OT
Something I read said that Joe would have to pack the USPS commission to
fire LeJoy, but it seems that wasn't true, unless the author used a
different meaning of pack from what everyone else does.
There are already 4 vacancies on it and Joe has nominated 2 Democrats
and a voting rights advocate. (Aren't we all?)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...c=nl_headlines
There are at least 9 stories at this page. The second one about postal
banking is boring but the 3rd brings it back to this topic. The 5th is
curious.
Actually the article is rather confusing. If there were 4 vacancies out
of 7 and he's nominated 3 more, arent' they tied now. The rest of the
article says "If all three win Senate confirmation, the nine-member
board would be made up of equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans
with McReynolds, whose organization is a darling of left-leaning groups,
as the lone independent."
But it had said "President Biden named two Democrats and a voting rights
advocate to fill three of the four openings on the Postal Service’s
governing board,"
So if there are 4 openings now, then there are 5 seats filled, and 3
more will make 8, but if there is an independent McReyonolds, one of the
new ones, how can there be an equal number of dems and reps?
Joe can't fire deJoy, only the board can. Why can't deJoy just be a man
and retire?. IIUC he has lots of money and can go without a job until
he finds a new one. He's already done more harm to the USPS than anyone
in its history, afaict. "its Republican postmaster general defiantly
told Congress he would press forward with plans to raise prices and slow
the mail, brushing off calls for him to resign." Slow the mail more.
Why would anyone want to do that? Is it because he has a big investment
in a competitor?
" DeJoy, whose summer overhaul led to precipitous service declines that
snarled up untold numbers of Americans’ bills, prescriptions and
paychecks. DeJoy, with the current board’s backing, slashed overtime and
dramatically reduced mail processing capabilities, moves deemed by an
inspector general’s audit to reflect a lack of preparation or concern
for how they might affect service."
"Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and several House Democrats went further,
urging Biden to fire the board’s six sitting members and start from
scratch." How can there be 4 vacancies on a 9 member board ifthere are
six sitting members?
"The body’s six sitting members are all older men, and all but one is
White. " So someone seems to know who they are, and that there are six.
Maybe this is why Joe only nominated 3 even though it started off saying
there wer3 4 vacancies. and maybe two of the current six are dems, and
with two more dems, they would be tied, and that third nominee is the
independent. That's probably it.
"DeJoy spent most of the hearing dodging questions about his forthcoming
strategic plan for the Postal Service, which includes higher prices and
slower delivery, according to two people briefed on the details, who
spoke on the condition of anonymity because the proposal is not yet
complete.
Under questioning from Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) about the
agency’s plan to eliminate two-day delivery windows for local mail,
DeJoy said the agency was “evaluating all service standards.” When
pressed further, he said that his plan would include two-day mail but
that “some percentage of where the reach is right now may change” and
“you need to define local.”"
"“If we in fact get the relief that we need in terms of time, we will
put more mail on the ground,” [by truck as opposed to going by airplane
as it does now.] DeJoy told Rep. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Md.) moments later,
citing problems with the Postal Service’s air transportation network as
cause for delays over the holiday season.
That policy change, according to mailing and logistics experts, would
gridlock the entire postal network.
“It sounds like your solution to the problems we’ve identified is just
surrender,” Raskin said."
---
The 3rd article too says "asking him to submit nominations for three of
the four openings on the governing board." Are there 4 or 3? If there
are 4, why don't they want him to fill all 4?
---
The 5th article is interesting: "Why do committee members keep asking
about the Hatch Act?"
"But in 2018, the Office of Special Counsel issued guidance that allowed
for elected officials to visit federal facilities for an “official
purpose, such as receiving briefings, tours, or other official
information.”" Why do they need guidance? Why shouldn't a congressman
be able to visit a post office or any other federal agency without new
guidance and what has this to do with the Hatch Act? Nothing, afaict.
Oh, it points to another article with mroe about this:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...ked-vote-mail/
USPS says it’s too close to the election for most of Congress to inspect
facilities -- This strikes me as nonsense. Actually, as Republican
corruption.