Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Some Trivial but Very Important News

Usually the idea of the government reducing waste is a good thing. The Post Office, the black hole of losses that "makes money" by delivering junk mail you don't want, is a prime example of incompetence. FedEx and UPS usually work better, cheaper, faster, and is profitable so it pays taxes.

My alma mater, Harvard Business School, has it own post office - even though it is just a few hundred yards from the Harvard University post office, and another 0.3 miles in the other direction. No news if this waste will be shuttered.

However, the bureaucracies ashore have rightfully decided that Matinicus deserves to live. Hip, Hip, Hooray! Our post office is much than mail. With our own zip code, UPS and FEdEx can deliver to Criehaven and Matinicus. It give our lifeline airline a steady cashflow, helping to ensure its continued viability. Our trivial little post office's survival is Very Important News for islanders - and shows how hard it is too reduce government.