USPS in trouble

[fulano]

Looks like we may not have to worry about whether or not we have right to carry in a post office.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/208641/ ... onohoe.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
We can at least look forward to less junk mail.

[sjfcontrol]

A buggy-whip business. R.I.P.

[DEB]

There is a lot wrong with the Post Office no doubt. But with that said, what about rural areas and the delivery of their mail? I was raised in the Panhandle and I don't see other services going to go there to deliver mail. Not everyone has a computer or email and I don't think one should rely on technology for their information. Although I also see that the Post Office is planning on shutting down many rural area post offices. It seems everyone forgets those who live outside the cities or large built up areas.

The Post Office is one of the few government agencies required by the constitution, to whit:

Section 8.
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
(Removed the prior and after clauses) To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

Get rid of some of those other alphabet agencies and fix/keep that which is, one provided for by the constitution and two provides a service to those outside of the cities.

[Oldgringo]

Anybody remember how much bonus the Postmaster General got last year?

[Ameer]

There is a lot wrong with the Post Office no doubt. But with that said, what about rural areas and the delivery of their mail? I was raised in the Panhandle and I don't see other services going to go there to deliver mail. Not everyone has a computer or email and I don't think one should rely on technology for their information. Although I also see that the Post Office is planning on shutting down many rural area post offices. It seems everyone forgets those who live outside the cities or large built up areas.

The Post Office is one of the few government agencies required by the constitution, to whit:

Section 8.
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
(Removed the prior and after clauses) To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

Get rid of some of those other alphabet agencies and fix/keep that which is, one provided for by the constitution and two provides a service to those outside of the cities.

They're not doing much for the common defense either. Look at the frequent invasions along our southern border. Some by foreign military. Obama does nothing. Bush did nothing. Perry doesn't look like he'll be an improvement either.

[sjfcontrol]

There is a lot wrong with the Post Office no doubt. But with that said, what about rural areas and the delivery of their mail? I was raised in the Panhandle and I don't see other services going to go there to deliver mail. Not everyone has a computer or email and I don't think one should rely on technology for their information. Although I also see that the Post Office is planning on shutting down many rural area post offices. It seems everyone forgets those who live outside the cities or large built up areas.

Really? What form of information communication do you feel SHOULD be relied on? Tin cups connected with a string?
Seriously, all information (news) is collected and distributed electronically at some point, even if you're reading it in a newspaper. AND technology provided for the printing of that paper in a timely manner.

As for the rural area argument, my kids live in the heart of the "banjo music" area of SW Missouri. They have telephone, cable and internet service, even though the house they live in resembles the one on "Green Acres". If you're really that far out in the sticks, how are you posting here?

[westex1948]

Anybody remember how much bonus the Postmaster General got last year?

According to Fox News....in 2008...
base salary climbed to $265,000 last year from $186,000 in 2007. He also received a performance bonus of $135,000. In all his total compensation -- salary, bonuses, retirement benefits and other perks -- topped $850,000,
SAME YEAR USPS LOST $2.8 BILLION
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/02 ... z1X7oQ1UWJ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Oldgringo]

Anybody remember how much bonus the Postmaster General got last year?

According to Fox News....in 2008...
base salary climbed to $265,000 last year from $186,000 in 2007. He also received a performance bonus of $135,000. In all his total compensation -- salary, bonuses, retirement benefits and other perks -- topped $850,000,
SAME YEAR USPS LOST $2.8 BILLION
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/02 ... z1X7oQ1UWJ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I wanted someone else to come up with those figures so that I wouldn't be looked upon as a communist...or something, thanks. I hate being called a commie. {sarcasm smiley}

[fulano]

There is a lot wrong with the Post Office no doubt. But with that said, what about rural areas and the delivery of their mail? ....

As for the rural area argument, my kids live in the heart of the "banjo music" area of SW Missouri. They have telephone, cable and internet service, even though the house they live in resembles the one on "Green Acres". If you're really that far out in the sticks, how are you posting here?

UPS and Fedex manage to deliver everywhere. The issue is "what does it really cost to deliver a first class piece of mail?"

UPS and Fed don't deliver junk mail that is immediately thrown in the trash/recycle. If they deliver it; they make a profit. So far, Capitial One isn't paying either of them to flood my mailbox with applications for free money.

The founding fathers never imagined that their USPS would be forced to carry junk to people who are not allowed to 'opt-out'. The old scene of the postman with a bag on his shoulder walking door to door is a joke today. He/she has to park at the end of the block just to carry a bag of junk to a dozen houses.... How does this continue work.

[westex1948]

Anybody remember how much bonus the Postmaster General got last year?

According to Fox News....in 2008...
base salary climbed to $265,000 last year from $186,000 in 2007. He also received a performance bonus of $135,000. In all his total compensation -- salary, bonuses, retirement benefits and other perks -- topped $850,000,
SAME YEAR USPS LOST $2.8 BILLION
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/02 ... z1X7oQ1UWJ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I wanted someone else to come up with those figures so that I wouldn't be looked upon as a communist...or something, thanks. I hate being called a commie. {sarcasm smiley}

Glad could be of service..... ...

[DEB]

There is a lot wrong with the Post Office no doubt. But with that said, what about rural areas and the delivery of their mail? I was raised in the Panhandle and I don't see other services going to go there to deliver mail. Not everyone has a computer or email and I don't think one should rely on technology for their information. Although I also see that the Post Office is planning on shutting down many rural area post offices. It seems everyone forgets those who live outside the cities or large built up areas.

