I get mail...wait, actually I don't

...because it gets stolen!

The rise of militant conservatism has meant paying more for less reliable services. It's called less accountability. Under a 2006 Republican law, the Postal Service no longer even has to prove itself before increasing the cost of a stamp. Now the stamp price just goes up automatically each year.

While postal rates increase, the mail becomes less reliable.

I've had problems for years with people stealing my mail (as well as packages sent via companies like UPS and FedEx). This isn't the fault of the Postal Service per se, but the Postal Service has been less reliable at dealing with it.

Around 2000, I filed a formal complaint with the Postal Service about the thefts. I received a letter indicating in a very firm tone that postal inspectors took the thefts very seriously and would investigate pronto. They indicated that they were opening a file on these crimes in an attempt to get to the bottom of it. I was aware of the challenges of catching the culprit, but at least I had some assurance it was being investigated.

In 2006, I was victimized by more mail thefts. I know who stole my mail this time, because I caught her almost red-handed. I made another formal complaint with the Postal Service. This time, however, I got no reply at all, and there's no indication that any investigation was ever launched. In fact, the perp is still out there, because I saw her in her truck just this past Thursday.

This month, I ordered an inexpensive computer mouse (because my old one kept giving out). When it failed to arrive after a week, I visited the Postal Service's website and discovered it had been delivered.

Because it was clear this package had been stolen after it was delivered, I complained again.

This time, I got a form e-mail from the Postal Service saying that its postal inspection division "gathers data on mail-related crime" to "possibly prevent other people from being victimized."

In other words, it appears that all the Postal Service does now is count how many thefts there are in the area in the hopes that this will somehow stop future crimes. Judging by this e-mail, it no longer investigates thefts at all.

(Amazon sent me another mouse to replace the one that was stolen, but I intercepted it before it could be swiped as well.)

Stamps cost twice as much as 20 years ago just for this???

The Republicans insist they're the party of accountability, but this is almost as bad as their EdChoice scam that preys on poor families and throws money at private schools that don't perform as well as public schools. How is this even conservative? It's right-wing, but it's not conservative by any other definition of the term.

Every time we mail a letter, it subsidizes junk mail (which costs far less for the sender to send). One of the things the new administration needs to seriously look at is making junk mail pay its own way. The mismanagement can't continue.