The USPS Is Under Attack by Trump—Here Are 7 Ways You Can Help Protect It

Everyone is talking about the USPS right now—even Taylor Swift. That's because the United States Postal Service is in potential trouble, which could significantly affect the 2020 presidential election.

On August 13, Donald Trump said he would reject a $25 billion emergency funding grant to the postal service because he doesn't want to see it used for mail-in voting this November. This sounded the alarm for critics who say the president is deliberately trying to manipulate the elections by suppressing votes and claiming that widespread mail-in voting will lead to fraud. 

However, this is not exactly a new stance from the president. Trump has been undermining the legitimacy of voting by mail for months, despite the fact that he recently requested his own mail-in ballot to vote in the Florida primaries. According to the New York Times, Trump has claimed mail ballots are “very dangerous for this country because of cheaters,” but these allegations have been proven baseless. In fact, NPR reports mail-in voting accounts for a fraud rate of 0.00006 percent.

Trump's comments also come amid accusations that Louis DeJoy, the new postmaster general and a Republican supporter, is implementing cost-cutting measures to intentionally slow down mail deliveries. A slower mail service could have a huge impact on the election because an unprecedented number of Americans are expected to vote by mail due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

There are reports of major mail delays in parts of the U.S., and the USPS has already warned voters in nearly every state that it may not be able to deliver ballots in time, according to CNN. This means that millions of votes could go uncounted.

However, the election shouldn't be the only reason to worry about the postal service's lack of funding. In addition to election mail and ballots, Trump is also jeopardizing half a million jobs in the middle of an employment crisis, as well as threatening the timely delivery of other essentials—including important documents, medication, and paychecks.

So what can you do about Trump’s attack on the USPS? Here are five ways you can help protect the U.S. Postal Service from a potential collapse.

Buy stamps. This is a small action that could help a lot. Since the USPS does not run off taxpayer money, it relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to fund its operations.

Call your representatives. Contacting your local representatives really does help. Ask them to speak out publicly on the issue and why USPS is important. If you don't feel comfortable calling, you can also email or tweet them.

Text USPS to 50409. After texting this number, Risistbot will send letters to your senators in support of the postal service. A two-hitter, if you will.

Choose USPS shipping when you're shopping online. For most online retailers, the four main shipping providers are DHL, FedEx, UPS, and USPS. Choose the USPS shipping option.

Sign a petition. There are tons of petitions available to sign, including Change.org, Common Cause, as well as the We the People petition that's called Save the United States Postal Service.

Attend a protest. According to NBC News, protesters gathered outside the U.S. Postal Service's headquarters in  Washington, D.C., on August 15, carrying signs with messages like, "Don't mess with the USPS" and "Don't stamp out our democracy." If you do attend or organize a protest in your community, make sure to wear a mask and stay safe. 

Share this information with everyone you know. It's 2020. It's easy to use your voice—especially on social media. Talk about it with friends and family so they're also aware of the issue and can spread the word.

Originally Appeared on Glamour