I keep finding myself surprised how often the United States Post Office is under attack by those who claim to be conservatives that “love America” and want things to “return” back to the way they were at the time of the “Founding Fathers.” It’s obvious they don’t want that. Their so-called “Originalism” is a bait and switch; it is as unrealistic and fake as claims of various Christians that they follow the “Bible alone.” Such ideologies are impossible to follow, even by those who take them seriously, because there is no way to go back to the way things were. There is no way texts written in the past can deal with many of the problems and questions which emerge today. Times and situations have changed. This is why, often enough, when I challenge those who proclaim such a view, showing the inconsistency between their stated position and actuality, they make excuses, saying that such deviations are exceptions to the rule. Their need for so many of exceptions prove they do not really believe, nor are they able to follow, the ideology they preach; it is a tool, nothing else, used to try to shut down their critics by placing them in a defensive (and impossible) position.
Yes, there are practices and ideological positions from the past which they want to reestablish, beliefs and practices which we, as a country, left behind due to the immorality which lie at their foundation. An example of this is with Manifest Destiny; while, for a time, we as a country saw how wrong it was, how it justified grave injustices, we now see a new, and worse, form of it coming out of the Trump administration. We are being told by Trump that it is the destiny of the United States to rule over the Americas, to do with them as we wish. Trump’s supporters like it because they think greatness is found in and with the use of power, such as the power to take over, dominate, and absolutely control another country (or, at least, loot it). It has no moral foundation, indeed, it rejects basic moral principles as they accept claims which make the United States a bully among nations, instead of a true leader promoting what is good and just. It is also worse than what we find in the past because now they have rejected the basic principle of government which says government is meant to promote and protect the common good. It seems they have put profit in its place, saying government should be like a business, saying profit is more important than preserving human dignity. They say this is what capitalism teaches, that we should put profit over people, so that the best government is the one which makes the most profit. This is one of the reasons why they attack the Post Office; I constantly find them complaining that it is losing, and not making, money. As a result, they say it must either be radically changed or eliminated. They forget that the Post Office is meant to be a service aimed to help the American people, a service which is rendered, not for profit, but as one of many ways of promoting the common good, which means, it might even cost the government money to perform its function. They want to turn it into a profit-making venture, privatizing it, and until they get their wish, they keep raising prices for postal services while finding ways to limit the services they offer (for example, I have heard it proposed more than once the last few years that the Post Office should stop delivering mail on Saturdays). They want to make everyone unhappy with how it is run, hoping that will make them accept the privatization of the Post Office; if they get their wish, everything will be worse, not better, because it will all be about profit and not the service itself. And, if it is not clear they are trying to find a way to dismantle the Post Office, many are now suggesting that the Postal Regulatory Commission should be eliminated. They say such regulations, which serve to protect citizens, are getting in the way of making money. Yes, the Post Office needs more money. The solution is not to turn it into a for-profit business. The solution is to have it properly funded by Congress.
Those who think government should be run like a business end up misunderstanding government, which is why their policies would ultimately undermine good governance. They certainly ignores the basic principles of the “founding fathers” (which is why they have no problem dismantling the Postal Service), and with it, what government should be about. Again, government is not about making more and more profit in the world, nor is it put in place so that those in positions of authority can gain power and authority over others; it is about promoting the common good. Those in positions of authority should use their power to promote the common good, not their own private good, which is why they should make sure the government uses is money and resources to ti fund basic services, like the Post Office, instead of building monuments to glorify themselves. Everyone, of course, has a role in the promotion of the common good, with Pope Leo XIV explaining that this means we must all do what we can to protect the most vulnerable in society:
It is the State’s responsibility to ensure cohesion, unity and the proper organization of civil society, so that the common good can be pursued with everyone’s contribution. In practical terms, this means that public authorities have the delicate duty to “harmonize the different sectoral interests with the requirements of justice,” seeking a balance between individual interests and the common good, without leaving behind the most vulnerable. When politics abandons a long-term perspective and reduces itself to short-term calculations or sterile polarizations, then the language of the common good loses credibility, and, at the same time, social inequalities and divisions grow.[1]
When the most vulnerable, such as the poor, the elderly, are ignored by the state, being told to fend for themselves because, it is claimed, government is not meant to help them, those in authority have lost sight of what government is about. When the poor, who cannot get work, are told they are expected to get jobs which do not exist (for no one hires them, for various reasons, among which they might be seen as too old, too unhealthy, or without the job history and skills employers now demand), and are required to do so in order to have life-saving medical care offered to them (care which often would get in the way of work!), it is clear that government, far from protecting the vulnerable, will be indirectly working to have them die. While I can understand why some people might accept such an attitude towards the poor and vulnerable, especially those who are rich and powerful, I cannot understand why anyone who takes Christ’s teachings seriously could ever take such a view. Christ always promoted the poor and their needs over the rich and their desire to exploit the poor. They go against the prophets, who constantly pointed out when government neglects the poor in such a fashion, they only set up their own demise. They especially go against the lesson of Sodom and Gomorrah, because Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed due to their pride and arrogance which led them to mistreat and abuse strangers and the poor. And if they think government should put profit over people, have they not heard Christ’s warning that it doesn’t profit them to gain the world and lose their soul? I am astonished at how many times I feel I must respond to yet another attack on human dignity by Trump and his administration without having all Christians come together and share my concerns. I see, every time, many Christians shrug it off before focusing on secondary, culture war concerns; they act like their culture war complaints are just as important, if not more important, than those who complain about the country rejecting the notion everyone has basic human rights and dignity which must be preserved. Once again, I want to ask them, what does it profit if they gain the world, getting power to enforce their cultural desires, if they lose their soul?
I have what happens around the Post Office, and the discussions concerning its fate, and how it should be run, helps determine what kind of view a person has of the government. I have, and will continue to stand, for the Post Office, and its workers, telling the government to make sure it functions well, helping the American people, but also they do not neglect their responsibility to postal workers. Sadly, it seems, the workers are being told they do not matter, as the deals made to protect them and their livelihood, are being destroyed by those who want to destroy the postal service itself.
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* This Is Another Post From My Personal (Informal) Reflections And Speculations Series
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N.B.: While I read comments to moderate them, I rarely respond to them. If I don’t respond to your comment directly, don’t assume I am unthankful for it. I appreciate it. But I want readers to feel free to ask questions, and hopefully, dialogue with each other. I have shared what I wanted to say, though some responses will get a brief reply by me, or, if I find it interesting and something I can engage fully, as the foundation for another post. I have had many posts inspired or improved upon thanks to my readers.
[1] Pope Leo XIV. Magnifica Humanitas. Vatican translation. ¶63.
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