Blog #6: PAC Up Your Troubles In Your Old Mailbag…

I am making a concerted effort to make this “free blog” as on-topic and applicable to class as possible.  It will be hard, but my grades will thank me. Today's subject is the Political Action Committee, and how they can influence policy beyond elections for their special interest group.
Yesterday I received my first letter from a Political Action Committee, or PAC.  I was hired by the United States Postal Service in September of last year, and have recently joined the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association (NRLCA), the union that supports rural letter carriers (I am a rural carrier associate-a substitute carrier).  The union supports all rural carriers regardless of whether they are union members.  The letter was from the NRLCA special interest group PAC asking me to donate money in order for them to further protect my interests and my job.  I am skeptical, because of long-held views that regard PACs as flawed and generally sneaky in getting people to give them money and then not doing exactly as promised.  Also, I don’t like the idea of giving money above and beyond my union dues so that the union will do what it was designed to do, that is, look out for my interests as a USPS employee.  Unions are supposed to intercede with the employer on the employees behalf, but though the United States Government controls the USPS a PAC is probably necessary in order to influence policy outside of the purvey of the USPS organization itself. Interest group PACs are able to influence government policy by promising/giving campaign contributions, contacting government officials directly or through lobbyists, influencing the public directly through internet/tv/print campaigns, and letter writing (appropriate in this situation). (panaomni.tripod.com)
I now have the added perspective of wanting the help of the NRLCA PAC.  I will explain:

The United States Postal Service is an independent government agency which has not been supported financially by the government since the early 1980s.  The last year it made a profit was in 2006.  The government regulates it, and it is headed by the Postmaster General, who gets paid slightly less than the president does.  Benjamin Franklin was our first Postmaster General.  (Victorville Post Office website)

The current problem is that the USPS is in financial trouble, and wants permission to overhaul the organization.  It is in trouble due to a lot of things, not the least of which is that they are the last government agency required to pre-pay their employee’s pensions!  I just found out from The New York Times website that a bill has passed in the Senate that allows the USPS to stop so much pre-payment, examine closing post offices and distribution centers and look into canceling Saturday delivery if they are still in trouble after two years.  No bailouts for the Post Office, they have to fix themselves.  

The big problem for me is still pending votes in the House.  The issue is Saturday delivery.  I am a substitute carrier, so I work on the regular carrier’s day off and vacations.  If the carrier only works 5 days a week, and we deliver 6 days a week, I work one day.  If she 5 days out of a 5 day work week, I have no day.  Conversely, if we go down to 5-day delivery, the rest of the mail will have to be delivered some time, and since the distribution centers run 7 days a week we will have mail stacked up on Monday.  Since the union only allows the carriers to work a certain number of hours a week without getting overtime, the routes will have to be cut, new routes made, more subs going regular (becoming a full-time carrier), and more chance for me to go full time and WIN!  You know what I mean. 

So there are two sides to the issue, but I don’t think deleting Saturday delivery is convenient for anyone, and will cut down on the number of businesses open on Saturdays, which will suck for the economy.  I think.  So in conclusion, I believe my union’s PAC is useful, and I hope they stop the Saturday delivery cut, but I don’t really have any spare cash to give them, and it’s likely that if I did I would donate it to the animal shelter.  My brain doesn’t really have a say in my actions most of the time.  Thank you for listening to KDADHD 808.9fm, and have a nice night!

Works Cited

Nixon, Ron. "Senate Passes Plan to Give Postal Service Fiscal Relief." NYTimes.com. The New York Times, 25 Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/26/us/politics/senate-passes-bill-to-overhaul-postal-service.html>.
Ratliff, John D. "Interest Groups." Panaomni.tripod.com. Panaomni, 1999. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://panaomni.tripod.com/interest-groups/index.html>.
Victorville Post Office. "History of the United States Post Office." Victorville Post Office. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://www.ceol.com/vvpo/history.html>.

Blog #5 "You Gotta Fight for Your Right to Third Party"

Alrighty…third parties! Awww, look at the cute little things, they try so hard and get nowhere! If I was going to write about my favorite third party, it would be the “Monster Raving Loony party” in the UK. For obvious reasons. However, seeing as how this is an American Government class, I shall have to constrain myself to the US of A. Hmmm, let’s see… “Rent Is Too Damn High Party”… “United States Pirate Party”… “Citizens Party of the United States”…hmmm, I actually like that one. Boring name, but they just changed it from “New American Independent Party” which is worse, so they are moving in the right direction.


According to their official website (http://www.votecitizens.org/) the Citizens Party of the United States goes for the gut when they say: “Do you think that both major parties are excessively dominated by money and overly influenced by lobbyists and single-issue groups? Are you concerned about the continued assault on the American middle class by the failed policies of both major parties? Do you feel that neither of the two major parties truly reflect the aspirations or will of most Americans? Do the two party career politicians appear unwilling or unable to address the many issues and challenges facing our nation? Have you grown tired of the polarization and alienation created by the two major parties?”


Hell yes! Why do you think I haven’t voted in three years?! Well okay, that’s because I can’t figure out how it works here in TX, and I’m too busy to ask. “Do I know who won the election? What election?” I don’t have time to watch TV or read the paper, so I’m out of luck. Back to the party though.


The Citizens Party of the United States claims to avoid party lines, and instead focus on “pragmatic solutions” to the problems that plague our country. They lobby for (to name a few) small business, American jobs, small farmers, using our military primarily to protect our country, auditing the treasury and eliminating “pork” spending, supporting organic foods, being environmentally responsible and stopping cruelty to animals. I like all these things. “The Citizens Party does NOT accept contributions from Corporations, PAC's, Super PAC's, Labor Unions or Registered Lobbyists.” This is also awesome! Although it reduces their visibility- they currently hold no seats in house or senate, and really haven’t gotten much of the vote in the past.


Also in their “Main Street Platform” are some things I disagree with. Legalizing marijuana for instance, as if the health problems from cigarettes weren’t already readily available. And their support of “freedom of choice” i.e. abortion and assisted suicide. Not the solution I would have suggested for the overpopulation problem.


They kind of give me the impression of older wiser hippies. They have this plan of getting all the pissed off people together to make a change and throw out all the rich crap-slingers to get real humans in office. I really admire their attitude.


I would probably vote in their favor in the next election if I could figure out who’s running, when to vote, and where to vote. Hey, if I email these guys and they can help me out, it’ll be a no-brainer! Kind of like people on marijuana. Huh.

Sources Cited





2012 Citizens Party. "Main Street Platform." Citizens Party. 2012 Citizens Party, 2012. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. <http://www.votecitizens.org/citizens-party-platform>.


Citizens Party. Web. 11 Apr. 2012. <http://www.votecitizens.org/>.