We all know Donald Trump believes mail-in voting is dire a threat to democracy, or a threat to his re-election chances, which is somehow the same thing. So it’s fitting that Trump, a man who is himself a threat to democracy, gave himself a special dispensation. According to the Palm Beach Post, Donald Trump asked for a mail-in ballot in advance of Florida’s primary election next Tuesday, as he is now an official Florida Man, and has been since the end of last year. (In exciting news for him, he’ll have a chance to vote for far-right troll Laura Loomer, who is running for Congress in his district.)
But how will the president get his ballot from the White House to Florida? Will he rely on… the United States Postal Service, which he seems determined to gut so that he can delegitimize November’s election? In news that should worry us all (and perhaps inspire you to take up arms in defense of the USPS), the Postal Service, in the words of the Washington Post, “recently sent detailed letters to 46 states and D.C. warning that it cannot guarantee all ballots cast by mail for the November election will arrive in time to be counted—adding another layer of uncertainty ahead of the high-stakes presidential contest.”
More, from the Washington Post:
Some states anticipate 10 times the normal volume of election mail. Six states and D.C. received warnings that ballots could be delayed for a narrow set of voters. But the Postal Service gave 40 others — including the key battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Florida — more-serious warnings that their long-standing deadlines for requesting, returning or counting ballots were “incongruous” with mail service and that voters who send ballots in close to those deadlines may become disenfranchised.
The reasons why ballots could be delayed have been detailed in many, many articles that have come out in recent weeks. To list just a couple of reasons—USPS leaders have banned overtime, during a time when more and more deliveries are being made, which has led to significant delays, and officials are moving forward with plans they came up with in May to remove a significant percentage of mail sorting machines. According to Vice, multiple USPS workers have reported that “they have personally witnessed the machines, which cost millions of dollars, being destroyed or thrown in the dumpster.”
Also being thrown in the dumpster, apparently—any semblance that we live in a thriving democracy.
- Donald Trump’s younger brother Robert is in the hospital and is “seriously ill.” Unlike when his uncle died, Donald is planning on visiting his brother at the hospital. [Associated Press]
- Speaking of Donald, he wants to give his RNC speech at the White House, which is as he put it, “a place that makes me feel good” (probably true) and “makes the country feel good” (not true), as well as “very big, a very big lawn.” [New York Post]
- Is Donald Trump going to pardon Edward Snowden? I certainly hope so, given all the other people he’s pardoned! [The Guardian]
- Limp noodle Jared Kushner confirms he met with his “friend” Kanye West and that they had “a great discussion about a lot of things” and that “it was just great to have a friendly discussion.” [Politico]
- Anti-vaxxers are at it again, this time in Canada. [Vice]
- Here’s some news that will, unfortunately, make MAGA chuds extremely happy given that it includes the terms “Russia investigation” and “former F.B.I. lawyer” and “Carter Page” and “falsifying a document.” [New York Times]