The United States Postal Service has been on life support forever, losing money hand over foot every year. Meanwhile, it has been eclipsed by the efficient service of privately-owned Federal express and UPS. Its government imposed monopoly on the delivery of first-class mail (as well as those taxpayer dollars) has helped keep it alive. The latest request for a boost in postal rates has been denied by the commission that monitors and controls rates. Similar to many governmental agencies, the payroll is bloated by high salaries and benefit packages that seem fixed in stone. Powerful unions and a vast labor force of voters have helped hold us hostage to their demands. But the practices that have helped to create this fiscal crisis are even worse than we thought.The Boston Globe reports on other abuses that have been going on for years: Dozens of former top executives and hundreds of former employees have returned to the agency in recent years as private contractors, sometimes...(Read Full Post)