Closing the Post Office Branches

[Skitzer]

Privatize it.

 

[dmcowen674]

Privatize it.

Do that and will cost $10 for a stamp

 

[charrison]

I really really wish the Internet could end all first class mail. But unfortunately, there are still a lot of financial institutions that mail stuff out. My health insurance provider sends me useless claim notifications that I can access online. Similarly, I still get letters from my bank, my disability insurance provider etc. All a huge waste of paper. I'm guessing it is because of 90 year old grandmas who still don't have an email address.

Technology already exists to handle this. A US company developed a system to automatically scan snailmail and then gives an option of email, snailmail delivery or shred. Some foreign country has already implemented this system, cant remember which one it is.

 

[Phokus]

They would still get mail, but they would have to pay the true cost of getting it to their address.



They would receive packages as well, they would just have to pay the full cost for that service. It's one of the many costs of living in Bumfuck.



Socialists with their inconsistent ideas based on centuries old models of factory labor.

The 'true cost' means extremely high prices and even then it still probably doesn't make sense if the population density is very sparse. Even if you have a few people willing to pay those jacked up costs, the overwhelming majority of people in those areas won't be able to afford it. Typical libertarian pie in the sky bullshit.

 

[rudder]

Uh-huh, Less jobs is what this country needs right now.

The post office shed 100,000 jobs last year and still was $8.5 billion in the red. What happens as people stop sending less and less mail opting to do things electronically?

Companies that sell goods don't use USPS as much because there is no tracking/recourse if a package gets lost. Maybe the USPS should shed its package delivery service since it cannot compete with FEDEX and UPS.

 

[CPA]

http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/24/news/economy/postal_service_close/index.htm?hpt=T2

Post office wants to close smaller brances.

Why dont they just hire part-time replacements making minimum wage like everyone else.

While they are at it, charge higher rates for bulk mail. Make the advertisers pay the same price as everyone else.

labor is not the only cost of running these small branches.

 

[Brainonska511]

The post office shed 100,000 jobs last year and still was $8.5 billion in the red. What happens as people stop sending less and less mail opting to do things electronically?

Companies that sell goods don't use USPS as much because there is no tracking/recourse if a package gets lost. Maybe the USPS should shed its package delivery service since it cannot compete with FEDEX and UPS.

A big reason the USPS is in the red is because of the law requiring them to pre-fund retirement benefits instead of paying them out as needed.

 

[bruceb]

This is not a surprise. You could see it coming from years back when they started raising rates. Time to cut out these money wasting branches and Sat delivery. It is not only the cost of the worker's salary / compensation, but also Rent, Tax on the bldg, Utilities, Maintenance ... all of that adds up to quite a bit. And I can see the PO being shut for good about 10 years or so down the road. You only really need it for Magazines. All bills can be read on line and paid on line.

 

[Brainonska511]

You could see it coming from years back when they started raising rates

Standard postage rates have remained relatively stable over the years with regards to inflation:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_United_States_postage_rates

 

[waggy]

The post office shed 100,000 jobs last year and still was $8.5 billion in the red. What happens as people stop sending less and less mail opting to do things electronically?

Companies that sell goods don't use USPS as much because there is no tracking/recourse if a package gets lost. Maybe the USPS should shed its package delivery service since it cannot compete with FEDEX and UPS.

I like USPS sometimes its cheaper to use them then UPS or Fedex. though i admit it is getting rare.

 

[feralkid]

The post office shed 100,000 jobs last year and still was $8.5 billion in the red. What happens as people stop sending less and less mail opting to do things electronically?

Companies that sell goods don't use USPS as much because there is no tracking/recourse if a package gets lost. Maybe the USPS should shed its package delivery service since it cannot compete with FEDEX and UPS.

Perhaps, however:

My response was to Ns1's idiotic post suggesting the USPS be "shut down".

Constitutionally challenged.

 

[Dissipate]

The 'true cost' means extremely high prices and even then it still probably doesn't make sense if the population density is very sparse. Even if you have a few people willing to pay those jacked up costs, the overwhelming majority of people in those areas won't be able to afford it. Typical libertarian pie in the sky bullshit.

Having people pay for their own lifestyle is 'pie in the sky?' Wow, that's some serious delusion. We should elect you as benevolent dictator to set the 'fair' price for shipping packages.

