As for the retiree health benefit prefunding, this author would do his homework if he wasn't interested in just cranking out a hack piece. So can anyone else who is willing to do even a cursory web search. The USPS is paying into this pool at an enormously accelerated rate compared to all other govt agencies. I suspect congress is using the USPS, the only organization that doesn't suck away our tax dollars, to avoid having to deal with underfunding from the rest of the government.
Perhaps the author would care to comment on what $4 gas does to delivery costs for an organization that cannot impose a "fuel surcharge" as UPS and FedEX can. Again, a government restriction.
Appropriate rules: know the facts, understand the problem, apply a reasoned solution.
All those billions$ could buy alot of computers and give households internet access to email. The postal services is dying, why spend more money on it.
UPS, FedEx and other private carriers do a great job with packages.