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The Cato Institute’s Tad DeHaven on the need to address problems within the Postal Service.
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The United States post office faces drastic downsizing and call backs -- -- losing five billion dollars in the past twelve months boss.
Rural community is then major opponents of any cuts in service because they depend on the Postal Service a great -- more than the rest of us.
-- -- the haven from the Cato Institute joins us now from Pennsylvania.
-- -- That they all the print -- and so I I I think I'm criteria that its rural community is that really oppose any downsizing.
Of the Postal Service so we all have to pay.
-- identifying this is they this interest group correctly.
There's multiple interest and certainly of roller America is a particularly large interest and therefore the politicians in Washington who represented -- districts.
Our -- eleven opposed whether it's Democrats or Republicans to any sort of downsizing.
It's gonna make life a little bit more complicated in those areas.
However that gets to the problem with the Postal Service it's supposed to run like a business yet at the answers the 535.
Politicians collectively known as congress and Stuart I think you and I would agree.
Congress is incapable of running a hot dog stand.
But so.
Now what are we gonna do.
We -- someone on the show yesterday -- -- he's a critical look Postal Service he says look you gonna lose 200 billion dollars in the next ten years.
The alternative is drastic cuts in the postal -- it was literally closing thousands of post offices.
And dropping a 10050000.
-- you've got these two extremes.
I don't expect to -- that to happen so what are we gonna do keep on kicking the can down the road and subsidizing the Postal Service is that what's gonna happen.
I think that right now US taxpayer does not subsidize the Postal Service.
That cannot continue either we're gonna move towards -- Asian or taxpayers are gonna be on the -- and I think this whole issue with with rural America.
Let the market decide may -- folks in -- America okay getting -- two days a week three days a week one day a week maybe they're willing to pay more.
That's the problem we don't have a market Stewart so it's hard to say.
What people what value they place.
What price they're willing to pay this is the 21 century with the technology you have with the Internet -- -- We are subsidized.
-- -- you know I don't wait wait just does not -- but uploaded to yet is that.
But is that the kind of sentiment is required in congress took caught the Postal Service lose privatize it let markets rule.
I put politicians -- not gonna do that's the net.
And and that's the problem -- if you wanna corollary.
Look at entitlement programs Social Security Medicare these -- major problems that need to be addressed now the post office need to be addressed now but there's no incentive in Washington.
The incentive in Washington is the short -- concerns of the squeaky wheel addressing that and putting these problems off the future somebody else to deal.
I'm almost at a time I want you -- best guess is you'll best guess that we subsidized bailout the Postal Service would direct taxpayer money you thing that's gonna happen.
I think at some point that that will happen however I think.
Two generations from now it will be privatized because the -- you see happen on those funds all day.
Are gonna need this whether they live in New York City are out in Timbuktu my aunt had two generations from now on dead and maybe even you.
Tad -- from the Cato Institute thanks for joining us we appreciate.
