USPS losing billions ---- consolidating offices

CravenurdotterII · 08-04-2009, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by BSS

Even with all this, bulk mail, val-pak, and weekly unsolicited advos are the ONLY things that have managed to keep the P.O.'s head above water thus far. As the cost of postage continues to increase each May and internet shopping becomes more commonplace across older demographic subsets, there is really no place for the USPS' business model to go other than the way of the Buffalo. I'm not one who wants to see the post office go under or anything, but it's painfully obvious they need some streamlining and fresh ideas.

Even with the $.01 or 2 cent increases people bitch about nonstop, I think it's quite a bargain that I can still manage to get a letter across country in a reasonable amount of time (4 or 5 days) with reasonable assurance it's going to arrive undamaged for less than a buck.

Yes it is a bargain.

TARP was not a bargain......people get all up in arms about a couple pennies.......and then allow Goldman Sachs to rape us for billions......funny country we have here.

**Hugh Conway** · 08-04-2009, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by Dantheman

Hardly, I love USPS service, especially flat rate boxes. Saturday delivery has always just seemed rather pointless to me. I also heard (or maybe read, can't remember) a USPS official talking recently about how Saturday delivery costs them a ton a of money and cutting it would be an easy way to cut costs with only a small reduction in level of service. You may enjoy getting the Economist on saturday, but I would guess 90+% of people would not notice or care if they stopped getting their coupon mailers and O Magazine on saturday.

I'd rather them to go back to 7-day a week delivery, which they did earlier, until the Jesus freaks got pissed. In the current business climate of 24/7 that's more logical

**Rasputin** · 08-04-2009, 02:43 PM

I am quite thankful for the USPS, I've only ever had one failed delivery, but thousands of successful deliveries. I hope it can continue with such a success rate.

CravenurdotterII · 08-04-2009, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by Rasputin

I am quite thankful for the USPS, I've only ever had one failed delivery, but thousands of successful deliveries. I hope it can continue with such a success rate.

I've had Fed Ex and UPS lose several.......USPS.....never.

**fez** · 08-04-2009, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by Dantheman

I don't see how incompetent management has anything to do with this. Seems like people are just sending a lot less mail.

its not so much incompetent management but that the management isnt nimble enough.

stop saturday deliver? go to congress and ask permission. (personally i think they should go to 3 days a week, but whatever i dont really mail much and i can wait an extra day or three for that piece of junk mail)

close a pointless post office in the middle of nowhere? go ahead and try, you'll be talking to a congressman in no time.

lay off employees? not sure, but probably requires both congressional and union approval.

so yeah, the guts of the issue is the volume of mail is declining at a rather amazing rate. but a major part of the reason for the staggering losses is because USPS management cannot act quickly to do anything to stem the losses. personally i think the usps should be privatized.

CravenurdotterII · 08-04-2009, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by fez

its not so much incompetent management but that the management isnt nimble enough.

stop saturday deliver? go to congress and ask permission. (personally i think they should go to 3 days a week, but whatever i dont really mail much and i can wait an extra day or three for that piece of junk mail)

close a pointless post office in the middle of nowhere? go ahead and try, you'll be talking to a congressman in no time.

lay off employees? not sure, but probably requires both congressional and union approval.

so yeah, the guts of the issue is the volume of mail is declining at a rather amazing rate. but a major part of the reason for the staggering losses is because USPS management cannot act quickly to do anything to stem the losses. personally i think the usps should be privatized.

They've layed several people off here plus cut hours.
Maybe they're not as "nimble" because they try to keep people employed instead of slashing jobs to keep the CEO's bonus intact and the jets running for the next golf outing.

UPS and Fed EX are privatized and they suck.

**fez** · 08-04-2009, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by CravenurdotterII

They've layed several people off here plus cut hours.
Maybe they're not as "nimble" because they try to keep people employed instead of slashing jobs to keep the CEO's bonus intact and the jets running for the next golf outing.

UPS and Fed EX are privatized and they suck.

well you'd probably like your government run health care better too, but that ain't the way we do things round here.

CravenurdotterII · 08-04-2009, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by fez

well you'd probably like your government run health care better too, but that ain't the way we do things round here.

Happen to have two surgeons in the family who work for the VA and did 6 years in Zaire.......for FREE.......omg.......FREE medical care. One's a top ranked vascular surgeon and my sis is a general surgeon.......OMG.....competent government docs.

You're right......that's not the way you do things......because caring and compassion have disappeared from your thinking......

**Downbound Train** · 08-04-2009, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by fez

well you'd probably like your government run health care better too, but that ain't the way we do things round here.

