Postman Still Rings

Letter to the Editor Published in The New York Times

To the Editor:

Re “Snail Mail: It’s Alive! And It’s Mutating!” (Week in Review, Nov. 14): The testimony by the General Accounting Office you report cites the Postal Service’s forecasts of losses in first-class mail volume. The Postal Service is using these forecasts to lobby for legislation that would allow it to enter new markets and compete with private businesses.

But mail volume has risen steadily throughout history – despite the development of telephones, faxes, e-mail and e-commerce. If there is any reason for such dire forecasts regarding mail volume, beyond serving the Postal Service’s legislative agenda, it would take an independent audit (perhaps by the G.A.O.) to find out.

The writer is vice president of the Lexington Institute, a public policy research group.