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In these crazy times, federal government attempts to starve the U.S. Post Office out of existence may not appear on many people’s radar screen. It should. The USPS is one of our most important institutions, contributing greatly to the growth and prosperity of this great nation.

Like everything else, the post office has faced many challenges and changes through the years. Still, it remains as important to our nation today as ever.

Some politicians say that the post office is losing money and should be privatized. What they don’t say is that Congress burdened the post office with a unique mandate to pre-fund their retirement program 75 years ahead; something no other institution (private or government) is burdened by. Looking through that lens it is not hard to understand how President Trump gets away with calling the post office a joke, pointing out that it is losing money.

The post office serves an important service to every citizen and business in this nation. It also represents a nice fat prize to those that would love to privatize it and milk it for profit. The post office is an amazing institution staffed by hard working people that would function well fiscally if not for the retirement clause. That President Trump recently appointed one of his political minions with no practical experience to head the post office speaks volumes about plans for the future of the USPS.

Contact your senators and representatives and tell them to do the right thing by supporting the post office and protecting it from self-serving interests. It is an incredible public asset that belongs to all of us. Let’s keep it that way!

Jeff Nelson

Cassopolis