This is being a bit disingenuous. While the USPS is getting screwed via mandates, there are deeper issues too. http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/financials/10k-reports/fy2008.pdf http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/financials/10k-reports/fy2010.pdf If you look at the USPS financial statements, their revenue was $72.7B in 2006 going up to $74.9B in 2008 but then dropping to $68.0B, $67.0B, and $65.7B over the next three years. Even assuming they funded retiree accounts at the 2006 level ($1.6B) they still lose $2.0B, $2.3B and $4.2B over 2009, 2010, and 2011. Falling revenues and being restricted from lowering costs matter just as much.

Anyone interested on reading the official Science description of what has happened/is happening can read their press release here.

http://www.sciencemag.org/sciext/hwang2005/science _statement_v2.pdf

The info here should be updated regularly.