The United States Postal Service

Why should the United States Postal Service have a monopoly on non-urgent first class mail? What about the unique authority to deliver to private mail boxes? Many, including Milton Friedman, argue that the USPS is an unjustified monopoly and the cause of higher stamp prices and compromised efficiency. The Postal Service responds that with competition, it would not be able to deliver mail to such obscure addresses for the same price. All this in the face of e-mail, online bill pay and internet media means the future of the USPS is far from certain.

Mail Chauvinist

FREEDOM IS THE SOLUTION - Brian Shelley proposes that the post office be privatized, as it is becoming less of a necessity thanks to email and online bill payment options and competition from faster ad more reliable private enterprises. He is astonished to discover that the post office currently owes its employees $70 million in benefits that it can’t afford to pay. Noting that Japan has already privatized its postal system and the European Union plans to do so in the near future, Shelley ponders why the US is not following suit....

USPS Under No Obligation to Deliver Your Mail

PROFESSIONAL MIRROR - Dr. Medusa writes about one reason why the USPS may be losing out to private mail carriers: a lack of accountability. Based on her own experience with an ill-fated packages, she discovers that paying flat-rate postage does not mean that the USPS is required to deliver a package on time or in good condition. Noting that this kind of policy would never for a private carrier, she wonders exactly what the USPS is required to do....

USPS Considers Taking Every Monday Off

SUPERIOR NEWS SERVICE - Superior News Service envisions a not-so–fantastic alternate reality in which the post office decides to close down all its branches on Mondays. Well this may seem like an inconvenience, the USPS argues that it’s actually meant to help patrons. Since the post office is already closed on so many Mondays for various national holidays, the new schedule will actually help people who come to the post office on any given Monday, only to find that it’s closed for some holiday....

2.18.08

06:48 PM -

How High can the postage go?

Anonymous - The USPS is between a rock and a hard place. People send more email, and no one pays bills using a physical check anymore. Meanwhile, the USPS has to guarantee that it can deliver all envelopes for the same price.... yikes

03:29 PM -

No Complaints

alexva - I have no complaints with the postal service, largely thanks to UPS and FedEx. By allowing that type of competition, the postal service has been forced to transform and remain what I consider to be a pretty reliable and efficient service (as far as Government agencies go). If you want to start downsizing government agencies, lets start with the IRS!

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