Sleepovers at Hicksville post office?

So it looks like the old creed associated with the U.S. Postal Service, "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds," is true.

It takes a lot less than that.

Being sleepy? And greedy? And so lazy it boggles the mind?

Well, that could slow the work down a bit.

Friday an entire shift of 10 postal service employees at the Hicksville Maintenance Facility were caught sleeping on the job and are to be fired, according an unidentified employee.

The workers are supposed to maintain postal service vehicles. Instead, they've allegedly been locking gates with their own chains and locks, positioning a baby monitor near to alert them if anyone was coming, rolling out bedrools and blankets, blocking the windows and catching 40 winks. Or 80, or 160. As many winks as needed, I guess.

The facility was raided after the Postal Services’ inspector general got a tip, which is stirring evidence of our federal government in action. The facility has been under investigation for 17 months because of an employee tip, which is less stirring (and also less surprising) evidence of how government works.

According to the employee, the facility's manager said investigators launched a raid, took pictures of everyone sleeping, then "woke them all up."

This is everything people fear and hate about our government, the sense that we are being taken advantage of and laughed at by government workers who do nothing and game the system.

Mostly, it isn't true. Mostly, government workers do, in fact, work for the government.

But this kind of incident makes us all wonder "How much of this goes on. How can it be stopped." And in our weaker moments, "Where do I apply?"

How did this go on so long? How far up the chain of command can blame be placed? Can criminal charges be brought?

Eugene Fata, an official at the local chapter of the American Postal Workers Union, said the allegations have not been proven, which is true.

That's both a true statement and a perfect example of what we most fear about government unions. The people, if the claims are true, will demand punishment. And everyone who can be shown to have had even the scantest knowledge of the situation deserve some.