The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has released a white paper that poses eight basic questions to help determine the role of the Postal Service in the 21st century.

The questions in the paper have been discussed many times in the media and elsewhere — but usually piecemeal, one topic at a time. In this paper, because they list virtually all of the key issues facing the USPS in one place, as well as alternatives, it adds depth and context to the topic: http://www.uspsoig.gov/foia_files/RARC-WP-11-001.pdf

In a related note, Senator Susan M. Collins has requested that the OIG conduct a review to determine the effects USPS Compliance Rules have on business mailers. If you would like to participate in this anonymous online survey, go to: http://survey.uspsoig.gov/cgi-bin/qwebcorporate.dll?idx=P9XUT7.

You can also go to a site they created for exchanging comments with mailers and OIG employees: http://auditprojects.uspsoig.gov/2011/01/25/congressional-request-senator-susan-m-collins-effects-usps-compliance-rules-have-on-mailers-11ro002ms000/