This is the IDENTICAL argument used against UPS way back when. Does it
strike you as odd that private enterprise can and does deliver virtually
every other product to these isolated areas but somehow first class mail is
considered an  impossible task?
     There was a big argument back in the 70's about this when UPS proved
the nay-sayers wrong. USP did in fact say that they COULD duplicate the job
of the Post Office and do it better and cheaper; even in the isolated areas.
     Having UPS throughly prove thier arguments wrong as regards Parcle Post
delivery by beating them in speed, safty and cost they could hardly use this
"only we can do it"  argument against First Class delivery. That too almost
went private back then. Public pressure was VERY strong but stronger still
was the threat of withholding Union Support in the next election. The
"compromise" was to make the PO a "semi-private" business granted a
monopoly.
    UPS, FEDEX, et al still lobby to recind the law and SITLL claim they can
do it faster and cheaper but continued union campaign contributions
guarantee that they will not even be permitted to try. The risk of being
beaten again as they were before is too great.

> In fairness to the USPS, the monopoly on first-class mail is very
important
> to them because they have to serve every address in the country, even if
> you have to get there on a dogsled.  The commercial shippers have perfect
> freedom to service only those areas which are profitable, and guess
> what?  Those are the areas they serve.  If commercial companies took away
> the profitable business, postal rates would climb enormously, which would
> be unfair to those in isolated areas. The monopoly is theirs (USPS) by
law,
> as is the requirement to serve every address.
>
> david
> David Beierl - dbeierl@ibm.net