You can vote however you like!

Janet Morrison put me onto this YouTube presentation that first appeared on CNN.

Take a look.

If this doesn't encourage you, nothing will!

.

Voting as Lotto

Low-income workers and minorities vote in much lower numbers than higher paid, white citizens. People who are working hard to make ends meet and pay the bills often don't find their way to the polls on election days.

Beyond this, there is a cynicism among the poor about the viability and efficacy of the entire political process. A "what difference will my vote make?" attitude seems more prevalent among lower wage earners than among those who earn more for their work.

In Dallas it is certainly true that persons living in lower income neighborhoods don't turn out to vote like people who reside in more upscale parts of our city. I know that is true in my state house district. People living west of Central Expressway in the Park Cities part of our district vote at a 75 to 90% clip in every election. On my side of the district we do good to turn out 40% in even the most active precincts.

Now comes Mark Osterloh with one of the "bright ideas" for 2006, at least as determined by the annual review conducted by The New York Times Magazine (Rebecca Skloot, page 34, December 10, 2006).

Here's how his idea would work.

Each person who casts a vote would also be entered into a special state lottery in Osterloh's home state, Arizona. At the conclusion of each state election one person would be selected to win $1 million. The payout would come from the state's unclaimed lottery fund.

The odds are interesting when compared to other state and regional games of chance. If 2 million Arizonans vote, as they did in 2004, in the next national election, the odds of winning would be 1 in 2 million, as compared to 1 in 146 million for recent Powerball games!

With what remained in the unclaimed gaming fund, Osterloh would award 1,700 prizes of $1,000 each. Such a move increases the odds of winning something to 1 in 2,500.

Osterloh believes that odds like these, especially for low-income workers, would increase voter turnout, while costing voters nothing.

Critics say that the idea "degrades democracy."

Osterloh is amused.

"Excuse me?" he says. "Getting all those people to vote will degrade democracy? Isn't that the definition of democracy?"

Osterloh is so serious about his idea that he got it on the ballot in Arizona last November.

Voters didn't approve it.

As the Times Magazine notes, "It is quite possible. . .that his target audience didn't show up to vote."

What do you think?