Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!lll-crg!mordor!sri-spam!nike!ucbcad!ucbvax!ATHENA.MIT.EDU!asp From: asp@ATHENA.MIT.EDU Newsgroups: mod.politics Subject: Why the US Post Office exists Message-ID: <12226375833.23.MCGREW@RED.RUTGERS.EDU> Date: Mon, 28-Jul-86 18:08:20 EDT Article-I.D.: RED.12226375833.23.MCGREW Posted: Mon Jul 28 18:08:20 1986 Date-Received: Tue, 29-Jul-86 01:24:23 EDT Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU Reply-To: asp@athena.mit.edu Organization: The ARPA Internet Lines: 20 Approved: poli-sci@red.rutgers.edu Return-Path: Date: Sun, 20 Jul 86 17:52:30 EDT From: Jim Aspnes To: "Keith F. Lynch" Cc: steven@LL-XN.ARPA, KIN%AI.AI.MIT.EDU@ht.ai.mit.edu Subject: Why the US Post Office exists Reply-To: asp@athena.MIT.EDU The US Post Office exists, and (used to) lose money, because they will deliver a first-class letter anywhere in the United States for a nominal fee. No private mail company has ever claimed that it could provide the same universality of service at the same price as USPS. This is also the reason why AT&T was a monopoly, and why governments invest in smallpox vaccines or food stamps. There are some things that must be provided by a just society, and if the free market cannot or will not provide them, then it has no place getting in the way of organizations that can. Capitalism makes a worthy slave but a wicked master. -------