Two Different Explanations To Why The USPS Is Not Really Failing
Really Mr. President, Really??? Are You Going To Sit There While They Destroy The USPS?
Original link: NH Labor News http://bit.ly/150ua8Q
We knew Mitt Romney was going to sell the Postal Service off, we didn’t expect President Obama to sit by idly as Congress sends the Postal Service into a death spiral. It seems this issue should be more important to the President as he often states the importance of our nation's infrastructure. His administration has worked to create middle class and veteran jobs but he remains stunningly silent as anti union and anti government politicians let the Postal Service eliminate Saturday delivery and accelerate its demise.
It is widely known that the Postal Service financial problems are tied to a 2006 Congressional mandate that requires the USPS to fund retiree health care costs 75 years into the future. Though the USPS pension funds are seriously over funded congress is still requiring it to put away $5.5 billion a year for workers not yet born. No other business or agency in America is required to do this.
The Postal Service ties this nation together like no other institution. Rural America depends on six days a week mail delivery as it our country’s only universal communication network. Fed Ex and UPS provide scant coverage to rural America as they rely on the Postal Service to deliver to these unprofitable spots six days a week.......Continue Reading
Ending Six Day Delivery is Wrong Answer For The USPS
Original link: NH Labor News http://bit.ly/WT9kBz
The USPS is a very special government entity. They collect no money from taxes and are completely self-funded. This means the entire postal service is paid for by selling stamps. They are like a private company with one big catch, everything they do is mandated by Congress.
You may have heard different, or you may have heard the Post Office is going bankrupt. There is a little truth to both of those statements. The employees of the USPS are federal employees and are covered under the Federal Employee’s Retirement System (FERs). In fact the USPS is the single largest section of the federal workforce with over 800,000 employees currently. In 2006, President Bush signed into a law a bill that forced the USPS to PRE-PAY their retirement contributions. Basically the USPS has to PRE-PAY the retirement system for the next 75 years in the next 10 years. This equates to about $5 Billion dollars a years in over payments.....Continue Reading
Really??
6:11 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
The GOP hates governmental success.
No Longer interested
6:27 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Benjamin Franklin would be disgusted with what the neocon Republicans are doing to the post office.
Joe
6:51 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Then I'd tell Ben if he doesn't like it, "go fly a kite!"
Seamus Carty
10:49 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Republicans? The blog cites the 2006 Congress. What party controlled the Senate that year?
Mike black
6:39 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Obama is a neocon republican now ?
steve forte
2:32 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Whats so devastating about not getting junk mail on Saturday?
Reality Geezer
8:49 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Congress should not have any control over the USPS, unless they want to fully fund it...............
One Man Wolf Pack
9:23 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
"They are like a private company with one big catch, everything they do is mandated by Congress." Sound like the same with everything else in this country, government is the problem. So how about this; lets jest let USPS go private and completely release it from any governmental control....including potential future bailouts...........
NH Labor News
11:02 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
No charlie, you want the postal service to be a part of the government because when it makes a profit, as it would have last year (1 billion to be exact) we could reinvest that money in the government. Eliminate the pre-funding requirement and the post office will be one of the strongest and most trusted companies in the world!
One Man Wolf Pack
11:41 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
No I don't at all. I would like to see the government offer up the USPS as an IPO and remove government oversight from the entity. I would then like the government to set out policies for all carriers to be able to use a mailbox not just USPS and then regulate service area much the same as they do with power and communications. As the progressives are keen to point out when talking about the 2nd amendment, the world has changed, and as such there is no need for the government to be providing this service in direct competition with the private sector and flying in the face of emerging technologies.
One Man Wolf Pack
1:31 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
" because when it makes a profit, as it would have last year (1 billion to be exact) we could reinvest that money in the government. "
This is a really scary concept; how big do you think the government should be? You are diametrically opposed to big corporations yet you want bigger government?
Celia Brown
2:19 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
I agree. P&L ! just like in the dreaded private sector
NH Labor News
12:46 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
I absolutely do not want to open my mailbox to anyone else. The violates the security the USPS provides. Mail tapering is a crime and deters people from getting in your mailbox to some extent.
