Fix USPS — just not the Big Biz way

I agree with Business Week — the United States Postal Service is in serious financial trouble and needs help.

But, not what it proposes.

First, there's a big geographic and population spread difference between the U.S. and Europe, by and large.

Most privatization schemes ignore how much more rural "flyover" country is in the US is compared to anything in Europe this side of Russia. And, those older Red State rural voters who still mail lot of stuff will squawk if it's a buck a letter.

Scanning mail and converting it to digital formats? Would be great if broadband Internet, especially in rural areas, is as fast and reliable as in Europe. But it ain't, in part because union-busting Big Biz types that Business Week loves, and their GOP allies in Congress, vehemently oppose the government here getting involved with improving that.

But, given the way the GOP eats its young, like a threat to refuse disaster aid to VERY "reddish" Joplin, Mo., don't doubt it would do that, i.e., privatize the mail without requiring the retention of rural free delivery, that is, rural rates the same as urban ones. Ditto on Red State GOPer switching USPS to digitally-scanned mail without improving infrastructure. When you see how much the GOP refuses to pay for road and bridge upgrades, you know this ain't happening.

"Digital mail" in its other aspects? Utilities and other folks already have online bill-pay; that part of digital mail would go nowhere in the U.S.

NOT mentioned in this biz-friendly story — increasing the price of junk mail. On the revenue side, that would vastly help USPs, as well as unclogging mailboxes. Also not mentioned, and related — a comparison of U.S. and European junk mail rates.

Otherwise, this article seems to be an exercise in singing the praises of privatization, and of union-bashing. No shock, coming from an oftimes kinder, gentler, subtler version of Faux News that is Bloomberg.