meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Political Scene | The New Yorker

Trump vs. the United States Postal Service

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

The New Yorker

President, Wickenden, Washington, Lizza, Obama, Wnyc, News, Barack, Politics

4.33.9K Ratings

🗓️ 30 April 2020

⏱️ 25 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The U.S. Postal Service is a rare thing: a beloved federal agency. Mail carriers visit every household in the country, and they are the only federal employees most of us see on a regular basis. But the service has been in serious financial trouble for years, a problem exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis. The survival of the system depends on intervention from Congress, but President Trump has called the postal service “a joke,” and without congressional intervention it could be forced to cease operating by the end of the year. Casey Cep, a New Yorker staff writer and the daughter of a postal worker, joins Dorothy Wickenden to discuss the past and future of the U.S.P.S.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Discover Earth's ultimate untamed places with wilderness. With access to 6 million acres of private land

0:07.7

in eight African countries, wilderness offers intimate wildlife encounters and experiences that will

0:13.0

leave you changed forever. The accommodations are luxurious and stay true to the vibrant soul

0:19.8

and spirit of each destination and the trips are

0:23.0

meticulously planned from arrival to departure, making them perfect for a group, family or

0:28.5

solo travellers. Wilderness is among the leaders of conservation hospitality, with more than 60

0:34.5

of the most highly awarded lodges in camps in Africa.

0:43.0

Wilderness is especially excited this year to focus on wellness, providing experiences that immerse you in beautiful places to restore your sense of self through nature.

0:48.1

To learn more and book your own wilderness adventure, go to wilderness destinations.com

0:52.9

slash women who travel.

0:55.7

eBay, it's a place to fall in love with new pre-loved vintage and rare fashion over and over

1:01.6

again. Your favorite designers, expertly authenticated. Yeah, eBay. Things people love.

1:11.7

This is the political scene, a weekly conversation with New Yorker writers and guests about

1:16.9

politics. It's Thursday, April 30th. I'm Dorothy Wickenden, executive editor of The New Yorker.

1:24.2

The U.S. Postal Service is a rare thing, a beloved federal agency.

1:30.1

91% of Americans view it favorably compared to Congress, which rates a sorry, 22%.

1:37.5

Mail carriers go to every household in the United States, and they're the only U.S. government

1:43.4

employees most of us see on a

1:45.2

regular basis. They work through hurricanes and blizzards, anthrax attacks, and outbreaks of

1:51.7

infectious disease to deliver prescriptions, groceries, unemployment checks, and an occasional hula hoop

1:58.8

or crate of live turkeys. But the Postal Service has been

2:02.7

in serious financial trouble for years, and as the coronavirus crisis has worsened, the volume of

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The New Yorker, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The New Yorker and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.