Stop the cycle of increased cost and decreased service

No mail today.

If U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has his way that may become a permanent situation for much of rural America.

Since being appointed postmaster general in 2020, DeJoy has systematically worked to undermine the postal service by advocating for higher postage prices on consumers while at the same time slowing down service. The end goal of this effort is to present the false narrative of the U.S. Postal Service as a failed example of big government hubris and to open the door to privatization of postal delivery.

While private industry excels in many areas, they are ultimately profit-driven entities. As such, managers owe it to their investors to focus their resources and attention on the profitable portions of their business. Areas or product lines that function at a loss are minimized and ultimately put on the chopping block.

While this model works well when selling everything from widgets to water buffalo, it falls down in providing essential services in rural communities lacking the density of population to benefit from economies of scale.

A privatized Postal Service would be devastating for rural America, subjecting millions of Americans to skyrocketing costs and unreliable, intermittent service. Higher costs for businesses that rely on postal deliveries will translate into higher costs for consumers in everything from periodical subscription rates and rising account fees for financial institutions to repair expenses. Privatization of the Postal Service would further disrupt supply chains, undermine commerce, and isolate rural America from the economic growth that a thriving and well-run service can provide.

When Benjamin Franklin was named the first U.S. postmaster general in 1775, it was with the sure and certain knowledge that the Postal Service was a key part of the communication network that tied the young country together. Even in today’s world of near instantaneous electronic communications, the Postal Service remains vital, connecting people across the country and the globe. At the same time, it remains a vital conduit for communication between individuals and a tool for commerce. Beyond this, the Postal Service remains an important tool in American democracy and government as tens of thousands of absentee ballots are cast each election allowing the full participation in government at a local, state and national level.

The U.S. Postal Service needs a change in management. Rather than DeJoy’s efforts to drive it into the ground, the Postal Service needs a leader who can build up its strength and guide it into the future. It also needs legislative action by the federal government to allow it to operate on a level playing field with every other governmental organization or as private industry does when accounting for future costs. Passage of H.R.3076, which has been stalled in committee for months, would present the actual financial health of the Postal Service rather than the skewed accounting practices which have been used to push privatization efforts.

Whatever the future holds for the Postal Service, the cycle of increasing costs and decreasing service is unsustainable. Change is needed at the top.