The millstone around the Postal Service’s neck (Opinion)

There controversy around funding for the U.S. Postal Service and its ability to handle the volume of ballots that will be mailed by New Jersey voters can be tied back TO the pension that must be funded every year, Jim Gearhart says in his latest weekly Jim Gearhart podcast and Facebook Live show, presented every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.  at Facebook.com/NJ1015.

“The postal service starts with a millstone around its neck. When the postal service was set up, the public workers union wielded so much political power that part of their charter, when they set it up, is that they have to put aside $5 billion a year when they start the year for worker’s pensions,” Jim said.

Jim's rounding up, but just slightly: The 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act requires the USPS to set aside $4.5 billion for retiree healthcare costs, according to Forbes.com.

“They have been somehow bound up with largely government and union rules that makes it very difficult to operate,” Jim said.

Jim said with the post office sending letters to 46 states that it could have trouble delivering mail in time for the election deadlines they've set, and an onslaught of added mail expected form ballots, the election will be a mess.

“I believe that the left wants it to be a chaos because it opens up fertile grounds for fraud,” Jim says. “No matter who wins this election I predict the loser is going to be outraged and incensed and will sue the other side for fraud.”

Jim was reminded of the 1960 presidential election, which some historians say favorited John F. Kennedy in part because of fraudulent votes in Chicago and elsewhere.

“Richard Nixon took the high road and said we can sue for this and maybe we can win and overturn the election but it’s bad for the American people and system. So he dropped out, made some bitter remarks and slinked off sulking into the dark to come back 8 years late,” Jim said.

Jim said that the Postal Service is right to warn of potential trouble in handling a large number of ballots in the November election.

“But I do believe that some of the political powers want the trouble. They can sneak in under the tumult and the shouting. It’s in the air,” Jim says.

Is Jim right? Be sure to tell Jim and Bob Williams what you think: The Jim Gearhart show is LIVE on Facebook every Thursday at 10:30 a.m., at Facebook.com/NJ1015. Got an idea for an upcoming installment of Jim's show? Meet Jim at Facebook.com/NJ1015 to suggest it in the comments, or email Jim@nj1015.com.

The Jim Gearhart Show podcast is available every week on New Jersey 101.5 and in the New Jersey 101.5 app. You can also subscribe with your favorite podcasting app for iPhones, Android devices or your computer:

That's just part of what Jim and Bob Williams take on in the latest installment of his show, also available as a podcast. Check out the full episode to hear the rest.

Subscribe to the Jim Gearhart Show on the NJ 101.5 app to get alerts of new episodes.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Jim Gearhart. Any opinions expressed are Jim's own.

More from Jim Gearhart:

More from New Jersey 101.5: