Good points on the useless postoffices, and alas Senate bill just digs the hole deeper by forbidding the USPS from doing what they need to do there.
Whatever operational changes are needed, and I am sure there are many in this internet age, this is the way to go:
“Of course, what the Postal Service needs isn’t just a little more freedom to cut costs, but wholesale privatization.”
Privatization and free the USPS from the pension burdens via some kind of buyout would work.
The problem the Senate had was an uncovered $5 billion cost in the general ledger accounts and it had to be covered with something.
Else they'd had a bigger deficit than they had said they would have.
So, without thinking they tapped USPS For the $5 billion, then justified it on the basis that this money would pay for medical insurance payments for retirees in 75 years!~ In short this was a retiree health care benefit for retirees NOT YET BORN!
They actually thought no one would notice, and next thing you know we had the Great Obama Recession, and USPS Didn't have an extra $5 billion to toss down the Congressional rathole.
Cutting USPS Loose from current retirement payments would probably cause more trouble than you can possibly imagine. I sure wouldn't work for those batardes without a guaranteed pension.