I've been reading about Congress's powers regarding the Post Office and I see no instance where

[Maraya1969]

they are allowed to "make the post office collect money" for anything. Here is the Wiki article for it.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powers_of_the_United_States_Congress

And this is from the Supreme Course Center:

http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/369/663/case.html


"Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 of the United States Constitution, known as the Postal Clause or the Postal Power, empowers Congress "To establish Post Offices and post Roads".

We all know that they set up this back breaking funding that the Postal Service has to pay in order to.....break their backs so they will end up going under.

The question is, is it legal for them demand those monies be collected in the first place? I can find no section where Congress can dictate to the Post Office what monies it has to take in.

Anyone else know anything about this?

[kestrel91316]

1. Congress can do any damned thing it pleases and We, the People, had best just sit down,

shut up, and let them do it.

[Maraya1969]

2. See I don't think so. I think that is the way it has been because no one has objected to it

on constitutional grounds. We need a constitutional lawyer here to tell us if in fact they strayed past their power and it true than the post office just has to say in a big fat loud voice, "GO TO HELL" and stop paying those exorbitant fees and they will be all right.

One thing we always need to remember about the GOP. They will try to get away with whatever they can get away with, even if it is against the law.

[kestrel91316]

4. I was being sarcastic. Congress routinely ignores the glaringly

obvious will of the people. Cannabis being a major case in point.

[Maraya1969]

5. Well then why can't the Post Office get a lawyer and fight this thing? If what they did was out of

their jurisdiction it should not be enforceable right?

Why isn't anyone else engaging in this conversation? Do I have 5 fucking heads or something?

[Maraya1969]

3. Is it that no one knows the answer or no one cares or nothing is black and white or are you all

just trying to irritate me?

Thank you to whoever gave me my valentine heart. Now I'm having manic swings.

[Egalitarian Thug]

6. You can start here. It is broken down into 242 parts for easy reference.

https://www.usps.com/search.htm?q=manuals

In case the link doesn't work, enter domestic mail manual in the search box and limit the search to only USPS.com

[Maraya1969]

7. Here is a good response that mentions the original intent of the consitution.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/26/1086631/-Postal-Accountability-and-Enhancement-Act-of-2006



Post Office Resolution

WHEREAS, the Postal Clause, Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 of the United States Constitution, was added to the Constitution to facilitate interstate communication, as well to create a source of revenue for the early United States;

WHEREAS, between the Revolutionary period and the first World War, the United States Post Office made it a priority to improve transportation of the post office mails by developing and subsidizing every new mode of transportation in the United States;

WHEREAS, postal workers provide many vital services, including connecting rural communities, supporting small businesses and making sure seniors can get their prescription drugs delivered on time;

WHEREAS, the hardest hit citizens by post office closure and service curtailment would be those already challenged to travel either due to distance or economics, or both – the poor, the elderly, the handicapped, rural communities would be severely affected;

WHEREAS, the Postal Service does not presently receive taxpayer dollars as it did in the past and is currently funded solely through the sale of stamps, shipping costs and other services fund;

WHEREAS, the Postal Service has been crippled by a series of accounting rulings that have imposed enormous penalties on it ever since it was first established as a government-run company (as opposed to a government agency) in the early 1970s;

WHEREAS, the requirement for the Postal Service to fully fund an account now for the retiree benefits it will pay out decades into the future, something that no other business in America has ever been required to do, is the primary cause of the increasing debt;

WHEREAS, requiring the federal Office of Personnel Management to return some $50 billion in overpayments the Postal Service made to the Civil Service Retirement System because of the prepay payroll policy would allow the Postal Service to meet its fiscal year requirements and other debts as the system seeks to further transform itself in the digital age;

WHEREAS, the intent of the simple language of Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 of the United States Constitution, “To establish Post Offices and post Roads,” could be expanded by legislation to include: Internet access, Wi-Fi access, FAX service, Web design, Check cashing, money wires, ATM, Copying/printing/binding, etc., Notary services, Driver’s license renewal, title requests, unemployment services, etc., hunting and fishing licenses, other services;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the federal Office of Personnel Management return some $50 billion in overpayments the Postal Service made to the Civil Service Retirement System in order to allow the Postal Service to meet its fiscal year requirements and other debts as the system seeks to further transform itself in the digital age; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Post Services be expanded by legislation to include: Internet access, Wi-Fi access, FAX service, Web design, Check cashing, money wires, ATM, Copying/printing/binding, etc., Notary services, Driver’s license renewal, title requests, unemployment services, etc., hunting and fishing licenses, and other services; and

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the overfunding of retiree benefits mandated by The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 be repealed in future legislation.