Would the Postal Service be turning a profit otherwise?
It's the US Postal Service, not the US Postal Business. It's not expected to turn a profit.
The Founders never intended the U.S. Postal Service to be ...
washingtonpost.com
Apr 27, 2020 - In 1958, a federal law made this even clearer: The Postal Service was “clearly not a business enterprise conducted for profit.”
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SEC. 101. This title may be cited as the "Postal Policy Act of 1958". A c t OX 1 "So* FINDINGS SEC. 102. The Congress hereby finds that— (1) the postal establishment was created to unite more closely the American people, to promote the general welfare, and to advance the national economy; (2) the postal establishment has been extended and enlarged through the years into a nationwide network of services and facilities for the communication of intelligence, the dissemination of information, the advancement of education and culture, and the distribution of articles of commerce and industry. Furthermore, the Congress has encouraged the use of these broadening services and facilities through reasonable and, in many cases, special postal rates; (3) the development and expansion of these several elements of postal service, under authorization by the Congress, have been the impelling force in the origin and growth of many and varied business, commercial, and industrial enterprises which contribute materially to the national economy and the public welfare and which depend upon the continuance of these elements of postal service; (4) historically and as a matter of public policy there have evolved, in the operations of the postal establishment authorized by the Congress, certain recognized and accepted relationships among the several classes of mail. It is clear, from the continued expansion of the postal service and from the continued encouragement by the Congress of the most widespread use thereof, that the postal establishment performs many functions and offers its facilities to many users on a basis which can only be justified as being in the interest of the national welfare; (5) while the postal establishment, as all other Government agencies, should be operated in an efficient manner, it clearly is not a business enterprise conducted for profit or for raising general funds, and it would be an unfair burden upon any particular user or class of users of the mails to compel them to bear the 72 ST AT. 3 PUBLIC LAW 85-426-MAY 27, 1958 135 expenses incurred by reason of special rate considerations granted or facilities provided to other users of the mails, or to underwrite those expenses incurred by the postal establishment for services of a nonpostal nature; and (6) the public interest and the increasing complexity of the social and economic fabric of the Nation require an immediate, clear, and affirmative declaration of congressional policy with respect to the activities of the postal establishment including those of a public service nature as the basis for the creation and maintenance of a sound and equitable postal-rate structure which will assure efficient service, produce adequate postal revenues, and stand the test of time.
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