Why do we perpetually hear about the United States Postal Service running out of money? Why does the current administration continue to frame the Postal Service as a money-making (or in their view, money-losing) business rather than an independent agency of the federal government that provides a service to the American people supported by tax dollars?
When the Defense Department loses F-16 planes due to crashes, do we make them raise any fees and cut services? For years our Postal Service, as well as our National Park Service, health care systems and Social Security, have been viewed as businesses by the Republican Party. Consequently, they have been starving some of our most cherished services by withdrawing tax dollars and sending the funds to the wealthiest among us hoping for some kind of mythical trickle-down effect.
Enough is enough. The U.S. Postal Service has been around for 200 years and is a cherished institution that provides an invaluable service to the American people, funded in part by tax dollars as well as user fees. It is a government agency, not a for-profit business. It is the United States Postal Service, not the United State Postal Business.
An indicator of a strong democracy is a viable and healthy postal system, funded by the people, so that we can enjoy our right of free speech.
Government services are for the people. Businesses are for profit. Let’s not continue to confuse the two.
Janelle Heck, Millcreek
from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/3hzOTKI
August 28, 2020 at 07:45AM
0 Comments