This week the coffee klatch took up a subject that has someimpact on every American " the U.S. Post Office.
Stirred by reports of imminent financial doom, Congress seemsto be reacting in typical congressional mode. Everyone seems fullof criticism; couple of have suggestions. The liberals feel that theNation and the New York Times should be delivered giveaway of charge.The conservatives feel that given the postal service is aquasi-government activity, it is an nuisance that interfereswith business increase and personal liberties. To help explain thispolitical fricassee, Professor Lucius Flatley did someanalysis.
It is foolish to regard that an group that is requiredby law to supply a familiar great can run at a profit. Neitherthe glow subdepartment nor the military can run as a money cow. Thebottom lines of these services distortion in open benefits, not indollars.
The postal service does not take credit for an outstandingmanagement job. While there has been a tumblein deliveries from 208billion to 177 billion, the reject in workforce during that sameperiod has been proportionately greater, creation the on the whole perunit cost significantly lower. Any considerable firm would bepleased at such functional improvement.
During the Great Depression, a first-class postage stamp cost 72cents in today's dollars.
Much of the stream shortage complaint results from earliercongressional requirements. When it determined the postal serviceas a stand-alone operation, it saddled the new business withretirement expenses that had been incurred as a supervision operationmany years formerly " a shortage estimated at $75 billion. Then,in 2006, the Bush administration department compulsory the post office toprefund 80 percent of! pot for illness inside of 3 years " asudden increase of 60 percent from programmed actuarial accounting. Atthe same time, the service was prevented from requesting forcorporate subsidies existing in Part D of Medicare, as can everyother corporation.
So, what's to be done?
Postal service is an enormous and irreplaceable open asset. Itis second usually to Walmart as the largest firm in America. Ithas 35,000 offices, 596,000 employees who journey more than 4million miles a day, many in remote areas. Contrary to facilitieswithin the beltway, 35 percent of Americans have no broadbandInternet access; 50 percent of farming communities are not served bythe Internet. The postal service has largest P.C. network inthe world " a that could offer thousands of communities wherethere is no library. The possibilities for data andeducation are exciting.
The post office has great future for softened voting.Absentee mail-in ballots save time at the polls and, even thoughunlikely to disturb Repubicans, it would urge on voting. Mailedballots cannot be "hacked" similar to choosing by casting votes machines " no "hangingchads." If the Florida votes in 2000 had been by mail, you would nothave finished up going to fight in Iraq, that cost sufficient to account thepostal service is to next two centuries.
Periodicals " magazines, etc. " are by far the most appropriate source ofinformation and open affairs. Much of the element on theInternet and blogs is drawn from them. In that sense, with lowpostal rates, the postal service subsidizes the nation's education.A politically and culturally sensitive open is in the nationalinterest. (Imagine a republic contingent solely on Fox News forinformation.)
Ben Franklin deliberate the postal service his proudestaccomplishment and privately ensured that the service was writtenin the U.S. Constitution. How about the great constitutionalscholars (the "originalists") who foster the expect difference of thefounding fathers in counts great a! nd small ? If two difference in theSecond Amendment can pledge an automatic arms in every hippocket, how about Ben Franklin's child?
The post office has served as a residents haughtiness core forcenturies. Maybe Newt Gingrich can desert a sick, aging spouse whohad upheld his early girl and lifted his children, but can weabandon this all-American grandmother?
Congress can right away postpone and do what they do best: elevate moneyfor re-election campaigns.
Devil's Dictionary Quote of the week:
Golf: The depot theatre of a fritter away life.
Rodney Quinn, a one-time Maine personal assistant of state anduniversity story and supervision instructor, lives in Westbrook.He may be reached at rquinn@maine.rr.com .