The latest postal absurdity on Capitol Hill is being perpetuated by high-ranking members of the House Republican Leadership. Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) propose to bail-out the Highway Trust Fund with an almost $11 billion raid on the U.S. Postal Service. There is currently a $14 to $15 billion shortfall in the Trust Fund, which is funded by an excise tax on diesel and gasoline fuel. The fund pays for highway and road construction. The GOP leadership team seeks to use postal funds that would saved by reducing delivery frequency from 6-days to 5-days to replenish the fund for one year.

This “smoke and mirrors” ploy is nonsensical. In fact, even the ultra-conservative and GOP-allied Heritage Foundation lambasted the scheme, calling it “absurd.” The Postal Service is self-funded (no taxpayer dollars for postal operations), off-budget and has its own financial challenges. It should not be a cash-cow to stabilize other entities.

Postmasters should notify their Representatives to oppose the Leadership’s attempted raid on the Postal Service.

via NAPUS.