# Think Tank > U.S. Constitution >  Question about dismantling the U.S. Post Office

## GreenLP

To dismantle the U.S. Post Office, would it have to be written out of the Constitution first, or simply not be funded anymore and sell off all its assets?

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## FrankRep

The Constitution doesn't require the Government to run the post office, they just have the power to do so.

The government has the power to privatize it.

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## aid632007

I agree

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## torchbearer

i say just legalize competition in first class letter mail and the usps will either compete like a private company or go away.
the usps isn't apart of the federal budget. it funds itself with user fees, which is a voluntary tax and moral. the immorality comes from its protected monopoly.

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## FauxCapitalist

> The Constitution doesn't require the Government to run the post office, they just have the power to do so.
> 
> The government has the power to privatize it.


If they can privatize it, what makes a privately owned central bank chartered by Congress unconstitutional?

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## Acala

> If they can privatize it, what makes a privately owned central bank chartered by Congress unconstitutional?


1. Congress has no authority to charter a bank

2. Congress has no authority to grant the Fed the power to create money that you MUST use.

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## FrankRep

> If they can privatize it, what makes a privately owned central bank chartered by Congress unconstitutional?


A "post office" is explicitly allowed in the Constitution. A Central bank is not in the Constitution.

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## SilentBull

> The Constitution doesn't require the Government to run the post office, they just have the power to do so.
> 
> The government has the power to privatize it.


Exactly. Just because they have the authority, does not mean they have to exercise it.

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## FauxCapitalist

> 2. Congress has no authority to grant the Fed the power to create money that you MUST use.


Correct, if you believe that the "necessary and proper" clause has no impact on the enumerated powers of Congress, which neither Madison, Hamilton, or the anti-Federalists believed.

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## FauxCapitalist

> Exactly. Just because they have the authority, does not mean they have to exercise it.


Yes, but if it's not exercised, then can it be delegated to anyone else? That's what they'd do by privatizing the post office. Congress isn't just going to let the mail be delivered without regulations, or some statute that recognizes the corporation that's doing it.

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## Matt Collins

What Torch says.

Basically we dont have to disband it, just force it to compete with everyone else. This is just like the currency. We don't have to disband the Fed (although it would be nice), just repeal legal tender laws.

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## showpan

I use the mail quite a bit for transactions on ebay. I never use anything for small packages other than U.S. priority, insured, because all of the others are more expensive, take much longer, have lost my packages and/or have destroyed the contents. I am not talking about just a few either. If the post office is privatized someday, hopefully it doesn't become what the others are because they suck.

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## Acala

> Correct, if you believe that the "necessary and proper" clause has no impact on the enumerated powers of Congress, which neither Madison, Hamilton, or the anti-Federalists believed.


The necessary and proper clause doesn't grant any additional powers, it simply gives all necessary authority to execute those powers explicitly given.  For example, Congress can build a mint even though building a mint is not specifically enumerated because it is necessary to build a mint in order to coin money which IS specifically enumerated.  It is really pretty simple - unless someone is TRYING to expand Federal power.  Then it gets confused.

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## Sam I am

UPS yo




> i say just legalize competition in first class letter mail and the usps will either compete like a private company or go away.
> the usps isn't apart of the federal budget. it funds itself with user fees, which is a voluntary tax and moral. the immorality comes from its protected monopoly.

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## Acala

> UPS yo


UPS can't legally deliver first class mail.  yo

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## eduardo89

> UPS can't legally deliver first class mail.  yo


And they can't legally deliver to your mailbox

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