Why are we picking on the US Post Office ?

I love the Post Office, and its employees. I love seeing that blue-clad foot soldier in shorts coming my way with a fistful of mail. Could be a letter from a friend, a package ordered, my vitamins, prescriptions, a birthday card --- even a check coming right to my door. Sure, sometimes it's bills, and almost every day there's junk-mail.....but still, it's delivered right to my door FREE, rain or shine.

I like FedEx and UPS too, but I don't think of them in any way as "mine".

The United States Postal Service, now that's me; or at least my Government working, doing something I want, directly for me. Something vital , and a bedrock of democracy . 

Ever since Reagan there have been attempts by republicans to privatize the Postal Service or curtail Saturday delivery. "Penny-wise and pound-foolish!",Ben Franklin would say. I cannot tell you how many times a check has come in to my business on a Saturday that has started some project rolling or would engender some action that would have otherwise waited until Monday. No big deal, some would say; but multiply my experience by thousands of merchants like me, in all 50 states.

Capitalism relies on productivity and productivity relies on motivation, which relies on the movement of currency through the system. Take away just one day of that movement around the country and you have eliminated a little bit of productivity, slowed progress. How ridiculous is that, at a time when our economy is suffering such slow growth? Slow the mails and we are going to slow the wheels of progress down from six days to five.  What’s next after that, no Wednesday deliveries?

Ben Franklin and other colonialists founded the U.S. Postal Service, back when mail was delivered by horse. In fact, the Post Office preceded the Nation itself into being. It was not established to earn money for us, but rather to facilitate all of us making profits from interstate commerce. The U.S. Constitution provides that there will always be a US Postal Service. So, why is it now under attack?

It's not a business created to make a profit. It's a service.

Does the Secret Service need to turn a profit? Does the FBI have to run in the black?

The Department of Interior charges for using our National Parks, but do we close Old Faithful if it fails to turn a profit?

And how about some consideration for having to adapt and compete in an age of free email & Internet information, instant texting and instant messaging. What other business has done as well when it's suddenly faced with competition that is virtually FREE? It's a service all Americans are entitled to. It's also one of the Nation's largest employers, offering decent jobs with good benefits to millions of middle class American families. It's an engine of change, one of the first to offer employment without regard to race or national origin. Estimates are that 25,000-45,000 of these Post Office jobs will be cut by ending Saturday delivery. These are good jobs lost, just at the time we need more jobs. There must be a better solution. How about increasing the first class stamp to 95cents? I'll be happy to pay it, especially if they issue some colorful new 95cent commemorative for it. Maybe we could have a stamp commemorating the Fiscal Cliff !!

Who's idea was it to privatize this vital institution and bloodline to our economy? What other private business or Government Agency is required to fund its entire Pension Plan - in advance - for the next 75 years ? No one. Whose idea was that?  And why ?  Removing sorting machines 90 days before an Election and in the midst of a pandemic? This is intentional sabotage, not business as usual. Tampering with the mails is a Federal crime, Mr. DeJoy.

Meanwhile, is there anyone out there that doesn't like to see that little white, blue and red Postman's truck come up the street? Who else will bring you a letter all the way from Boston to California and do it for 55 cents? The Post Office is a means for dialog and communication that connects us all to each other, and to the rest of the world. A spoke in the wheel that turns our economy and keeps it moving.

So , next time you are thinking of complaining about the Postal Service, imagine life without it, if we don't all demand Trump & his cronies don't stop picking on the Post Office and instead start appreciating how much they do, for so little.