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forest444

(5,902 posts)
1. It's amazing how much time Republicans spend chasing unconstitutional windmills,
Fri Feb 13, 2015, 12:45 AM
Feb 2015

and undermining all that is Constitutionally-enshrined, isn't it.

ashling

(25,771 posts)
7. Constitutionally enshrined?
Fri Feb 13, 2015, 01:23 AM
Feb 2015

The Constitution gives congress the power to create post offices and post roads


I agree in principle with your comment, but some on here assume that means that it is mandated by the constitution.

It is not.

SunSeeker

(51,559 posts)
11. Yes, enshrined. It is a power and a responsibility.
Fri Feb 13, 2015, 03:00 AM
Feb 2015

Like many other parts of Section 8 of Article 1, such as providing for "the common defense."

Section 8.

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;

To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;

To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States;

To establish post offices and post roads;

To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;

To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;

To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations;

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;

To provide and maintain a navy;

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings;--And

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.


http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articlei


Here is a rather nice Nation article that explains what I mean:
http://m.thenation.com/blog/173494-congress-has-constitutional-duty-preserve-and-promote-post-office

ashling

(25,771 posts)
12. I, respectfully, disagree
Fri Feb 13, 2015, 01:44 PM
Feb 2015

I like John Nichols. He does some great reporting. I thank him for his service. But he is wrong in using the term "constitutional responsibility."

The section you pasted into your post gives Congress the powers enumerated there. It does not give the Congress the duty to do any of that.

Section 8 also gives them the power to

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

but there is no concurrent responsibility to do those things. There is no direction or instruction on HOW to use those powers


I agree that they have a responsibility , but it is not, strictly speaking, constitutional.

I think that they have a moral responsibility.

 

ND-Dem

(4,571 posts)
2. k&r. everytime i see postmen and women walking their routes, it makes me happy. i like
Fri Feb 13, 2015, 12:57 AM
Feb 2015

having a regular postperson that knows the neighborhood and knows the people.

yuiyoshida

(41,831 posts)
5. One reason why Republicans hate the Postal service...
Fri Feb 13, 2015, 01:06 AM
Feb 2015

They hire Minorities... Republicans can't have that... not at all.

LibDemAlways

(15,139 posts)
6. i have the world's best postman. He knows
Fri Feb 13, 2015, 01:18 AM
Feb 2015

everybody on the route. Never too busy for a friendly hello. Goes out of his way to bring mail right to the door of elderly, ill, and disabled people. Just the nicest guy, and I know there are thousands more like him.

ashling

(25,771 posts)
10. After I had my surgery
Fri Feb 13, 2015, 01:32 AM
Feb 2015

my wife got me a little terrier for a companion. One day when Rocky and I were home alone, he went missing, I was really freaking out -anxiety- and looking all over the area. Our postman came by when I was outside looking. He had met Rocky on a previous occasion and he could see I was distressed. He said he would watch for him and later came by to see if I had found him yet.

toddwv

(2,830 posts)
8. And that's why it must be destroyed.
Fri Feb 13, 2015, 01:24 AM
Feb 2015

If it works and works well, it is a threat to privitization and therefore the torrential flow of the nation's well upwards and out.

MBS

(9,688 posts)
13. yes, the US postal service is one of those vital institutions
Fri Feb 13, 2015, 01:48 PM
Feb 2015

that we take FAR too much for granted.
And certainly better than any postal service I've used in other countries. (I can't pretend to know about all countries, but I've had experience receiving mail in 4 other countries, and sending mail in about 5 more, and, in my opinion, the US postal service is superior to all of them).

 

kelliekat44

(7,759 posts)
17. 90% of the GOPs persistent undermining of the USPS and other government agencies is the fact
Fri Feb 13, 2015, 08:06 PM
Feb 2015

that the government is the first and main affirmative action employer. At one time, the only decent job an educated, college degreed black man could get was with the Post Office. The hauling, stacking, walking with heavy back packs, fearing unleashed vicious dogs, trudging through rainy, snowy cold weather and sometime brutal heat waves seem appropriate for poor whites and educated blacks. Overtime, postal jobs became more attractive because of the strong union system. Pay and benefits were very good and working conditions improved drastically over the years. So who among us could stand good-paying jobs with good benefits being given to those mooching minorities. And who among us would refrain from disparaging government agencies that employed so many minorities and women? ....rant over.

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