[John.Galt2012]

First, I understand that you are a Postal Service retiree, so don’t get all defensive. My question is sincere. If the postal service is not taxpayer funded, how can they continue to operate losing billions each quarter for 14 quarters straight? They should have gone belly up years ago. Do they have some sort of slush fund they are operating out of? I am just trying to understand.

[muawiyah]

The system is they set a postage rate that is sufficient, under normal conditions, to avoid raising postage rates for 4 or 5 years. The first couple of years under a new rate structure provide a SURPLUS. That money is then spent down in later years. Once the surplus is gone they will have initiated a new postage rate increase or adjustment.

Now, about government agency losses, when is the last time you saw Department of Defense bring back the loot to pay for its existence?

[cookcounty]

" My question is sincere. If the postal service is not taxpayer funded, how can they continue to operate losing billions each quarter for 14 quarters straight? They should have gone belly up years ago. Do they have some sort of slush fund they are operating out of? I am just trying to understand.

Yes they get "special temporary supplmentals" when they get behind, in other words, irregularly scheduled bail-outs.