On CBS’s Face the Nation this morning, failed presidential candidate John McCain displayed a rather breathtaking ignorance of how the US Postal Service is financed when he suggested that “going after sacred cows” like “the post office” was a key strategy in cutting back federal spending. McCain is apparently unaware of the fact that the USPS, whatever its current problems, pays its own way. Here’s what McCain said, word for word:

“The Post Office- a model of inefficiency- horse and buggies in days of when Internets and communications have basically replacing it more and more uh we have to go after the sacred cows”

McCain added that he could solve Social Security “on the back of an envelope”. McCain’s postal comments come at about the 8:20 mark:

From the Schenectady Daily Gazette:

A former postmaster in Albany County has pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing money from the U.S. Postal Service.

Labeeb Hameed, identified as the former postmaster at the Guilderland Center Post Office, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court Jan. 14 to one count of theft of public money, a misdemeanor. He faces up to one year in federal custody at his scheduled April 15 sentencing.

As part of his plea, Hameed admitted he stole a total of $6,900 from the U.S. Postal Service and diverted it to his own use, according to the plea agreement filed in federal court.

Hameed had worked for the Postal Service since Sept. 17, 2005. By Oct. 1, 2009, he was assigned to work as postmaster at the Guilderland Center Post Office, according to the plea agreement.

Between his start date as postmaster and Feb. 11, 2010, Hameed was accused of taking the money.

He did so, according to the plea agreement, by removing money from the post office cash register. He also admitted to not depositing gross receipts on various occasions from customers into the cash register and keeping it for himself, and admitted that he issued money orders to his personal creditors without paying for the money orders.

Full story: Former Guilderland postmaster admits stealing from post office