When we look at USPS only through a profit lens, we miss the economic engine sitting in plain sight
When we look at USPS only through a profit lens, we miss the economic engine sitting in plain sight  
Podcast: The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton
Published On: Wed Feb 11 2026
Description: New research from Brookings shows that rural counties with stronger access to post offices have more small‑business activity, even when broadband and other factors are the same. That suggests the postal network is doing far more economic heavy lifting than policymakers assume. We’ll dig into the findings with Elena Patel, co-director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center and a senior fellow in the Economic Studies Program at the Brookings Institution. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.