Well, it looks like we have…at least temporarily…by returning the billions of dollars Congress made it pay forward into its retirement program.

I cannot understand this obsession with the notion that the United States Postal Service show a profit. We don’t ask the armed services to to show a profit and we don’t ask them to take a portion of their annual budget and pay it forward into the military pension program.

The establishment and maintenance of a national postal service is a mandate of the US Constitution. (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 7) If you entertain some fevered conservative dream of starving it into non-existence and handing its functions over to a private corporation you might ask whether that would be possible without amending the Constitution. Or whether you’d even want to do that.

In many small communities across the country the post offices function as community centers, a place where neighbors meet and exchange the time of day when they pick up their mail. It would be a shame to lose them.

One stamp sends my card or letter across the street or across the country. Federal money well spent. Can’t always say that for our imperial military engagements.

Postal Clause + Analysis Here

Star reader David W Gallagher recently commented in the Letters to The Editor on the brouhaha about Ann Romney’s job status. He concluded:

“I find it interesting that when a poor woman seeks welfare and other aid to assist her in the raising of her children; she is described as not working and in need of a job. When a fortunate woman stays at home to raise her children, she is described as working hard.”

Right on, Mr. Gallagher.

Letter here.

We have begun to receive mailings from the Republican party. Three glossy campaign mailings have arrived a few days apart and were directed against Democrat Ron Barber, identifying him as nothing more than a clone of that wicked witch of the west, Nancy Pelosi.

These mailings have been reinforced by robo-calls repeating the same claims…that Barber’s policies would force people to lose their health care plans, that Cap-and-Trade would prevent 40,000 Arizona jobs from being created and that Barber supported cutting $500 Billion from Medicare.

These are pretty much Republican charges left over from the Giffords-Kelly campaign, which weren’t particularly effective then either.

I’m not interested in discussing the Pinocchio rating of these claims, although it’s worth remembering that Cap-And-Trade hasn’t passed and that the  “$500 Billion from Medicare” was to stop HMOs from charging the government fees greater than the standard Medicare fees. Medicare went on as before.

What’s interesting about these mailings is that they are an attempt to “brand” Barber before debates between Barber and the Republican candidate are held. This is a traditional “first strike strategy,” the intent of which is to put your opponent on the defensive from the beginning of the campaign.

I receive these because I am a registered Independent, but it’s worth noting that neither the Data Port’s registered Democrat nor I have heard from the Dems.

Our Democrat has heard from Mitt, who writes because, “you are one of America’s most notable Republicans.” Oh?

We’ve received mail from two of the four Republican primary candidates, Frank Antenori and Dave Sitton. Neither mentions Democratic candidate Ron Barber; that job has been handled by the Republican party. This allows the candidates the space to hack away at  fellow Republicans.  Both are critical of their opponents.

Antenori’s mailer is the smallest of all received being only 6 by 11…half the size of the other mail pieces. He has room enough to compare his record to that of Kelly and McSally, but, gosh, there just isn’t enough room to mention Dave Sitton.

Sitton’s mailer claims that he has more detailed plans for achieving security and improving the economy than his opponents and that he has been in the community for 38 years.

If you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to vote on Tuesday.