Harry's Gang: Dear readers, let's end this everyday mail service

I have an idea to keep the postal service operating for years to come. But I almost guarantee nobody will completely like it. That’s why I think the idea must be brilliant: if it works, and it equally annoys everyone, it’s probably a good idea.

There is really no need to have mail delivered every day anymore. Back when Elvis was a star, he had a great song, “Return to Sender,” about sending his love interest a letter, but she sent it back the next day. Imagine! Mailing a letter today and getting a response tomorrow. That was some postal service back then. The song was a hit in 1962, before I was even born.

Until recently, we could expect to pay less than a half-dollar to have a letter delivered the next day to just about anywhere in Minnesota. That was quite a value. When I first started practicing law, I’d be sending out 10-15 pieces of mail every day. I even got one of those postage meters to make stamping envelopes a little easier. I paid a monthly fee for the meter, plus the value of the stamps.

But I also had a fax machine and soon gave up the meter and just bought stamps at the post office. A few years ago, I gave up the fax machine too, and now just about everything is sent electronically. I still check my mail just about every day, but some days I have nothing to deposit in the mail. Times change, and even the postal service has to adapt. For example, they don’t use ponies anymore, and haven’t for decades. So I think the postal service can evolve, and we, the people, can adjust to the changes.

My plan would give everybody in the zip code a separate mailbox at the post office. Sure, we’d have to build bigger buildings, but that would be more efficient than delivering the mail every day. Or, perhaps the postal service could design a mechanical system where you go to the post office and enter your code, and the mail is retrieved for you. That way, you can still pick up your mail every day if you want to.

Then, once a week, or maybe twice a week, any mail that remains in your box is delivered to your home. In Esko, there are three routes (plus the post office boxes). That takes three delivery drivers. Under my plan, mail would be delivered to Route 1 on Tuesdays; Route 2 on Wednesdays, and Route 3 on Thursday. Only one delivery driver is needed, which would reduce costs.

The Constitution mentions “post offices,” making them an important part of our country. And, many of us still rely on the services the United States Postal Service provides. Under my plan, we’d still get mail delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

If you have any suggestions on saving the postal service, send me an e-mail or give me a call. I’d be interested in what you have to say.

Pete Radosevich is the publisher of the Pine Knot News and an attorney in Esko who hosts the talk show Harry’s Gang on CAT-7. His opinions are his own. Contact him at [email protected].