A Legacy Rooted in Democracy
The United States Postal Service is older than the country itself. Established by the Continental Congress in 1775, with Benjamin Franklin as its first Postmaster General, the postal system was designed to bind together the colonies in a moment of revolution and uncertainty. Long before railroads or telegraphs, the mail carried not only letters but also the lifeblood of democracy: information, debate, and civic participation.
Over the centuries, the Postal Service became one of the most trusted institutions in American life. It was a tool of nation-building, ensuring that whether you lived in a bustling city or a rural frontier town, you had access to communication and commerce. The idea was simple but profound: democracy requires an informed and connected people.
Why the Postal Service Was Made Independent
When Congress reorganized the Post Office into the modern United States Postal Service in 1970, it deliberately created an independent agency—separate from direct presidential control. This structure was not accidental. Lawmakers understood that the Postal Service is not just another government department; it is an institution that touches every American household and is essential to the functioning of free and fair elections.
By removing day-to-day operations from partisan political influence, Congress sought to protect the neutrality and reliability of the mail. Americans needed to know that no matter who occupied the White House, their letters, paychecks, prescriptions, and ballots would be delivered without interference. The independence of the Postal Service has been a safeguard against the misuse of this vital infrastructure for political ends.
The Postal Service and Elections
In modern America, voting by mail has become an indispensable part of democratic participation. Millions of citizens—including members of the military, people with disabilities, and voters in rural areas—rely on the Postal Service to cast their ballots. During the 2020 election, amid a global pandemic, more than 65 million Americans voted by mail.
The legitimacy of elections depends on voters’ confidence that their ballots will be delivered promptly and securely. That confidence rests on the principle that the Postal Service is free from partisan manipulation. If the president were to gain direct control over the agency, that confidence would collapse. The power to slow deliveries, prioritize certain regions, or undermine mail-in voting would become a political weapon capable of tipping elections.
What’s at Stake
A president with direct authority over the Postal Service would have the ability to interfere in elections in ways both subtle and overt. Even minor delays in ballot delivery could disenfranchise thousands of voters. More chillingly, the mere perception that the mail could be manipulated would be enough to erode trust in the democratic process.
This is not a hypothetical risk. Around the world, authoritarian leaders have seized control of communications infrastructure to consolidate power. In the United States, we have long recognized that such control is incompatible with a healthy democracy. That’s why the Postal Service was intentionally insulated from executive power in the first place.
The Bigger Picture: Democracy Depends on Neutral Institutions
The health of a democracy depends on institutions that rise above partisan battles. Just as we expect the Census Bureau to count citizens fairly and the Federal Reserve to manage monetary policy without political interference, we must expect the Postal Service to deliver mail impartially.
Allowing presidential control over the Postal Service would not just endanger voting by mail—it would signal a broader erosion of the principle that some parts of government must serve the people, not the politicians.
A Call to Defend the Postal Service
The Postal Service is more than a delivery system. It is a public trust, a guarantee that every American, regardless of wealth or geography, is connected to the civic and economic life of the nation. To hand that power to any president is to invite abuse and weaken the very foundation of our democracy.
Defending the independence of the Postal Service is not about partisanship—it is about principle. A democracy cannot function if citizens cannot trust that their votes will be counted. And that trust depends, in no small part, on a Postal Service that is free from political control.