[Stardust]

I am fully in favor of the federal government selling USPS and allowing private companies to use existing mailboxes. The jobs, at least the ones that are necessary to deliver the mail, will go to private companies that must turn a profit to remain in business.

Although the Postal Service does not rely on taxes, they have been free to increase the prices that they charge consumers, which is a luxury of operating in a monopoly. The laws need to be rewritten to either force the USPS to compete for business or privatize the organization.

Hoot, what has happened in other countries is that Universal service has been eliminated. You are 100% correct, selling off the USPS will put it into private hands that requires those companies to make a profit. Which means, companies will focus on business only in the major metropolitan's. That leaves the rural ares where no one will touch. Even UPS now no longer delivers into several locations across the country. UPS now uses the USPS to deliver to those areas, which is a perfect example of how it will work.

As for the USPS being able to freely increase prices, that is not correct. The USPS can only increase postage based on CPI-U. In 1996, Congress past Postal Reform that regulated the USPS pricing model to the CPI. Why has there not been postage increases in the last two years??? CPI was at or below zero in both instances.

So, if you take the monopoly away from the USPS but you continue to mandate Universal Service, you force them to compete with companies that will only delivery to Urban areas, leaving the USPS with the tremendously more costly Rural responsibilities.