Why just stop Saturday mail delivery? Why not stop all delivery and require all mail to be pick up at the post office instead?

Fed Ex would start by doing what the USPS should do - make postage related to the cost of the service. Right now, the cost structure doesn't come close to factoring in what it costs to deliver a piece of mail. Of course, people in rural Kansas would be facing a $2.85 stamp price, which would never be allowed to happen given our political climate.

What we have right now is high-population centers subsidizing the inefficient delivery costs to low- / dispersed- population rural America. If UPS or Fed Ex or airlines had "one price regardless of destination" rates, they'd go under in a week even if everyone worked for minimum wage.

This will never change, though. Why? Because GOP congressmen like this form of socialism that their constituents benefit from. They like that the USPS provides many, many high paying jobs in the depressed areas they represent. If you shut down the USPS it would be like shuttering Wal-Mart, the unemployment rate would skyrocket. Who would vote for that if it came down to it?

Plus, old people rely on it, so it would immediately become a national priority to bail it out if push came to shove. Regardless of cost or inefficiency.

It's simple economics - make people pay what it costs and stop relying on others to subsidize your pricing.

All of this is a manufactured crisis.

That's an interesting fact, Phil.
Congress is taking these funds and simply spending them. So, our government is now just calling it a USPS deficit, instead of what it really is - a larger federal deficit.

But as a taxpayer, looking at the larger picture, where this deficit amount is assigned is just a meaningless, bookkeeping detail. Our government already receives enough revenue; our government is spending too much; our government needs to spend less. This move saves $2 billion and negatively impacts almost no one. Lets do it. And move on and look for the next $2 billion to cut.

Pete I agree, however, that fact is the reason there is a deficit with the USPS. If they removed that requirement, they'd be solvent without any funding from the government.

Phil, I completely understand that.
I'm saying I don't care.

Government can get busy moving things around from one pocket to the other; but it doesn't matter, it doesn't make anything better.

Pete, saying you don't care doesn't change any of the facts on the ground. The problem is that there is a guaranteed right to mail delivery, for whatever strange reason. The government has to do it.

The problem is, in addition to what was noted above with the benefits payment, is that middle and rural America feel entitles to "cheap" mail.

USPS should run like UPS or Fed Ex. But you can't "get rid" of the organization, even if it makes sense or we'd be better off for it.

Porter, I'm not sure what you're saying to me. You and I seem to be on different wavelengths. Sorry I didn't state point clearly.