You may know this as the motto  of the United Sates Postal Service–“neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night shall stay these couriers from their appointed rounds…”

While this is not the official motto of the Post Office, according to Mental Floss, it is still true that  this is the mission of the USPS. Postal workers are essential, even more so in these pandemic times.  Think of the pieces of mail and packages they handle every day.

Do  people still use mail anymore?  Of course they do. Not everyone pays their bills online. Not everyone writes emails for everything. There may be less junk mail these days, and fewer print catalogs and magazines, but there is still vital official mail,  as well as bills, cards and letters.

For example, the April 15 deadline for taxes this year was extended to July 15. There are  people who waited until the deadline, and many who filed their taxes  by mail.  Yes, that postmark matters. Delivery matters.

The 2nd installment of Cook County property tax bills came in the mail with STAY HOME STAY HOME  in big letters on the front of the envelope.  Yes, the virus is still with us–but there is some re-opening, and the taxes are due August 3.

There are several options to pay–by mail, online, at a Chase Bank branch.  For me, it’s a big deal to go to the Chase Bank, and pay in person.  I am not the only one.  The people in line  with me (everyone wearing masks and observing social distance)  were all holding that unmistakeable envelope.

On the way to the bank, I wanted to mail some bills. There was a  mailbox on the way, with new pick-up times posted.  As of July 10, there  is only one pick-up  per day Monday-Friday–at 3 pm.

Is this disturbing to you?  How long will it be until there is no mail pick-up or delivery on certain days?

It’s summer days, now, but November is coming. I hope to be able to go to my polling place and vote in person, but who knows? Voting by  mail should be an option this November, and  a working  Postal Service is essential for that right.

The current head of the Postal Service is a big Trump donor. If they can discredit and defund  the Postal Service, what options do we the people have?

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