Mail Call

Two of rural America’s most enduring and most treasured institutions – the United States Post Office and the Volunteer Fire Department - were the brainchild of Benjamin Franklin.  That's right, Old Ben is the father of these revered institutions.    

Neither the postal service or the fire department are businesses - they are services.  As a consequence neither of them lose money – they cost money. They both are essential government services to those of us who make our homes in rural America.  Rural folk never enjoy the level of government services that city folk do and as a consequence we place a very high value on our letter carriers and first responders.  As a matter of fact - of all government agencies - the postal service boasts the highest favorability ratings among both republicans and democrats.      

So I have to wonder about the political strategy of slamming the US Postal Service. Will deconstructing rural mail delivery improve it?  Make it faster?  More efficient?  Less costly?  Is it smart politics?  Will it win hearts and minds?  I dunno.  If I had to hazard a guess likely no more popular than defunding and privatizing the volunteer fire department.      

When you live a thirty to sixty minute round trip from essential services the post box at the end of my driveway is an important daily destination.  I rely on rural pick-up and delivery for everything from spices and kitchen supplies.

Porridge imported from Ireland and olive oil imported from Italy. 

Printer ink, prescription drugs, logging equipment, seed and gardening supplies, spare parts, tools, hardware, dog food, backpack sprayers, socks and underwear, chemicals for vegetation management, firearm ammunition and archery supplies, books and magazines along with many more things to numerous to list.  I even rely-upon the convenience of voting early and securely by mail.

Trust me it's not a scam or a hoax.

So lay-off already with this nonsense about how you shouldn't trust the people that deliver your stuff.  

Sheesh.....