Government Run Programs - The Post Office

[ferdville]

The Government Accountability Office says the Post Office is still a mess and needs reform.

For this fiscal year the PO may lose as much as 7 billion dollars despite a recent raise in the price of stamps.

It was stated that the Post Office could be out of money by September.

The Postmaster General has requested service to return to five days per week - no Saturday delivery.

 

[kosar]

The Government Accountability Office says the Post Office is still a mess and needs reform.

For this fiscal year the PO may lose as much as 7 billion dollars despite a recent raise in the price of stamps.

It was stated that the Post Office could be out of money by September.

The Postmaster General has requested service to return to five days per week - no Saturday delivery.

That would be fine. Why do we need saturday service anyways? I wouldn't care if they delivered mail once a week.

I know that's not your overall point, but how many people would/will scream bloody murder if they don't get their saturday mail? Tons.

Start with 90% of those over 60, as that seems to be the highlight of their day.

 

[Chadman]

I don't think that this is specifically due to the fact that it's a government run program. What businesses aren't down from previous years of late? Not too many, I don't think. And what sectors are suffering the most? Certainly snail-mail would be one, due to so many people using so many communication alternatives to sending letters (e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, cell phones/texting). The publishing and retailing sector is down a ton, so fewer catalogs and newspapers are going out through the mail.

Seems like a political jab to me, that could easily be explained by current economic and realities of new business models taking over market share from the government business.

 

[The Sponge]

How is that gov't run program that pays for politicians health care doing? It runs as good as anything i ever saw in my life. Strange that people don't want health care run by the Gov't when in fact it runs so fluidly for the politicians that receive it.

 

[The Sponge]

Start with 90% of those over 60, as that seems to be the highlight of their day.

One of the strangest things i have ever witness.:mj03:

 

[hedgehog]

I use the post office as little as possible, they need to go to 3 days a week delivery, I only check the mail once a week anyway, bills come via e-mail, online banking, or credit card. Don't get bank statements anymore they are all e-mailed to me.

 

[deadeye]

mail

mail

yeah and every little town has to have a building, postmaster,etc. what a waste. every other day would be plenty.

 

[Trench]

The Government Accountability Office says the Post Office is still a mess and needs reform.

For this fiscal year the PO may lose as much as 7 billion dollars despite a recent raise in the price of stamps.

It was stated that the Post Office could be out of money by September.

The Postmaster General has requested service to return to five days per week - no Saturday delivery.

IMO, in many ways, the USPS is a model of efficiency. It's the 3rd largest employer in the country and operates the largest civilian vehicle fleet in the world. Combine increased fuel prices with a 20-25% decline in volume of 1st class mail over the past 10 years and it's easy to see why the gap between revenues and operating costs is increasing.

But yes, the USPS needs to adjust to the changing market by eliminating Saturday mail service and increasing the price of 1st class postage.

I feel so cheated when I want to mail a letter cross-country and it costs me 44 CENTS!!!

 

[Wilson]

Having good friends that have worked as postman and postmasters----I am sure the operation is pretty inefficient.kurby

 

[ferdville]

Obviously email and texting have cut the amount of mail the post office handles. Of course these are not new innovations and adjustments should have been made. The increased efficiency of FedEx and others like Fed Ex has cut in to the business. But the great point was that every town seems to need a post office. I have seen cases when two different towns one mile apart have separate post offices.

Kosar - I take offense at your statement about people over 60. Delivery of the mail is not the highlight of my day, but it is in the top 5!!

SPonge - the government run health care plan that is used by government employees is NOT anything like Obama Care. Politicians and govmt employees will not have to use the plan.

 

[Spytheweb]

How is that gov't run program that pays for politicians health care doing? It runs as good as anything i ever saw in my life. Strange that people don't want health care run by the Gov't when in fact it runs so fluidly for the politicians that receive it.

This is a very good point. Of all the congressmen running down a government health care system i have yet to hear one of them say that there should be improvements to the government plan they have.

For the ones that say the government can't run anything right, they are the government, you can't have it both ways.

 

[Spytheweb]

I use the post office as little as possible, they need to go to 3 days a week delivery, I only check the mail once a week anyway, bills come via e-mail, online banking, or credit card. Don't get bank statements anymore they are all e-mailed to me.

Just suppose something happened to the internet? a war maybe. Whatever and no net. Looks like you put all your eggs in one basket.

What's your backup plan? Are you one of those pull yourself up by your boot straps republicans? You'll find yourself a horse and deliver your own mail.

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

I wonder if the fact that with all the reductions in services due to email and competition over the years and they are now for the 1st time ever considering layoffs has anything to do with it.
1st to go will be non union postal employees

http://buelahman.wordpress.com/2008/11/11/first-post-office-layoff-in-americas-history/

 

[ferdville]

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Sponge
How is that gov't run program that pays for politicians health care doing? It runs as good as anything i ever saw in my life. Strange that people don't want health care run by the Gov't when in fact it runs so fluidly for the politicians that receive it.

Originally Postedby SpytheWeb
This is a very good point. Of all the congressmen running down a government health care system i have yet to hear one of them say that there should be improvements to the government plan they have.

For the ones that say the government can't run anything right, they are the government, you can't have it both ways.

......................................................................
I believe I have already said this 3 times, but here goes agaian.

1. The health care program that politicians and their families have is not ObamaCare nore anything remotely like ObamaCare. They have 260 options to choose from. Yes - 260 options!

Why would any of them switch when the program they have is a Bentley compared to a Yugo?

The government does a great job in running things that are for the elected officials. No doubt about it. They get the best of everything.
But it is not the plan Obama is presenting to the common folks - clear (I hope) and simple. :shrug:

 

[Lumi]

How about going back to the Pony Express?

All those horses in Ridgecrest, CA that is going to cost 700MIL, saddle the bastards up