We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: we here at the Bulletin love the United States Postal Service.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: we here at the Bulletin love the United States Postal Service. Not just for what the USPS is — a rare example of an American public good, a service provided to everyone regardless of wealth, income, location, citizenship status; an immense network of trucks, offices, and distribution centers that can get anything, from a simple postcard to live-saving medication, across the country in days; a stable union job in the public sector at a time when those are hard to come by, particularly for black workers — but for what the USPS represents. The postal service, public transit, Medicare: the longevity and popularity of these institutions, which are beloved across party lines, gives the lie to the idea that Americans are just “too individualistic” or “too polarized” for a proper welfare state. (The problem is material, not cultural!)
But this isn’t just another love letter to the USPS (which we do love, a lot; we’d send the Bulletin by snail mail if we could). It’s a call to action. The heavily-publicized slowdowns, workforce reductions, and dismantling of letter-sorting machines under Trump-appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy are best understood not as a heavy-handed attempt to mess with mail-in voting but as part of a decades-long push by Republican politicians to starve and privatize the post office (again, that’s Republican politicians; 91% of Republican voters hold favorable views of the USPS!). “You cannot run a service as a business,” Indiana APWU President Doug Brown told New York Magazine this week. “If you try to run it as a business and remove service from the United States Postal Service, then you have defeated its mission.”
This summer, Philly DSA has participated in several actions to save the post office, like the DSLC’s #DSA4USPS campaign and the July APWU rally outside Pat Toomey’s office. This weekend, we need your support. It’s an APWU National Day of Action on Saturday, and DSA members are organizing a rally outside the first-ever United States Post Office down at 3rd and Market. We hope to see you there in person, but hey, if you can’t make it, you could always send a letter via the USPS.
THIS SATURDAY: National Medicare for All Day of Action
This Saturday, August 22 is the National Medicare for All Day of Action. From 1:00 - 3:00 pm we’ll be phonebanking residents in PA-3, asking them to urge Representative Dwight Evans to support the Health Care Emergency Guarantee Act. We’re also urging all of our members to fill out this petition, urging your Representative to support the Healthcare Emergency Guarantee Act.
Save the Date: October General Meeting
Our next General Meeting will be held on Saturday, October 3. The guest speaker at the meeting will be author Thomas Frank, who will give a short talk followed by time for Q&A. Be sure to invite your friends and RSVP today!
Are you a union worker affected by the coronavirus crisis? Are you organizing in your shop or workplace to demand higher safety and sanitation standards? PHLDSA’s Labor Commission is convening a series of calls where representatives from unions in the greater Philadelphia area are discussing and coordinating responses. Email Paul Prescod for more information.
Phonebank for Medicare for AllThursday, Aug 20 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm | Virtual
Women and Non Binary Comrades SocialThursday, Aug 20 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm | Virtual
Save the Post Office: APWU National Day of Action Saturday, Aug 22 | 11:00 am – 1:00 pm | United States Post Office at 316 Market St
National Medicare for All Day of Action: Phonebank for Medicare for AllSaturday, Aug 22 | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Virtual
Phonebank for Medicare for AllThursday, Aug 27 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm | Virtual
Policy Committee MeetingThursday, Aug 27 | 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Virtual
Phonebank for Medicare for AllSaturday, Aug 29 | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Virtual
BuxMont DSA: 2020 ConventionSaturday, Aug 29 | 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm | RSVP here to receive the Zoom link
Green New Deal Evaluation Commission MeetingMonday, Aug 31 | 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Virtual
Phonebank for Medicare for AllThursday, Sep 3 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm | Virtual
Phonebank for Medicare for AllSaturday, Sep 5 | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Virtual
Support 👏 Philly 👏 DSA 👏!Local Dues - support our campaign work and cover everyday operating costs like meeting space // Contribute to Philly DSA PAC - help fund our independent electoral campaigns // Accommodations, Accessibility, Childcare - let us know what you need to stay involved // Moved away from Philly? - update your address on the DSA national database.
Harassment and Grievance ProcessIn accordance with Article XIII of our Bylaws, a commission has been formed to receive, process, and review grievances for disciplinary action. To read more about the process or to file a grievance you can do so here.
Stay safe and wash your hands,
Philly DSA Bulletin Team
Inquiries | Website
PAID FOR BY PHILADELPHIA DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA (WWW.PHILLYDSA.ORG.) NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE'S COMMITTEE.
Isn’t it time to do something? Get involved with the Local.