Read without sarcasm, that's a good point.
Does it really even matter if the government can do something better or not? If it's not the governments constitutional duty, they shouldn't do it.
Post office is called for in the constitution so the gov should be involved. All this other shit like healthcare....for better or worse, not so sure.

CravenurdotterII · 08-04-2009, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by Downbound Train

Read without sarcasm, that's a good point.
Does it really even matter if the government can do something better or not? If it's not the governments constitutional duty, they shouldn't do it.
Post office is called for in the constitution so the gov should be involved. All this other shit like healthcare....for better or worse, not so sure.

Well....how about a Healthcare Amendment?......that would address your constitutionality issues. Make it a basic right. Certainly appropo in our age.

**rideit** · 08-04-2009, 03:44 PM

The USPS is losing money because of the blue-screened machine you are clacking into right now.

Blame Al Gore!

CravenurdotterII · 08-04-2009, 03:47 PM

Originally Posted by rideit

The USPS is losing money because of the blue-screened machine you are clacking into right now.

Blame Al Gore!

Actually, an excellent point.

**Downbound Train** · 08-04-2009, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by CravenurdotterII

Well....how about a Healthcare Amendment?......that would address your constitutionality issues. Make it a basic right. Certainly appropo in our age.

Why not?? The constitution was designed to be amended. I'd vote "no" on that amendment personally but that's how the system was set up.

CravenurdotterII · 08-04-2009, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by Downbound Train

Why not?? The constitution was designed to be amended.

Exactly!

**toast2266** · 08-04-2009, 04:11 PM

Up until fairly recently, the USPS always lost money (the only reason they kept afloat was because they were subsidized by the government). IIRC, the USPS was initially setup to be heavily dependant on subsidies in order to make mailing stuff really cheap and affordable to the average person, which they accomplished. According to this site, they've only been breaking even since the 70's. It doesn't seem like it should come as any great surprise that they're back in the red these days considering the economic downturn along with a general decrease in paper mail volume. I don't really see how anyone can say the government bungled the management of the postal service when running it in the red has historically been par for the course, and arguably a desirable characteristic (because it makes the service really cheap).

**Adolf Allerbush** · 08-04-2009, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Downbound Train

US Constitution
Section. 8.

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;.......

Government sucks at most things but the Constitution calls for them to be in the post office business.....for what it's worth.

Just here to point out that your butt lover Rubi disagrees

Originally Posted by Rubicon

USPS doesn't operate on tax payer money, they compete in the market like everybody else.

Time for a lovers quarrel?

**Downbound Train** · 08-04-2009, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by Adolf Allerbush

Just here to point out that your butt lover Rubi disagrees

Time for a lovers quarrel?

Geeez, that's a problem. All conservatives should be in mind numbed lock step agreement on every issue. We must have got our talking points mixed up.

**Downbound Train** · 08-04-2009, 04:48 PM

I'm curious. The USPS has a legal monopoly on regular mail and competes on packages, right?

I wonder which area of their business is better for them? Do they make money on packages and lose on regular mail? or visa versa? Lose on both? That info might be telling if we wanted to figure out if they really are competitive in the market place.

CravenurdotterII · 08-04-2009, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by Adolf Allerbush

Just here to point out that your butt lover Rubi disagrees

Time for a lovers quarrel?

Don't bother Rubi.......he's contemplating whether he's going to hell as an apostate.

**jfost** · 08-04-2009, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by CravenurdotterII

...you do things......because caring and compassion have disappeared from your thinking......

don't feel bad... Med. School isn't for everyone!

caring and compassionate thinking were certainly NOT on display in your post of the Blackwater Mercenary Death Photo...

just sayin'...

CravenurdotterII · 08-04-2009, 04:54 PM

It's a great photo.....all those happy Iraqis. Finally got one of those critters killing their people. Bag 'em and tag 'em.

**doughboyshredder** · 08-04-2009, 10:34 PM

This message is hidden because CravenurdotterII is on your ignore list.

**Rasputin** · 08-04-2009, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by doughboyshredder

This message is hidden because CravenurdotterII is on your ignore list.

Are you really so offended by his defense of the USPS? It seems so by the above post being placed in this thread.

CravenurdotterII · 08-04-2009, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by Rasputin

Are you really so offended by his defense of the USPS? It seems so by the above post being placed in this thread.

He's just bent by my pic of the Blackwater barbeque. It's ok if Iraqis are killed by the hundreds of thousands......but the mercenary dick run by Prince's outfit......he's more important than brown people......right Rubi?