AMERICAN CONSERVATISM IN 2008 AND BEYOND

H2O MAN wrote:

You offered no evidence that government meddling increased efficiency and profit... why is that?

Because it's not what I claimed.

We don't have to run the post office as if we are still in the 1800's.

If the problem is government failure, cut the military budget by half. If the rest of the world can defend itself for 3% of its GDP, so can America.

But, as Debra just pointed out, the USPS is making money just fine!

Postmaster General- USPS Shall Run Out Of Money In 2009
March 26th, 2009

AP--Interesting. At least the Post Office understands that it’s labor agreements are part of the reason it is in this predicament. AP

The post office will run out of money this year unless it gets help, Postmaster General John Potter told Congress on Wednesday as he sought permission to cut delivery to five days a week.

“We are facing losses of historic proportion. Our situation is critical,” Potter told a House panel.

The agency lost $2.8 billion last year and is looking at much larger losses this year. Reducing mail delivery from six days to five days a week could save $3.5 billion annually, Potter said.
http://www.puma08.com/2009/03/26/postmaster-general-usps-shall-run-out-of-money-in-2009/

okie wrote:

We don't have to run the post office as if we are still in the 1800's.

The cost of a postage stamp is still relatively cheap when you consider that the USPS has invested billions of dollars in modern technology to optically scan the addresses of millions of pieces of mail that flow through the national system day in and day out. Through the use of efficient technology and the maintenance of a skilled and dedicated national workforce (who care about the "sanctity of the mail"), the USPS provides a valuable and reliable service to all Americans at a relatively low cost. That you think the postal service is still run as if we were still in the 1800's merely demonstrates your ignorance.

But go ahead: Dismantle the antiquated USPS as you perceive it to be and entrust your house payment and precious letters, cards, and packages to unregulated private corporations and a transient, high-turnover unskilled workforce of minimum-wage, no-benefit workers. I know that will make you happy so long as the corporate executives are living in mansions, flying to the Bahamas for corporate meetings, and generally living the American dream. You may then aspire to become a corporate executive while you plod along in life wondering if Aunt Tilly received that $20 you tucked in her birthday card.

Under law, the Postal Service must break even over time.
It is not set-up to make a profit and if it happens to end up with a surplus, that
surplus is supposed to be used to pay for the next years cost of doing business.


A board of 11 governors, nine of which are appointed by the president, and approved by the Senate, runs the USPS. These members then decide on their 10th member, the postmaster general or CEO. Then these 10 select the deputy master general, or chief operating officer.

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The USPS has laws guaranteeing its monopoly on non-urgent first class mail (18 U.S.C. 1725). That's why FedEx cannot put anything in your mailbox. The USPS also enjoys sovereign immunity as well as the powers of eminent domain. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the nation, with the ability to enforce over 200 federal laws, including search and seizure.

The USPS is doing well and private corporations are doing well.

No kidding!

It's obvious DL does not know the law.

I realize junk mail pays a huge portion of the budget, but taxpayers should not have to prop up an institution to deliver junk mail.

Use some common sense!

The USPS offers a bulk rate to commercial business and commercial business takes advantage of the ability to conduct mass marketing at an affordable rate.

It may be good for the business and our economy, but most of ours goes straight into the circular file.

Debra Law wrote:

The USPS is doing well and private corporations are doing well.

You are high!

Put the crack pipe down and step away from the computer!

What you see is the USPS and private industry serving the "postal" needs of the people. The USPS competes with private business corporations and vice-versa and NO ONE is clamoring about a national "postal" crisis. The USPS is doing well and private corporations are doing well.

The same can be done with our health care system. The private health insurance industry does not have to exclude government from the field to do well. The two may co-exist as a means to resolve the health care crisis to everyone's benefit.