Samantha Bee makes the case for saving the Post Office from Trump's ill-timed, unpopular vendetta


President Trump ordered military jets to put on a show to honor the health-care workers fighting COVID-19, and Full Frontal's Samantha Bee wasn't impressed with the expensive gesture. "We should absolutely honor essential workers, but not with military jets," she said. "We should actually be protecting them. And there's one group of workers who really need our protection right now: the Postal Service."
"Last week, Trump threatened to block coronavirus aid for the U.S. Postal Service unless it hikes its prices immediately," Bee said. "Specifically, the president thinks the Post Office is undercharging Amazon for deliveries, something his own administration has debunked. Trump is obsessed with Amazon and hates Jeff Bezos, and not for all the good reasons to hate Jeff Bezos. It's because he owns The Washington Post." Look, "this is the worst possible time for us to have to suffer through another one of the president's vendettas," she said. "It's an election year, and with coronavirus outbreaks expected to continue through the fall, the Postal Service may be the only thing that could save our democracy."
"The Postal Service is one of the only federal agencies directly authorized in the Constitution, and it's one of the most democratic institutions we have: It's legally required to deliver to anyone, anywhere, at the same price," at no cost to taxpayers, Bee said. More than 9 in 10 Democrats and Republicans approve of the USPS, "but even if their voters like it, Republican leaders hate when the government actually works. They've been trying to undermine the Postal Service for decades," and "ultimately, they want to privatize the Post Office," which makes no sense.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
USPS is able to serve as "a desperately needed lifeline delivering food, medications, and supplies" right now because "it reaches all 160 million addresses in America," Bee said. "That includes places that aren't profitable for private companies to serve, which is why rural communities will suffer the most if we lose it." Her short-term solution involves stamps, and you can learn more below. Peter Weber
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Can Starmer sell himself as the 'tough on immigration' PM?
Today's Big Question Former human rights lawyer 'now needs to own the change – not just mouth the slogans' to win over a sceptical public
-
UK-India trade deal: how the social security arrangements will work
The Explainer A National Insurance exemption in the UK-India trade deal is causing concern but should British workers worry?
-
Man arrested after 'suspicious' fires at properties linked to Keir Starmer
Speed Read Prime minister thanks emergency services after fire at his former family home in north London
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia