How to Save the Post Office

[hay rick]

7. Two points.

1.
The article is good in that it covers the budgetary shenanigans that led from USPS being forced to contribute to benefits for employee's prior military service, which then segued into the escrow fund and which finally turned into a mandate to pre-fund health care benefits. Morris drops the ball when he says the pre-funding obligation should be put on an actuarial basis. If no other government agency or private business has an obligation to pre-fund health benefits, why should the Postal Service? Morris' solution is to weight the victim down with only one cinder block instead of two before throwing it over board.

2.
The OP states "Fortunately, we now have a Democrat in the White House who can lead the fight to undo the damage." Unfortunately, the White House's comments on the issue suggest indifference, at best, to the fate of the Postal Service. The President's approach includes maintaining the pre-funding requirement and repaying only a small portion of the Service's pension over-payments. The White House has also jumped on the 5-day delivery bandwagon.