The main problem with USPS is that it is NOT a government run or government supported agency, but it cannot raise rates or make changes without congressional approval. It's an agency in limbo and at the mercy of Congress. Granted, there are problems long standing in the USPS (salaries too high, too many perks, too many employees, etc.). When I was teaching (retired now), I did a comparison of my salary, hours worked (teachers get paid for only 9 months, even if they do spend many of the 3 months off taking required classes and attending workshops, etc. at their own expense) based on my degree. Postal workers get paid for 12 months, but with vacation time, federal holidays, they work fewer days than teachers do--and still get paid for 12 months--and they don't have to have college degrees, masters degrees, doctorates to get paid that much.. The postal employees union has hurt the service severely.