Postal Pricing Primer
This week, TPA released a report detailing the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) inability to manage its finances and adequately price its products. The report examines the assumptions used by the agency in attributing various costs to its different product lines and proposes reforms that would result in more sustainable pricing. After nearly two decades of financial strife and multi-billion-dollar annual losses, the USPS needs serious reform and policy changes. One significant contributor to the agency’s deteriorating financial situation has been its inability to publish and negotiate prices that reflect the actual costs involved in delivery. The USPS could bring in more than $1 billion in additional revenue per year by overhauling just a handful of its pricing practices. Even more wide-ranging reforms could go a long way toward reducing the agency’s long-term liabilities.
The report demonstrates that, even though the USPS faces dire fiscal problems, creating a fairer, realistic, and transparent pricing process could help bring America’s mail carrier back into the black. We urge USPS leadership to take a close look at the findings of this report and improve the way they do business. Congress also needs to take ownership of this problem. The Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 passed by the House of Representatives does not address this critical problem. Taxpayers and consumers are depending on the agency to reform their pricing process and deliver for the American people. You can read the full report here: https://www.protectingtaxpayers.org/wp-content/uploads/Postal-Pricing-Primer.pdf
The Intersection of the Invasion of the Ukraine and Tech Policy
Vladimir Putin thought he was taking advantage of a world too divided to do anything about his heinous vision to rebuild the evil empire the was the Soviet Union. So far, it seems like he grossly miscalculated. The response has not been limited to governments, however. This robust, largely voluntary response to calamity is what makes the Western world, particularly American society, so formidable and resilient. It’s something to which we should continue to aspire. Yet, at the economic frontier of our society that is the tech sector, policy winds are blowing in a direction that will hamstring the ability for American companies to do their critical part in the face of future crises.
In response to the obvious cyber threat from Russia, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently issued a “Shields Up” advisory to American companies and citizens alike. The advisory contained several recommendations for organizations to reduce risks of intrusions into systems and for consumers to “think before you click.” Yet, in Congress, and many state legislatures, bills are advancing that would create unnecessary cybersecurity risks for Americans’ personal devices. At the federal level is the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA) as well as the Open App Markets Act (OAMA). These bills are explicitly designed to force devices produced by Apple and Google, iOS and Android devices respectively, to allow greater access to software, and therefore malware, out on the open web. So while one part of the government, CISA, is saying “shields up,” another is busy outlawing some of the most effective shields.
Until just days ago, it was easy for many supporters of the kinds of legislation above to write off the associated national security concerns as problems to address another day. The horrifying reality of an all-out Russian invasion of a sovereign European nation pierces right through that ambivalence. Elected officials cannot continue their indifference towards the security tradeoffs of haphazard regulation of the tech sector if we are to face these challenges with the full strength of our society.
BLOGS:
Monday: Taxpayers Protection Alliance Releases Report on Postal Pricing
Tuesday: TPA Sends Coalition Letter Urging Congress to Reject Efforts to Impose Protectionist Barriers on Agricultural Imports
Wednesday: Taxpayers Protection Alliance Responds to President Biden’s State of the Union Address
Thursday: Op-Ed: Let States Make Medicaid Better
Friday: Ukraine Invasion Brings Hypothetical Security Issues With Tech Bills Close to Reality
MEDIA:
February 25, 2022: The Denver Gazette (Denver, Co.) quoted TPA in their article, “Truth Social criticized by far-right talk show host for 'censorship' as it surges in popularity.”
February 25, 2022: Townhall.com ran TPA’s op-ed, “Elected Governments Must Ignore Gaslighting by the World Health Organization on Alcohol.”
February 25, 2022: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) quoted TPA in their story, “FOX45 News investigates City hiring policy; felony convictions of City agency workers.”
February 26, 2022: WBAL NBC10 (Baltimore, Md.) quoted TPA in their story, “Head of think tank calls for resignation of Baltimore City Council president.”
February 25, 2022: Newsweek quoted TPA in their article, “Trump's Recently Launched TRUTH Social Under Fire for 'Censoring' Members.”
February 28, 2022: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) interviewed me about the economic fallout of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
February 28, 2022: WBFF Fox45 (Baltimore, Md.) quoted TPA in their story, “Baltimore parks and pools to receive millions in Covid relief funds.”
March 1, 2022: Patrick Hedger joined ‘John Solomon Reports’ on Just the News to discuss cybersecurity and the App Security Project.
March 2, 2022: Dan Savickas joined The Barrett Brief to discuss President Biden’s State of the Union Address.
March 2, 2022: Townhall.com ran TPA’s op-ed, “Too Many Agency Surprises in Implementing No Surprises Act.”
March 2, 2022: Patrick Hedger joined The Lars Larson Show (Nationally Syndicated) to discuss the key takeaways from the State of the Union Address.
March 3, 2022: Florida Daily quoted TPA in their article, “Four Day Work Week Gaining Popularity In the U.S.”
March 3, 2022: National Review Capital Matters ran TPA’s op-ed titled, “Let States Make Medicaid Better.”
March 3, 2022: Patrick Hedger joined ‘Stacy on the Right’ on SiriusXM to discuss the State of the Union Address.
Have a great weekend!
