Do We Need the Postal Service?

There is nothing that the government does that couldn’t be done better by private industry with the advantage, at minimum, being that there can be competition with the latter. Sure there are some things that we don’t want or can’t privatize (foreign treaties, for instance) but there is nothing less capable and less efficient than a government bureaucracy. The fewer we have the better. The PO is just one example of the government’s failure…

I use them to pay bills so yes, we do need the postal service.

I would like to know where this reporter got his information. The US Postal Service is not government funded, it is and always has been self-supporting – no tax dollars pay for the postal service operations. They may be not financially sound at the time, but they have very often operated in the red and managed just fine…..

So get off the blog unless you know what you are talking about…..

the way business done is changing. Internet changes many many things, including postal ‘snail mail’ service, and newspapers are having huge financial difficulties. Many of our problems are simply re adjusting to the new technologies and way of life.

Not everyone can afford a computer and the charges for same…and updating same, etc. Yes technology is wonderful BUT it is taking over so much that it is also ELIMINATING JOBS! And I like RUBY prefer to pay bills by paper and send greeting cards. What would people do if they eliminated the post office? Jobs gone, and if they cannot afford a computer, what then? It’s not so simple and this is a huge part of the problem why we have no jobs.

Get rid of USPS and expect a 100% (at least ) increased cost of shipping anything with Fed-Ex or UPS . One reason they are in the red is because of the way the conservatives set up the manner in which the Post Office has to fund their employee pensions , during the Bush administration (duh) . The Post Office was actually doing fairly well until then , and even now they are not nearly as bad off financially as it looks on paper , that conservative-bred balance sheet discrepancy being a well-played political ” point” by the conservatives , who’ve been overtly and consistently trying to kill / neuter the USPS since Reagan. Conservatives live to make devolving politically self serving laws that make USPS ( and all govt. entities for that matter, save their most sacred cow , i.e. the U.S. military / Defense sector ) weak and inefficient and more costly then they could be otherwise, then they use those conservative agenda weakened, barely functional govt. services and sectors , USPS in this case , as bumper stickers/ unwanted poster children for government inefficiency ,well DOH !

The post office is needed, but not as much. They should not kill the horse or completely destroy it. Cut down the service from 6 to 4 or 5 days. Save time, run it like a corporation of typical monday thru friday.

I like the fact that, with the USPS, I have standing as a customer even I am the package’s recipient, whereas with commercial carriers, I only have standing when I’m a sender. When your package disappears into the Big Brown Hole, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Sorry maggie but you’re wrong. The USPS is a government agency and pretending to run like a business isn’t the same as running like one… (and even when pretending the government can’t pretend to do anything well.)

Okay, the real deal is that the USPS is a government agency, but they have not directly recevied taxpayer $$ in at least a couple of decades. So, some of you on here need to do a little more research before you decide to post.

*received*…sorry, typo!!

@Scott – oh come on, please be nicer to my grandmother, just cause she writes checks doesn’t mean she’s a bad person. As a matter of fact, I’d say the bad person is you!. You think technology is all that?? It could be, but did you know that because of giant leaps in technology in the past 12 years All recorded music sucks & is not as good as it was in the ‘analog days’. So go ahead bemoan all that don’t have your latest technical gadget. I feel sorry for the goofs are always texting, looking down. Missing the world go by…the analog world. The digital world has you shaking it like a baby rattler.

We need the post office. We might not need as many offices, as in the case of one office in a small town costing close to $90K per year to run but bringing in only $30K. If it’s not sustaining itself, then it’s costing too much to run. We need to perhaps scale down services; maybe they could close earlier, for example; and we need to shut down the non-profitable offices; but to do away with the post office altogether isn’t the answer. We NEED the post office.

Service needs to be cut back. We can deal with only 4 days of mail a week (though netflix would have a fit). Also close many of the offices. I have FIVE post offices within 10 miles of my house. WHY? You can’t tell me they are all necessary.

