Nancy Pelosi and the Post Office

In its Saturday Edition the WS J has an editorial on the post office and why we should end the monopoly that has kept the USPS in (manifestly inefficient) operation. While the case for ending the monopoly is pretty simple and should be listened to - the comparison to our current discussions on health care is even more on point.

Pelosi has criticized the protests at town hall meetings during the recess by arguing that "Many of these opponents who are shutting down civil discussion are organized by out-of-district, extremist political groups, and industry-supported lobbying firms." She has also referred to the protests as "astroturf" - a derogatory term to suggest that the grass roots reaction is somehow manufactured. But look again at the cost curve on delivering mail - growing as a far faster rate than the underlying consumer price index. Does the Speaker actually believe that if we move a lot more of the health care system into the public system that the same kinds of cost curves would happen?

The extremist political groups (like Acorn) and industry supported lobbying firms (like the trial attorneys) that prop the Speaker up are the real manufacturers of astroturf.