Susan Stokes, faculty director of the Chicago Center on Democracy, was a featured guest on WBUR’s On Point program this past Tuesday, August 25, 2020. She discussed the politicization of U.S. institutions, in particularly the postal service. She explained that there is an inherent tension between bureaucratic institutions and political leaders, but that the U.S. federal government’s attacks on the postal service are unique in that they stem not from ideological concerns, but rather from an effort to influence the upcoming election. Prof. Stokes also discussed the long-term impacts of the loss of trust in institutions, and her view that the United States lags behind most other countries in the effectiveness of its election administration system.
The President Versus The Post Office
