Return to sender: Postmaster General Louis DeJoy

At that time, this was an easy assignment for me. I would briefly tell an audience that they were fortunate to be in a place with great scenery and great history. The great history included the early days of water-powered industry in the United States, the development of the U.S. Armory in Harpers Ferry, John Brown’s raid on that armory in an attempt to capture weapons and lead slaves in a revolt to overthrow slavery, numerous Civil War battles and the enduring symbolism of John Brown’s raid that led to the rise of Harpers Ferry as an iconic location in African-American history.

After that, I went off script. Without thinking much about it in advance, I concluded my welcome to the postmasters by saying, “I’m a big fan of the U.S. Postal Service. People talk about the Postal Service losing their mail. The Postal Service has never lost any of my mail. Thanks for everything that you do.”

The reaction was not what I expected. The instant I finished speaking, every postmaster in the room exploded to their feet in a standing ovation. Wow, I thought, I guess they needed some moral support.

In truth, the U.S. Postal Service needs moral support now more than ever. It is a venerable American institution that has fallen on tough times. The necessity of the Postal Service was recognized in the U.S. Constitution when it was ratified in 1789. Through Article I, Section 8, known as the “Postal Clause,” Congress has the power “To establish Post Offices and Post roads” and “To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper” for the delivery of mail.

Until the Civil War led to an exponential increase in government power, it was often said that the U.S. mail system was the most visible sign of a centralized federal government that most Americans ever saw. And of course the Postal Service developed the almost mythical reputation embodied in the saying: “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” This lofty language may sound melodramatic, but there can be no doubt that the Postal Service contributed significantly to the rise of the United States as a global power.

With our justifiable local focus on Tina Peter’s questionable actions as Mesa County Clerk, I think we have lost sight of some of the blows suffered by the Postal Service in recent years. Locally, in August 2020 The Daily Sentinel reported that a new sorting machine was found in a dumpster behind the postal annex on Patterson Road. Although postal officials claimed the machine was in poor condition, others expressed concern that the lack of proper sorting equipment would impede mail-in voting during the 2020 election. Trisia Mannion, a postal workers union leader, contended that the Postal Service was being undermined to clear the way for privatization of mail delivery.

On a national level, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced in March 2021 that there would be reduced post office hours and slower mail delivery across the United States. DeJoy, who was appointed to a seven-year term in May of 2020, is the first Postmaster General in 20 years to lack previous Postal Service experience. His previous private sector experience has reportedly led to him being investigated by the FBI for allegedly forcing his employees to contribute money to support Republican candidates.

As Congress weighs the possibility of voting rights legislation, I think the task before them is easy: let’s adopt a national vote-by-mail law that looks like what we have in Colorado. Our system is easy, efficient and promotes voter participation. But let’s be clear, the system only works if the U.S. mail works. It seems that, among other things, Postmaster General DeJoy is determined to undermine voting rights in the United States. Let’s not forget for a moment what Tina Peters has done to diminish our voting system here locally, but let’s also pay attention to the politically biased agenda of Postmaster General DeJoy. In fact, one can only ask, “President Biden, when are you going to remove this man from his appointed position?” As a critical arm of the federal government enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, the Postal Service certainly deserves better.

Bruce Noble is retired after serving a 33-year career with the National Park Service. He was most recently the superintendent for Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area near Gunnison.