The U.S. Postal Service was long a bright spot in the federal government, flourishing no matter which party was in office. It was an institution that could be relied upon and respected.

Most Americans took its integrity, efficiency and good work for granted.

Today, the U.S. Postal Service needs help. But Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s scheme for improvement seems destined to make the USPS’s problems worse, not better.

This might once have been a prime opportunity for bipartisan cooperation to repair a cherished federal service to ensure its sustainability. While those days seem long past, this is the type of reform that deserves broad buy-in by members of both parties.