The oldest part of the US government, America’s postal service, was founded before there was a United States of America. But the relevance of that historical tradition arguably pales before the reality of a killed or crippled US Postal Service leading to the mass disenfranchisement of many US citizens who live abroad.
A US citizen, a Democrat, living in Panama?
CLICK HERE to register for today’s Democrats meeting
Democrats Abroad Panama
meet online today at 1 p.m.
It’s the annual general meeting, important within the global Democrats Abroad organization because if we fall short of a quorum we can lose our status and representation as a country chapter. Also important because this is a presidential election year and, with the our global primary over, it’s time for Democrats to get together to organize our general election campaign in a year with special difficulties.
There will be at least two resolutions to be voted upon, both in their own ways controversial.
The first, by vice chair Eric Jackson, is about saving the US Postal Service:
Whereas, in 1753 Philadelphia postmaster Benjamin Franklin was appointed by British authorities as one of the two people in charge of organizing postal services in the North American colonies. Franklin devised many of the practices that became worldwide standards in postal services, which became globally famous before the British fired him in 1774 for his revolutionary activities.
Whereas, on July 26, 1775, almost a year before the formal independence of the United States of America, the Second Continental Congress created the Post Office and made Benjamin Franklin the first Postmaster General.
Whereas, US postal services have a reputation for heroic dedication and well organized precision in part because hiring practices that favor veterans have many disciplined former members of the US Armed Forces working at post offices.
Whereas, just as a pandemic that calls for postal voting as an urgent matter of public health is upon us, a long Republican campaign to destroy the US Postal Service is on the verge of eliminating that long American tradition, such as to make it expensive and difficult to impossible for Americans living abroad to cast our absentee ballots.
Whereas, we are also in a situation in which we don’t know if Americans in Panama will be allowed to send in our ballots this year via diplomatic mail at the American Consulate.
Therefore, be it resolved, that Democrats Abroad Panama:
– Calls upon Congress to fund the US Postal Service;
– Calls upon the US State Department to make the diplomatic pouches at US embassies and consulates available for American citizen to use to send in their ballots; and
– Supports and will promote and participate in political, legal and community efforts to ensure the rights of Americans to vote by mail.
There is a proposed amended version, by secretary-treasurer Joyce Kinnear, which goes like this:
Whereas, on July 26, 1775, the Second Continental Congress created the Post Office.
Whereas, US postal services have a reputation for heroic dedication and well-organized precision in part because hiring practices favor veterans. Many disciplined former members of the US Armed Forces are employed by the US Postal Service.
Whereas, just as a pandemic that calls for vote by mail as an urgent matter of public health is upon us, a long Republican campaign to destroy the US Postal Service is on the verge of eliminating that long American tradition, such as to make it expensive and difficult-to-impossible for Americans living abroad to cast absentee ballots.
Whereas, US citizens living in Panama are also in a situation in which they don’t know if Americans in Panama will be allowed to return ballots this year via diplomatic mail at the American Embassy or through the Panamanian postal service.
Therefore, be it resolved, that Democrats Abroad Panama:
– Calls upon Congress to fund the US Postal Service;
– Calls upon the US State Department to make the diplomatic pouches at US embassies and consulates available for American citizen to use to send in their ballots; and
– Supports and will promote and participate in political, legal and community efforts to ensure the rights of Americans to vote by mail are maintained.
The second resolution, also by vice chair Eric Jackson, speaks to the organization’s tasks in the months ahead. Chair Kim Antonsen objects that it’s impractical given our situation and resources:
Whereas, with the quadrennial presidential primary over, it is time to turn out the vote for Democrats in the fall. The special difficulties this year, in voter suppression in some states, uncertainty about the use of the embassy’s diplomatic mail and a Republican attempt to destroy the US Postal Service.
Be it therefore resolved that the chair shall appoint and direct or delegate the direction of a committee with these tasks:
– Making contacts with the US Embassy to inquire about and advocate voting through the diplomatic mail this year;
– Exploring use of a private courier and Panamanian post office alternatives in case there will be no voting through the embassy;
– Keeping current with changes in and litigation about current voting rights law, possibly by having Democrats Abroad Panama or one or more of its members becoming parties to lawsuits in favor of voting rights. (This would entail following and perhaps making contacts with different Democratic Party organizations, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Brennan Center for Justice.).;
– Formulating proper and useful responses to this year’s voter suppression tactics by the beginning of September, so that voters can be advised on how to ensure their votes get delivered and counted; and
– Recommending activities to observe this July 26 as the 245h birthday of the US Post Office, as well as to defend the US Postal Service.