Let it go under. This happens with the USPS every 5 years or so and higher postage does not solve the problem. Like the government, the USPS is heavily loaded with inept, lazy, entitled workers. One has only to visit the PO to see and understand the nproblem.
Let it go into bankruptcy.ands then reorganize getting rid of a lot of lazy people, less mail delivery, and start treating it like a business without a government subsidy.
Find an astute businesssman to run the organization under the more intelligent way of running a business.

In the real world, unions contribute to the cost of doing business and when government intervention in the form of restrictive tax policy and heavy regulation increase other costs, the business responds by sending jobs and work off shore. The Post Office can’t do that and is perhaps one of the best examples of what happens when the worker’s run the business. Knowing that first class mail would decrease due to the impact of technology starting in 1976, the Post Office focused on anything but fixed costs. During that time, personnel and facility costs grew at rate unmatched by any innovation that could be dreamed up by the “thinkers” at USPS. No, I don’t blame the unions for getting everything they could. I do blame the holders of the Post Office trust for giving in and ignoring the impact of social media on today’s society. When bulk mail is the only sure thing you have and when you treat your bulk mail customers as we are treated, IF ANY ALTERNATIVE comes along, we will be left with an organization whose sole value will be to sell collectors stamps.

Do we need 5 1/4 inch floppy disks?

I admit that I frequently visit “amazon.com” to do some purchasing. At the check-out, I always pick the “Super Saver shipping” b/c then shipping fee would be free and they would choose USPS as my package carrier. In my area, the USPS mailperson now and then would ask residents to help their “food-drive” and I always like to oblige. I never see UPS or FedEx workers ask for similar things. A lot of times I do receive useless junk mails especially from various banks offer me “Pre-approved CC”s. Now let me enlighten a few – it’s not USPS’ fault at all. So long as the “material” has enough postage and legible address for them to deliver – junk or not it’s not up to them to pre-decide – it’s their job and responsibility to deliver. Now one actually should thank the mailperson for delivering those mails (junk or not) to you – if you are upset about receiving so many junk mails – please don’t blame the messenger; blame those senders instead. Now for that inpatient person who felt that he’s “tired of granny holding up the checkout at Wal-Mart writing her check”. Does store like Wal-Mart not only providing multiple cashiers but also the “Express lane”? Oh – I guess even if that inpatient person standing in those “Express lane”, but someone else has a lot of items even using a CC – he/she would still become inpatient. The old saying “Patience is a virtue” – how true. I once knew a job applicant who came to our area with a college degree and impressive (bragging) Resume and after working in our area for a few weeks, he only demonstrated that he had the “copy” ability, no skill to modify/change. Finally the management had no choice but let him go. Maybe he should have more patience to learn the skills and pick up knowledge as how to modify/change. I’m just saying…

WANTINGBALANCE…If I stick my FOREVER STAMP, that I paid 44 cents for, on a letter or bill in 2026, and the first class rate is $5.00, how am I loosing? Unless the USPS declares bankruptcy or Congress voids all contracts, forever is forever because I don’t have to add supplemental postage for a higher rate mailing in the future.

We do need the postal service. The U.S. P.S.is partly run by the government, it changed in the ’70s and it’s now privitized as well. The government makes the decision to raise postage costs. The law changed slightly, making it able to change the way it does business. I believe we need to cut back on days of delivery. We also, need to close offices that are not profitable. Many of us still do not own computers and would suffer without the U.S.P.S. You can’t count on UPS or Fedex to take up that slack that the USPS is now doing. I’m laughing at the idiot who said he can’t stand to see people write checks. What’s his problem?