 

[KlokWyze]

I prefer USPS to UPS, FEDEX, etc. They are equally as horrible as all of them for a fraction of the price. Honestly, just go back to 5 days a week, except for Priority/Express and raise rates a little, or until the sweet spot is reached. Someone else suggested getting into banking, which would make sense....

 

[dainthomas]

We pay the difference in our taxes anyway so whats the difference how we pay it?

And the constitution gives congress the power to establish a post office. It doesn't require one.

No taxes support it (for the billionth time).

And what do you think "establish" means? Does it mean establish then let it close at any time? Or does Congress have the power to take steps to ensure it will always exist?

And LOL at all the people who think the internet should take the place of mail. Unless the government gives everyone free internet, making people pay to receive mail is absolutely ridiculous. Get with the real world.

 

[Dissipate]

No taxes support it (for the billionth time).

And what do you think "establish" means? Does it mean establish then let it close at any time? Or does Congress have the power to take steps to ensure it will always exist?

And LOL at all the people who think the internet should take the place of mail. Unless the government gives everyone free internet, making people pay to receive mail is absolutely ridiculous. Get with the real world.

There is free Internet all over the place. Coffee shops, libraries, colleges....

 

[airdata]

Hadn't the idea of no mail on saturdays been floated in the past?

That would save alot of money.

 

[matt0611]

No taxes support it (for the billionth time).

And what do you think "establish" means? Does it mean establish then let it close at any time? Or does Congress have the power to take steps to ensure it will always exist?

And LOL at all the people who think the internet should take the place of mail. Unless the government gives everyone free internet, making people pay to receive mail is absolutely ridiculous. Get with the real world.

Yes yes I forgot there is no tax funding for it (my mistake). If that is true than why would the prices rocket up so much? They would go to the true value that it costs for those letters to be mailed as long as we allow competition.

Its under section 8 titled "Powers of Congress" not "duties of congress":

"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect....;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States (Must it borrow money?)

To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;

To declare War... (Must it declare war?)"

etc

Only a power, its within the congresses power to establish one, its not required.

 

[dainthomas]

There is free Internet all over the place. Coffee shops, libraries, colleges....

Really? That's your answer? Think about your reply, and bear in mind that not everyone is a young mobile college student in an urban area with Ipad always at hand and smart-phone always in their pocket.

Or do old/disabled/poor people deserve to be disenfranchised even more?

 

[Brainonska511]

Yes yes I forgot there is no tax funding for it (my mistake). If that is true than why would the prices rocket up so much? They would go to the true value that it costs for those letters to be mailed as long as we allow competition.

Standard postage rates have remained relatively stable over the years with regards to inflation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_United_States_postage_rates

 

[matt0611]

Standard postage rates have remained relatively stable over the years with regards to inflation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_United_States_postage_rates

OK, so what are you trying to say?

 

[EagleKeeper]

OK, so what are you trying to say?

Costs to the Postal service have increased more than inflation.
Cost of the USPS product has not.

 

[matt0611]

Costs to the Postal service have increased more than inflation.
Cost of the USPS product has not.

If their costs are increasing faster than inflation and their rates are not how is that sustainable?

 

[Brainonska511]

If their costs are increasing faster than inflation and their rates are not how is that sustainable?

It's not necessarily sustainable, but Congress is in charge of allowing or disallowing postage rate increases.

The rates of mailing stuff have not "rocketed up" in recent years is what I was saying.

As for sustainability, some of the problems come from having to prefund the retirement accounts, something larger corporations are not required by law to do.

 

[matt0611]

It's not necessarily sustainable, but Congress is in charge of allowing or disallowing postage rate increases.

The rates of mailing stuff have not "rocketed up" in recent years is what I was saying.

As for sustainability, some of the problems come from having to prefund the retirement accounts, something larger corporations are not required by law to do.

Oh ok, no I wasn't saying the prices "rocketed up", I was just wondering why people fear that the prices will rocket up if we just allow private companies to deliver the mail (like UPS and FedEx) or at least compete with USPS. If USPS is still in business and they are not getting extra tax money than either the postage rates won't increase that much if fully privatized or USPS will need to increase rates (or cut service) to stay in business.

 

[ViviTheMage]

How about they can a bunch of these workers, and hire a few people to get people to stop sending me spam mail, PITA. There is nothing in the mail I need that I cannot get online, outside of UPS/FEDEX shipments of goods.