As we Americans celebrate the 250th birthday of our country this year, we ought to take a minute to appreciate an often maligned organization that has helped tie the nation together throughout its history.

That organization is the United States Postal Service.

Even in the age of email, the Postal Service has a key role in helping Americans communicate and do business. We ought to keep it that way.

Privatizing the Postal Service would be a mistake that would result in less service and higher costs for citizens. Unfortunately, the concept of privatizing it has come up a couple of times in the last few years..

The Postal Service is exactly that – a service. We believe there are certain operations that need to continue working for the people without a profit motive. The Postal Service, which delivers everything from Christmas cards to vital medicines six days a week, is one of those operations.

There are multiple laws requiring it to provide uniform price and quality across the entire United States. We believe any privatized operation would move quickly to get rid of those laws.

The Postal Service is also required to deliver and pick up from every address in every community throughout our vast nation six days a week. We believe a private operation would work to end that responsibility, and those of us who live in rural America would pay the price in the form of reduced service. Does anyone seriously think a private operation would bring mail to places like Lehigh or Livermore six days a week?

We may grumble about the price of stamps now, but if a private operator motivated only by profits were selling the stamps the sky would be the limit on their price.

Then there is the matter of safety. The United States Postal Inspection Service, one of the oldest federal law enforcement agencies, protects the mail from theft and tampering. And while postal officials aren’t likely to talk about it in any detail, the service has the ability to screen mail items for explosives, biohazards such as anthrax, and radiation. Would a private operator do all of that?

In terms of cost, quality and six-day a week service, the Postal Service is an operation that cannot be excelled by a private operator seeking only profit.

We believe privatizing the Postal Service would be a mistake.

The United States Postal Service must remain a strong organization that ties the nation together, just as it has since Benjamin Franklin started it during the American Revolution.