The USPS is a hybrid. Specifically, it is a US Government institution and a semi-autonomous, semi-private institution. Therein lies the problem. Either make it a 100% government institution of privatize it completely. No other solution will work. Just look at the facts. For example, with its current half in half out status they have to ask congress for permission to do just about anything a normal private outfit decides privately and efficiently (like what rates to charge, what innovations to introduce, etc). By the same token when they run short of cash they go back to Congress for some more. This same hybrid status also keeps them from being able to develop and introduce the types on innovations that would enable them to survive for the future (i.e. they have to ask Congress for permission to change anything) and compete with the private carriers out there. Rather than arguing whether they should be given a bailout or not we should be arguing whether to make them a private or public entity. If you make it a public entity they will continue operating more or less the same way they do now. If you opt for privatization, initially give them the funds they need to continue operating (one time only deal) and then allow them to sink or swim on their own. It is quite obvious the USPS is in bad shape and must be fixed. Rather than the usual yearly band aids lets just allow them to take one route or the other and solve the problem. I suspect that given this choice they will likely survive and continue providing another mailing service alternative most folks take for granted.

Some of the posters here are insane. Millions of small business would shut down, including mine, if it were not for the Post Office!!! 90% of online retail businesses send their products through USPS and could never afford to use FEDEX or UPS. I would go out of business overnight if not for USPS. So, you people think TWICE before you say we don’t need the Post Office. Get rid of the Post Office and you’ll deliver a blow to the economy that’s unrecoverable!!!

JLW As in everything statistics lie. In sending a package from CT to rural upstate NY The rate quoted by UPS was about 18.50 while the USPS was 4.95. So when they say only 53% of the cost (18.50) of the mailing goes to the employee costs, that is greater than the 80% of the 4.95. The “Banckruptcy” that is looming is the 5 billionm they owe their medical pension fund in the event every retiree lives to some ungodly age artificially put in there by congress, while the UPS and Fedex contribute as little as they can towards that entitlement program called Medicare. So if two things happened, 1) the unions converted over to medicare and 2) Congress removed the future funding requirement USPS would be much more solvent. (I am one who does not see the benefit of Saturday delivery and see the benefit of reducing the number of post offices as further cost cutting measures that do not measurably impact my life)

Most of the cost of operation is for the junk mail so raise the price to cover the delivery of all the junk mail. Let UPS and FedEx offer mail delivery if they can do it cheaper. We can still keep the USPS for those without computers and birthday cards, but they will need far fewer buildings and staff.

I can not believe the obsession you have with the post office. I have been a customer for 30. years. I mail bills and go to my mail box. That’s about all I think about it. As far as what my mailman makes a year, he seems to be earning it. Closing the post office or slashing wages are not going to change your lives one bit. It seems everyone thinks everybody is overpaid except for themselves. How pathetic.

You can order stuff online but someone has to deliver it–and people have lost the art of sending hand-written letters and cards to others. Another way to be lazy. Letters and cards used to mean you cared enough to make the effort and it was nice to receive these in the mail.

The days of the lazy postman are all over. In my office the carrier is on the street 6 and a half hours a day minimum. We work very hard for the money we get.

We could close down every pizza shop in America and then you would have 300,000,00 unhappy campers. That is exactly what you are going to get when the Post Office is shuttered and your friendly mailman comes no more. How are they going to make the transition to the new wireless or whatever replacement. How much will that confuse everything and cost us another trillion. Then what about the untenable number of unemployed postal workers. The unemployment rate will sky rocket. What jobs are for them. In 60 years they have never lost a letter on me. Is this going to continue? If we do in fact lose our US Post Office it will be a big part of Americana torn away from us. Those that do not value our heritage will continue to focus on bailouts for Dow 30′s.

WOW. THere really is a lack of understanding of scale from the author and from the comments

The postal service delivers more in ONE DAY than UPS does in an entire year. As a matter of a fact, UPS uses USPS to deliver a bulk of their packages/mail. Want to pay 100.00 for a 1lb package from EBAY? Want to have NO mail /packaged=sdelivered to small rural out-of-the-way areas like Wasilla Alaska? Allow USPS to fail. Go on. Do it. And I will sit back and say you people got what you deserved.

we need the actual workers ,but need to cut the fat at the top out.

The PO needs to be restructured along with the greedy union contracts. A lot of people do not have computers and do not pay their bills on line. This administration has given away billions to so called green companies that are now taking bankruptcy, to foreign countries like China, I think we should restructure and save the PO and stop the money give away to failed policies.

