The Political Scene | The New Yorker

Episode: Trump vs. the United States Postal Service
Date: April 30, 2020
Host: Dorothy Wickenden
Guest: Casey Cep, New Yorker Staff Writer

Overview

This episode focuses on the critical financial peril facing the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) amidst the coronavirus pandemic and examines how political, historical, and ideological forces—amplified by President Trump’s public criticisms—are shaping its uncertain future. Executive Editor Dorothy Wickenden and New Yorker staff writer Casey Cep discuss the legacy of the USPS, its vital role in American society, the roots of its financial crisis, and the policy decisions—past and present—that threaten its existence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. America’s Affection for the USPS vs. Its Precarious Situation

• The USPS is one of the country’s most trusted government agencies, with a 91% approval rating—vastly higher than Congress (22%).
• Despite this, it faces existential financial threats due to long-standing structural problems worsened by the pandemic.
  [01:16–03:04]

2. Cultural and Personal Ties to the USPS

• Casey Cep shares her familial connection: “The truth is, I come from a postal family…My mother has been a rural letter carrier for 38 years.”
• Cep describes the close-knit nature between carriers and their customers, especially in rural areas: “It was like a whole other family she went to visit.”
  [03:40–05:33]

3. The Physically Demanding Nature of Postal Work

• Cep details the grueling physical toll on carriers, worsened by the demands of e-commerce: “...when you order the 50 pound bag of dog food...those are of course being delivered over and over again by postal employees.”
• Stresses the importance of protecting decent pay and benefits for such essential workers.
  [05:33–06:38]

4. Union Labor, Equal Opportunity, and the Middle Class

• USPS jobs have provided stable, union-backed, middle-class employment, especially for people of color and veterans.
• Cep references Danny Glover’s article: “The Post office was really the only vector to the middle class...guaranteed promotions and raises...for a lot of people, veterans, people of color, just been an equal opportunity employer.”
  [06:46–08:21]

5. Why Do We Still Need the USPS?

• Private delivery options are limited and cost-prohibitive, especially for rural areas, whereas USPS guarantees universal service.
• Its role extends well beyond commerce—to the delivery of government documents, medications, and supporting secure mail-in voting.
  [08:39–09:52]

6. A Historical Perspective

• The USPS is embedded in the nation’s founding: “The Post Office was one of the first acts of rebellion...second Continental Congress...that’s when Ben Franklin is named Postmaster General.”
• Its development intertwined with national expansion, building “postal roads” crucial to economic growth and communication.
  [09:52–12:16]

7. The Current Financial Crisis: The 2006 Poison Pill

• What changed?
  • In 2006, Congress—then Republican-led—required the USPS to pre-fund retirement health benefits 75 years into the future, a uniquely burdensome mandate.
  • Congress also capped price increases to the rate of inflation.
• Cep bluntly calls this “an act of sabotage”: “If you deprive them of the money they need to flourish, then you point at them and say, well, they’re failing. And…the long-term thinking is we will eventually privatize it.”
  [13:03–14:43]

8. Federal Relief and Political Ideology

• Coronavirus bailout: USPS received a $10 billion loan, compared to $50 billion for the airlines—despite serving vastly more Americans.
• President Trump has added strings to this aid, seeking to weaken union bargaining and raise package rates due to his feud with Amazon’s Jeff Bezos.
• Bipartisan recognition is growing for the USPS’ essential services; “91% of Americans value this institution, regardless of their party identification.”
  [14:43–16:42]

9. Possible Reforms and the Path Forward

• Potential reforms include restoring postal banking (which served millions until 1967), expanding notary and other consumer services, and adjusting work schedules (e.g., moving to five-day mail delivery).
• The USPS needs greater autonomy to adapt its services and facilities, currently restricted by Congressional oversight.
  [16:42–19:16]

10. Essential Workers and Societal Value

• The pandemic has reshaped appreciation for “essential workers,” including postal employees, grocery clerks, and healthcare workers.
• Cep: “There’s a kind of disconnect between our everyday experiences and gratitude...and the way that we compensate them and…the government recognizes their work.”
• She hopes that public gratitude translates into systemic change: “I hope…this leads to systemic change and that the conversations we’re having in our households are ones we have with our elected officials.”
  [20:13–22:12]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the purpose of the postal service:
  “...the Post Office means you don’t have to make those kinds of decisions. And it means that the moment the CDC has designed coronavirus guidelines, 130 million copies can go door to door. When it comes to absentee ballots, they can be even more secure because you already have a point of contact with every citizen. These are things beyond commerce.” — Casey Cep [09:36]

• On the 2006 legislation:
  “...a kind of poison pill in that mandate which required the Postal Service to start pre-funding its retirement accounts for 75 years. And you know, if that sounds crazy to you, Dorothy, it is. No other private or public company has, has such a long pre funding mandate. You know, this is basically paying into the retirements of employees who haven’t been born yet.” — Casey Cep [13:46]

• On political motives:
  “I think you could think a long time before you came up with anything other than this was an act of sabotage.” — Casey Cep [14:21]

• On essential workers:
  “There’s a kind of disconnect between our everyday experiences and gratitude for those people and the way that we compensate them and the way that the government recognizes their work.” — Casey Cep [21:14]

Important Segment Timestamps

• [01:16] — Introduction to the episode & the problem facing USPS
• [03:40] — Casey Cep describes her family’s postal legacy
• [05:33] — The physical demands on mail carriers
• [06:46] — Unions, equality, and economic mobility
• [09:52] — The historical roots and evolution of USPS
• [13:03] — The 2006 law and its devastating impact
• [14:43] — COVID relief and partisan attacks on the USPS
• [16:42] — Potential reforms: banking, services, work schedules
• [20:13] — How the pandemic might alter societal and political value of essential workers

Conclusion

The episode offers a deeply personal and sharply analytical discussion of the many factors—historical, political, ideological—that have left the USPS facing an existential threat, even as the COVID-19 pandemic highlights its indispensability. It makes a compelling case for reform, investment, and a broader societal reckoning about the value and compensation of essential government workers.