The Post Office has, from the beginning of the Republic, traditionally been the single greatest bastion of patronage in the Federal Government for both parties. The office of Postmaster General has always been given as a sinecure to a top party boss, who hands out top jobs in the various states as a reward to loyal lieutenants, who in turn dispense jobs to loyal party workers.

The Main Post Office in New York is named the James A. Farley Post Office. Farley was the Democratic National Committee Chairman who helped get FDR elected in 1932. ANd, following tradition, he proceeded to hand out jobs to party regulars.

There were some civil service and other reforms made in the wake of Watergate, but, though the power of the Postmaster General to dispense patronage has been greatly weakend, it is still the single greatest source of patronage in the Federal Government.

So relax. In two years, there'll be a whole new crew of cronies in there.