90 percent of what I receive is junk mail, and much of the remaining 10 percent could be conducted electronically. The Post Office has known about this trend for years. It’s only a matter of time before they must make big changes because relying on junk mail is a flawed business model.

Actually the question may be moot. Since the postal service is required by the Constitution, it may take a constitutional amendment to remove it or fully privatize it. Given the requirements to get an amendment, I don’t see this happening soon.

Of course Congress could choose not to save it, but if it goes under, it may raise the same Constitutional arguement–i.e., if Congress lets it go away, then have we trully met the Constituion?

Any lawyers or Constitutional scholars have any insights?

The post office is still needed, but cost must be cut. 1. Establish mailbox locations in residental areas that home owners pay for. This is already done in some cities. 2. Eliminate home delivery except those that are home bound because of a handicap or elderly. 3. Charge what it costs to provide mail service. 4. If some business wants to compete in mail delivery, let them. Finally, this needs to be phased in since it involves installing these centralized mailbox locations and laying off people during an unemployment crisis. Postal workers have served us well and work hard, but is time to make reduce the amount of financial loss. This is a useful enterprise whether it makes money or not. The public libraries are not profitable, but we don’t to close all of those.

Are they crazy? The Post Office is the core of each city – I cannot even imagine the confusion and cost of closing their doors. If they close are we going to get reimbursed for all these stamps we keep on supply? This sounds more like someone is trying to do away with the middle class! Just another American custom they are trying to change. Those workers work very hard to get our mail delivered! I for one appreciate their hard work – delivering mail in over 100 degree weather and in sub zero conditions.

As proven by the postal service’s failure the government cant run a business. To impliment a new system from making a one min: transaction into, a 5 min: transaction is real progress. Thats the PAWS system. Cost unknown but it has created more problems than progress. Thats what the government is all about, backward progress???

The USPS was established by the Constitution. They should be getting money from the gov’t, but many nonConstitutional agencies do. So… the only thing they have a monopoly on, first-class mail, is so expensive that no one can use it! Everything is online, now… newsletters, personal notes, etc… and I miss my “hard copies!”

No, I don’t think they should close rural post offices, or end home mail delivery… but they could cut the services by half, open offices/deliver mail three days a week, instead of six. There should be a hiring freeze. Inefficient workers can/should be let go. In urban areas, rent the fancier post offices to private contractors, and allow them to offer FedEx and/or UPS, etc., alongside the USPS services. It’s odd, but one should not have to shop around for the best deal on parcels, for instance, or pay more for mailboxes at USPS sites. I also like some if the ideas at “Jerie.”

They can stay if they just quit filling my mailbox with useless junk mail. 95% is un-solicited unwanted garbage, that can’t just be thrown away because some devious person might get your information and steal your identity. In this day I see all the ads I want on line. If they cut down on the junk mail 95% they could cut down on the labor cost to deliver it. And to the contributors who have never had their letters mis-directed, how do you know? I get wrong mail all the time and I have had mine sent to an entirely different county>

The best thing for the Post Office to do is increase the postage on junk mail 10-fold or better. Their mail loads would decrease exponentially, as well their profits. This area seems to be their biggest loss of revenue, delivering 90% junk mail at unheard of low prices to people that throw 99% of it away. I average 7-10 pieces a day of mail and 6-9 pieces are unsolicited junk. That would be a major start for them. Oh, I forgot, massive companies run and dictate what government agencies do, not the people.

If you believe in the value of the U.S. Constitution, then believe in the value of the Postal Service. Among the few and limited powers assigned to the national government, the Postal Service remains enshrined. If it is to be privatized, a Constitutional Amendment will be required. Because communication among and between the populace of this nation is paramount to developing consensus, a valuable place remains for the U.S. Postal Service.

Disclaimer: I do not work for or derive any income whatsoever from the Postal Service; nor does any member of my immediate family or next of kin. I do on occasion avail myself of Postal Service products. I also use FedEx and UPS. In my experience, the market is large enough to welcome all three.

