East Tennessee's three Members of Congress-Congressman Phil Roe (R-Johnson City), Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Knoxville) and Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (R-Chattanooga)-have all told Scripps Howard News Service that it is time for the U.S. Post Office to "get creative" if it wants to stay in business. Congressman Duncan suggested having postal vending machine dispense stamps and other postal supplies at places like Wal-Mart on a regular basis. Congressman Fleischmann said that he was open to any suggestions that would keep an acceptable service level and minimize cost. Congressman Roe admitted that he had been opposed to the idea of eliminating Saturday mail delivery, but now thinks that doing so may be a good idea, especially if the Post Office sees a great deal of cost savings from doing so.
Everyone knows that the real problem for the Post Office is the reality that the institution-one of the few government offices whose creation was authorized in the Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Paragraph 7) has failed to adapt to the realities of the 21st Century. From colonial times right up to the late 1990's, the majority of long-distance communication in America was done by means of letters sent in the post. Not only has the widespread availability of internet access allowed people to send letters via e-mail, but long distance communication has become cheaper and easier in general. Most wireless telephone providers offer free long distance, and to compete, many land-line phone carriers offer unlimited long distance plans. You don't even have to have internet access at home to send an e-mail-You can do that from your local library for nothing.
There is still a place for the Post Office (which has deep roots in our country's history)-people will always need to send things in the post and ship things, at least for the foreseeable future. However, the Post Office needs to adapt to the reality that in 21st Century America, our day-to-day long distance communication doesn't rely on the mail anymore. The sooner the Post Office grabs hold of that reality, the quicker it can develop a plan to survive.
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