Really? What form of information communication do you feel SHOULD be relied on? Tin cups connected with a string?
Seriously, all information (news) is collected and distributed electronically at some point, even if you're reading it in a newspaper. AND technology provided for the printing of that paper in a timely manner.

As for the rural area argument, my kids live in the heart of the "banjo music" area of SW Missouri. They have telephone, cable and internet service, even though the house they live in resembles the one on "Green Acres". If you're really that far out in the sticks, how are you posting here?

I said I was raised in the Panhandle, not that I still live there. Also, I have been to SW Missouri, and it aint the Panhandle or South Texas, neither can it be compared to other areas in the west or fly over country. I mis-spoke about the technology, so you got me there, LOL. I know that all of the US probably has or at least have the capability to have telephone, cable or satellite service. That said, I just don't believe getting rid of the post office is the answer. It does need fixed that's for sure, but I still stand by, that this government agency is needed, again perhaps not around the built up areas, but there are still areas in the US that, I believe, need this service. At least it is one of the only federal agencies required by the constitution, unlike the Education Department, BATF, IRS, and probably most other federal acronyms. My take only.

[DEB]

There is a lot wrong with the Post Office no doubt. But with that said, what about rural areas and the delivery of their mail? I was raised in the Panhandle and I don't see other services going to go there to deliver mail. Not everyone has a computer or email and I don't think one should rely on technology for their information. Although I also see that the Post Office is planning on shutting down many rural area post offices. It seems everyone forgets those who live outside the cities or large built up areas.

The Post Office is one of the few government agencies required by the constitution, to whit:

Section 8.
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
(Removed the prior and after clauses) To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

Get rid of some of those other alphabet agencies and fix/keep that which is, one provided for by the constitution and two provides a service to those outside of the cities.

They're not doing much for the common defense either. Look at the frequent invasions along our southern border. Some by foreign military. Obama does nothing. Bush did nothing. Perry doesn't look like he'll be an improvement either.

Aint that the truth, except I am still hoping about Perry. It sure seems like a spin of a roulette wheel that's for sure.

[sjfcontrol]

I said I was raised in the Panhandle, not that I still live there. Also, I have been to SW Missouri, and it aint the Panhandle or South Texas, neither can it be compared to other areas in the west or fly over country. I mis-spoke about the technology, so you got me there, LOL. I know that all of the US probably has or at least have the capability to have telephone, cable or satellite service. That said, I just don't believe getting rid of the post office is the answer. It does need fixed that's for sure, but I still stand by, that this government agency is needed, again perhaps not around the built up areas, but there are still areas in the US that, I believe, need this service. At least it is one of the only federal agencies required by the constitution, unlike the Education Department, BATF, IRS, and probably most other federal acronyms. My take only.

Well, there's SW Missouri (Joplin), and then there's SW Missouri (Noel). But regardless...

What you want is for the US Government to support (i.e. pay OUR money for) a service specifically for rural areas, that can't make it now when serving everybody including the far-less-expensive cities?
And be careful what you wish for with respect to constitutional requirements. I could see the Govt. deciding that to "fix" the postal service, it needs to include email in its purview, and we'd end up paying for email delivery. Which would necessarily have to go thru USPS servers, resulting in week-long delivery times for email, restrictions on message size, attachments, contents, etc.

The fact is, technology, the internet and the private sector have eliminated the need for the postal service. I realize this may be inconvenient or costly for some people who for one reason or another want to resist progress. but we've come a long way since 1775.

(And don't get me started on the Public Library System!)

[VMI77]

There is a lot wrong with the Post Office no doubt. But with that said, what about rural areas and the delivery of their mail? ....

As for the rural area argument, my kids live in the heart of the "banjo music" area of SW Missouri. They have telephone, cable and internet service, even though the house they live in resembles the one on "Green Acres". If you're really that far out in the sticks, how are you posting here?

UPS and Fedex manage to deliver everywhere. The issue is "what does it really cost to deliver a first class piece of mail?"

UPS and Fed don't deliver junk mail that is immediately thrown in the trash/recycle. If they deliver it; they make a profit. So far, Capitial One isn't paying either of them to flood my mailbox with applications for free money.

The founding fathers never imagined that their USPS would be forced to carry junk to people who are not allowed to 'opt-out'. The old scene of the postman with a bag on his shoulder walking door to door is a joke today. He/she has to park at the end of the block just to carry a bag of junk to a dozen houses.... How does this continue work.

I buy and sell things over the internet and do a lot of shipping. I'm not arguing the philosophical issues here, but as a practical matter, I choose the USPS over UPS and Fedex whenever I have the option. For one thing, the USPS is way cheaper. I had to ship something to Japan last week and the cheapest rate I could get from UPS or Fedex was about $70, versus $32 for the same service from the USPS. Since I was only getting $32 for shipping I would have lost money shipping by UPS or Fedex. I've also found that standard shipping via the USPS is normally faster than standard shipping via UPS. Furthermore, I've shipped hundreds of packages by the USPS without a single screwed up delivery, with quite a few packages going overseas. I use them infrequently yet both UPS and Fedex have screwed up important deliveries for me multiple times. Most recently UPS left a package for my son on the sidewalk outside his apartment building in South Chicago --needless to say, he never got it-- and getting the situation fixed was a major hassle.

[sjfcontrol]

Furthermore, I've shipped hundreds of packages by the USPS without a single screwed up delivery, with quite a few packages going overseas.

I would submit that the USPS is not responsible for either correct or incorrect deliveries overseas.