The U.S. Postal service delivers mail and packages to your door daily. FEDEX and UPS cannot provide this service at the same cost. FEDEX and UPS specialize in packages not letters. If the Postal Service is discontinued how will millions of people get their mail ? FEDEX and UPS don’t want any part of local mail delivery, they only want the high profit making business of delivering packages and don’t have the personnel or equipment to deliver letters house to house. FEDEX and UPS have taken away the profit margin that the U.S. Postal service once had. Email has also made a dent in normal mail delivery but, people still send millions of letters and pay bills through the U.S. Postal Service

I agree with the postings of ZELLIE, MAGGIE, HHH, of 9/6/2011 and CAROLYN of 9/7/2011
In addition to that I must state that I have a computer with access to the Internet. However, I have NEVER wanted to use any source offered that requires I post my personal information such as “on line banking” Even now when I make a payment via check (sent via the USPS) to a company – and the amount is automatically deducted from my checking account – I resent it.

I certainly NEVER want to be placed in the position of posting ALL my financial data on the Internet. I have no argument should the USPS find the need to cut the amount of delivery days per week. However, they MUST continue some sort of scheduled delivery. Thank you.

(Your form does not reflect the need for an email address – for what it is worth.)

A lot of you complain about the percentage of labor costs in the USPS compared to FEDEX and UPS. The post office delivers mail to every single home and business 6 days a week every single year. Every one! We are under contract with FedEx and UPS to deliver the packages to far out homes that they do not wish to deliver! If FEDEX and UPS had to deliver to every single address every day do you think they would have any less percentage of labor costs?

From 2006-2010 the USPS actually had an operating profit. The USPS has been losing money only because of Congress forcing the USPS to prefund a retirement account for 75 years into the future in just 10 years. That is something that NO, I repeat, NO other company in the COUNTRY is required to do. Only a small percentage of companies prefund at all, let alone for 75 years into the future. Most companies pay towards their respective retiree accounts each year. So basically Congress is to blame for the USPS downfall.

If service is cut back from 6 to 5 days a week, that would result in a job loss of 120000. The Postmaster General has even been on record saying that once it is cut to 5 days he would look into cutting it back to 4 days, so long the rest of the full time workers. The USPS employs over 600000 people. Think about that. If the USPS cut back to 5 days a week, UPS and FEDEX would swoop in to pick up that extra day of delivery, leading companies who ship with USPS to switch. The USPS would lose more money by cutting a day in the long run.

Ben Franklin the first Post Master General started the United States Post Office. Today we still need the Post Office. How are people living in the back country going to get their mail?

US mail post office is important.. The USPS in inneficiant as is all of US GVT. First action should
be to eliminate most of the vehicles the USPS uses. Mailmen can deliver the mail on foot as they
historicaaly have done and still do. They do not need to have a jeep sitting next to a drop off
box. I am talking about thousands of vehicles not needed. Postal workers are great people but the
leadership is pathetic same as US GVT managing something and everything fails and all the
idiotits in Congress give themselves a pay raise..USPS failing, Social Security failing, Medicare
Failing and every other program the USGvt is in involved fails. The idiots in congress send zillions on doll;ars overseas and corrupt dictators get rich

The postal service is going the same way the Pony Express went when the telegraph came about.

Has anyone figured out exactly how much the post office would need to charge for stamps and shipping to balance its budget? 44 cents is a ridiculous deal for a hand-delivered letter. If I had to pay 60 or 70 cents, I would gladly do that to keep my postal service. Has anyone compared the cost of mailing a letter in Germany or Japan? Where do we stand in terms of cost of mailing with the rest of the world. If we are getting a bargain, maybe it’s time to bring USPS postage in line with its costs. If we are paying on parity with the rest of the world, maybe it’s time to look at what some of these other systems are doing and radically rethink the USPS model. I really don’t believe that it’s too late to save the post office – but it may be too late to save the version of the postage and post office that we have right now.

Hi, I just wanted to mention, you’re wrong. Your post doesn’t make any sense.

the postal service is need to help the economy.. the postal service is not going like the pony express, because there are a many people that do not like using it for personal information

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