Association for Postal Commerce
"Representing those who use or support the use of mail for Business Communication and Commerce"
"You will be able to enjoy only those postal rights you believe are worth defending."

SOME THOUGHTS ON THE MOST RECENT USPS GOVERNOR NOMINEE

The following is a perspective by postal commentator Cary Baer. The comments are solely the author's. Responsible replies from spokespersons of alternative views will be considered by the PostCom Bulletin.

I was reading the newspaper this morning and came upon the latest installment of the potential automobile industry bailout plan. It featured the possibility of a loan tied to the establishment of an auto industry czar and an oversight board that, presumably, would review revenue, expenses, cost containment programs, and comparison to whatever recovery plan the industry had agreed to.

Hmm, this board, it seems might have some of the attributes and responsibilities of the Postal Services own Board of Governors. For the potential auto board, they will have oversight over a key part of the nations manufacturing infrastructure. For the Postal Service’s Board, they have oversight over a key element of the nation’s financial, advertising, and distribution infrastructure. The auto Board will oversee the loan that may ultimately total in excess of $100 billion. The Postal Service’s Board oversees an annual budget of over $70 billion, and a workforce of 700,000.

Hmm, I wonder if the recent nominee to USPS Board, Robert McGowan might be better qualified to be on this, as yet, unfilled Auto Board. I say this because in his effusive praise of Mr. McGowan, Senator Majority Leader Reid said; “He knows money and the Postal Service needs somebody who knows money”. While he may know money, it was pretty obvious after watching his nomination hearing that he knows little about the Postal Service, its problems, or any of the industries that it serves.

The hearing, which was extremely painful to watch, was conducted, with unbelievable patience, by subcommittee chairman Senator Tom Carper (D-DE). Although he had numerous opportunities, he never once corrected the many misstatements made by the nominee. I assume that McGowan was prepped for the hearing, yet he kept referring to the old mail classifications Second Class and Third Class. To make matters worse, when he mentioned Second Class he was confused in that he really thought it was advertising mail. He pointed out, quite honestly, that his work experience was in managing an office of less that 100 people--far from the kind of experience envisioned by the drafters of the new postal law. Does he represent the the best, or even the second best, that the Majority leader can offer?

The best the industry can hope for is that the nomination is not acted on by the current Congress. Then perhaps we’ll have an opportunity to see what President Obama means by change.