Three Keys to Saving the U.S. Postal Service

It's time for Congress to give the postal service the flexibility it needs to meet the economic demands of the 21st century, without writing off small-town America, writes Kristina Costa.

The only way to reach Supai, Ariz. (population 208), is to hike or helicopter eight miles to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The U.S. Postal Service delivers mail and supplies there three days a week — by mule.

Although the country’s steepest canyon may be no match for the American mail carrier, our postal system does face a gaping threat from a huge hole of another kind: After several years of modest surpluses, the postal service lost $25.4 billion between 2007 and 2011, plunging $13 billion into debt.

The above excerpt was originally published in The Baltimore Sun. Click here to view the full article.

The positions of American Progress, and our policy experts, are independent, and the findings and conclusions presented are those of American Progress alone. A full list of supporters is available here. American Progress would like to acknowledge the many generous supporters who make our work possible.