GOA Says It’s Illegal To End Saturday Mail Delivery – So What? [OPINION]

The U.S. Postal Service is losing approximately $2 billion a year and a plan was afoot to end Saturday mail delivery to save money and the institution itself.  I personally did not have a problem with eliminating Saturday mail delivery but it seems we have a problem.

Last year alone the Postal Service lost $16 billion...that's billion with a "b".  That is not chump change even by Washington standards and I applauded Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe's plans to end Saturday delivery.  Of course there had to be a glitch.  The Government Accountability Office now says the Postal Service is bound by law to deliver mail six days a week.  The GOA goes on to say it is wrong to think a temporary measure used to fund U.S. government operations freed it from the law.

The GOA raising a red flag over breaking a law makes me wonder where they've been for the last four years we've operated without a budget.  When has the current Administration let something like a law stop them from some action?

Postmaster Donahoe has said the USPS plans to eliminate Saturday mail delivery but will still deliver packages on Saturday.  This plan was due to take effect in August and I hope the law can be re-written to keep the Postal Service alive in whatever form it needs.  Even if mail delivery needs to go down to every other day I would be fine with that.  As a taxpayer I think this valuable service should be accommodated for the good of the country but steps must be taken to at least 'break even'.