If you want true privacy in communications use the USPS
One Man Wolf Pack
1:41 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Your kidding right? So because it is a law it is secure?
How does USPS ensure security at all? The very fact that they require a return address printed on the outside of an envelope tells anyone who looks quite a bit about the individual.
If you want true privacy use encrypted email, something north of 256K.
And by the way, even though you bought it and are responsible for it your mailbox is not legally yours it is the property of the USPS. That is part of the problem, your local kids groups and community efforts can put things in the mailbox either even though they are performing the delivery. We have made it a crime for you to have your mailbox used in anyway you see fit.
Celia Brown
2:00 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
True privacy= Encrypt electronic communications. Several years ago the mental giants over at the USPS came up with this ploy to certify emails!! that worked out well haha.
I always asked how many years does it take for a letter carrier to figure out that the word around them has changed to the point where you hardly see much of any 1st class mail in the bag? Evidently 20 years isnt long enough
Celia Brown
2:03 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Charlie is right. You get a nasty note from the postmaster if you put a flyer or something in a mailbox. that's BS and actually what got me fired up a few years ago when I tried that. I paid out of my wallet to put a mailbox in front of my house.
So Charlie can probably understand my motivation to remove my mailbox permanently
Arturo Conservador
8:02 am on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
I've worked for secure government agencies and NGO's including Los Alamos National Labs. When exchanging highly sensitive information we never used the USPS. Why would you spread such a myth? The goverment including Homeland Security does warrantless inspections of mail. That is not true of UPS/FedEx.
Celia Brown
1:57 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Hmm, 60-70 percent drop in mail because of electronic communications. Increased cost pressure and reduced market share for package delivery? No fundamental change in the way the USPS does business other than charge more for a stamp?
Please, put this quasi-govt agency out to pasture with the rest of the dinosaurs.
I'm one bill away from ripping out my mailbox..which I will do later this spring. Just think...no more crap spam mail, no election BS I have to sift through. My bills and news, such as this publication, are all on line. Much more efficient and greener to the environment.
Seamus Carty
10:51 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
"Rural America depends on six days a week mail delivery as it our country’s only universal communication network. "
Really? Has the Internet not made it to rural America? Who depends on Saturday deliver? What is so important that it cannot wait until Monday?
Proud Conservative
6:41 am on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Reduce the work force by 50%. Deliver mail to one half of the customers on M-W-F and to the other half on Tu-Th- Sa. This reduces payroll and vehicle fleet costs by 50% and provides mail delivery to everyone 3 days per week. No one needs mail delivery 6 days a week regardless of what they may claim.
Seamus Carty
11:09 am on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Eliminating Saturday delivery does not hasten the USPS demise, it helps the post office stay viable.
It is interesting that the blogger chides Romney for his idea to take the USPS private and at the same time states that it is interference from Congress that is the problem. The gov should spin the USPS out as a utility...
Robert B Butts
3:05 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
So is eliminating Saturday a foot in the door to destroy the USPS entirely?
The other arguments for keeping Sat delivery are not compelling to me.
steve forte
7:10 am on Thursday, February 14, 2013
I dont see it that way. I have no desire to see the USPS destroyed. I also dont see an end to Saturday delivery as devastating. Beyond Saturay delivery there are many other ways to cut costs. Lets face it , when volume is down 40% income will also be down. Obviously the correct path is to cut costs accordingly.
Celia Brown
3:08 pm on Monday, February 18, 2013
Another reason to shake your head every time the USPS does something....
400 Postal Service managers to attend March conference in California. Hotel rooms near $300 a night. "Taste of San Francisco" included—
Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) February 18, 2013
Poised to cancel Saturday mail.. US Postal Service to spend $2.2 million to send managers to San Francisco conference. Golf, dinners listed—
Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) February 18, 2013
Postal Service will spend $2 million to send 400 employees to California conference in March 2013. Golf outing on agenda http://t.co/6dkyct9L
Meanwhile..........
U.S. Postal Service will default on mandatory $5.6 billion retiree health benefit payment
USPS, please go out of business
Really??
3:35 pm on Monday, February 18, 2013
You read a Tweet and now you want to kill one of America's greatest institutions?
Who is Scott Macfarlane?
Celia, please educate yourself.