IT'S "PUT UP" TIME

The following is a perspective by postal commentator Gene Del Polito for Direct magazine.

Well, if there was ever any doubt where the Bush Administration intended to stand on postal reform, that doubt should now be gone. The White House has made it abundantly clear that it wants Congress to produce a legislative reform package for the President's consideration as quickly as possible. The White House's recent annoucement undoubtely came at some chagrin to those who have made reading political entrails and "nay-saying" a career in Washington. Having worked closely with those at the Treasury Department who had taken the lead on this matter, I can assure you that this Administration understands all too well the importance of our postal system as part of our nation's economic infrastructure. They also understand fully the loss our industry and our economy would suffer if the postal system was allowed to drift into fiscal collapse.

In the past, some of the "experts" have urged you to "hold your fire," because the "conventional wisdom" held that neither Congress nor the White House was really serious about postal legislative reform. Consider that myth dispelled. Now comes the time to prove whether WE are really serious about making reform a reality.

If there ever were a time for every member of our industry to make absolutely clear that we expect our federal legislators to move on a reform package, this is it. Postal reform has been a matter under "discussion" for the last four congresses. The time for "discussion" is over. Now's the time to get a meaningful reform package enacted into law.

There is more than sufficient information from the Presidential Commission and past legislative efforts to get legislators up to snuff. Industry organizations, such as the Association of Postal Commerce, already have identified clear and specific provisions that must be a part of any legislative package. Key among them is the need to reform substantially the manner in which postal rates and services are determined. In addition, no reform measure will ever prove successful unless it brings about a fundamental restructuring of the incentives that underlie our postal system. The proper rewards and consequences need to be set in place to ensure that the U.S. Postal Service will be operated in a true market-driven enterprise. Indeed, without such changes it will be virtually impossible to ensure that mail will remain a self-sustaining, economically viable, and affordable vehicle for business communication and commerce.