Mr. President, sir? That’s not your line

It’s not particularly controversial to say there is an undeniable amount of corruption in politics. But the performative aspect of political corruption is a familiar melodrama — as well-known and canonical as Hallmark movie plotlines: Politician does something corrupt and tries to hide it; critics call them out; politician denies it; supporters defend them; investigation launches; and regardless of any legal action, the court of public opinion condemns or acquits them.

But President Trump has deviated from the script. At the part of the drama where he’s supposed to deny any wrongdoing, he instead openly admitted to blocking funding for the USPS written into the next COVID relief bill in order to sabotage mail-in voting. On a call to Fox News, Trump said, “If we don’t make a deal, that means they don’t get the money. That means they can’t have universal mail-in voting; they just can’t have it.”

Um, Mr. President, sir? That’s not your line.

On the one hand, there’s something vindicating, almost refreshing, about his confession — or was it a boast? Most of us know he’s been actively undermining our democracy’s foundational pillars, and it’s kind of nice to hear him confirm it. On the other hand, it’s terrifying that corruption, selfdealing and sabotage have become such common occurrences in the last four years that the reaction to his announcement has been more “I told you so” than “Lock him up.”

Legislators on both sides of the aisle rose to the occasion and called out Trump and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy for this particular transgression. Our own Sen. Joe Manchin, after touring post offices and mail distribution centers across the state (DP-08-18-20), said, “Now more than ever, Americans depend on USPS to deliver food, medicine and other essential items. … I find it unconscionable to think that these machines were deliberately idled, but if such direction was given by USPS leadership, you should be ashamed.”

Other politicians have taken on the role of vocal critic as well, and in response, Dejoy has suspended the new policies. A caveat, though — while continuing changes are on hold until after the election, he has not promised to undo his dastardly work, which will leave the USPS crippled. However, DeJoy will have to explain himself when he testifies in front of the Senate today. Let’s hope he forgets his lie — um, line — too.

Like most cartoon villains, Trump and his henchman DeJoy have not completely thought out the ramifications of their plan. The goal may have been to undermine mail-in voting — and possibly the authenticity of the entire election — but it has also resulted in damage to small businesses and irreparable harm to individuals.

On the business side, small vendors and artisans that rely on the USPS to ship their goods are finding that packages aren’t reaching the customers. Lost products and lost trust are costing small business owners.

But delayed mail can also cost people their lives. The New York Times reports nearly one in five people who regularly take medication receive their prescriptions in the mail. This includes veterans, because the VA uses the USPS to deliver meds. And if it’s a life-saving medication — like insulin — doesn’t arrive on time, and the recipient can’t get to a pharmacy, there could be fatal consequences.