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Title: Lavish Government Pensions Killing Post Office
Source:
CNN Money
URL Source: http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/09/new ... onomy/postal_service/index.htm
Published: Feb 19, 2011
Author: Ben Rooney
Post Date: 2011-02-19 19:30:55 by jwpegler
Keywords: None
Views: 264767
Comments: 52
The U.S. Postal Service warned Wednesday that it may default on some of its financial obligations later this year after reporting yet another quarterly loss. The USPS, a self-supporting government agency that receives no tax dollars, said it suffered a loss of $329 million in the first quarter of federal fiscal year 2011. That compared with a loss of $297 million a year earlier. The agency has been suffering from an ongoing decline in mail volume, which has undercut revenues, while retiree health care costs have been straining its reserves. Excluding costs related to retiree benefits and adjustments to workers' compensation liability, the Postal Service said it had net income was $226 million in the first quarter, which ended Dec. 31. Despite ongoing cost-cutting efforts, the USPS said it expects to have a cash shortfall this year and to hit its federally mandated borrowing limit by September, when the government's fiscal year ends. The agency said it will be forced to default on some of its financial obligations this year unless Congress changes a 2006 law requiring it to pay between $5.4 and $5.8 billion into its prepaid retiree health benefits each year. "The Postal Service continues to seek changes in the law to enable a more flexible and sustainable business model," Patrick Donahoe, the Postmaster General, said in a statement. "We are eager to work with Congress and the administration to resolve these issues prior to the end of the fiscal year." The Postal Service has taken a number of steps to increase revenue, including marketing initiatives and price increases. The agency raised rates an average of 3.6% in January. It is also perusing more dramatic changes. Last year, the USPS submitted a request to the Postal Regulatory Commission, which oversees the agency, to eliminate Saturday mail service. The commission has yet to respond to the request, but a spokesman said it is in the "final phase" of making its decision. The USPS has also cut back on hours to save money. The agency expects to eliminate 40 million work hours this fiscal year as part of a plan to save $2 billion. However, the service is currently negotiating new contracts with the American Postal Workers Union and the National Rural Letter Carriers Association, which will probably object to cutting hours. On the bright side, the Postal Service said improving economic conditions suggest the "worst of the precipitous volume decline during the recession is over." But mail volume continues to be anemic, rising only 1.5% in the first quarter as economic growth remains sluggish.
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#12. To: sneakypete (#10)
(Edited)
FedEx, UPS, DHL, Delivery Express, MDCS, and countless others would disagree with you. So would their customers. The Post Office is the only organization that is ALLOWED BY LAW to put anything in your mailbox. So, the proper English language statement is that "the government is the only organization that may do this" because the government has granted itself a monopoly.
The only things that ever show up in my mail box are: A.) piles of taxpayer subsidized junk mail, B.) birthday and Christmas cards, and C.) the occasional bill from a government entity that is too stupid to sign up to accept PayPal or Credit Cards. Email has killed first class mail. Who writes letters any more? Most of what the post office does is deliver junk mail. They also try to compete with private companies in delivering packages, but who in the right mind stands in line for hours at the Post Office to send a package when you can zip in and out of a FedEx store in minutes??? The Post Office is more evidence that the government cannot and will not wake up to a changing reality -- in this case, that technology has made their Raison d'être (first class mail delivery) OBSOLETE. The Post Office should be sold.
The government doesn't accept them because of the 3% service charge. If I want to pay my auto fees by credit card, I have to add that 3% in.
People who don't want to pay twice the price for FedEx versus Priority Mail.
I agree.
I agree. I think the Chinese would be interested.
I doubt it. You've seen the numbers, right?
The Post Office is more than numbers and mail. It collects passport information, for one. I'm sure that would be worth a lot the the Chinese.
Family guy nails government agencies...
And??? My electric company takes credit cards. So does the gas company, internet company, and phone company. Even my trash company takes credit cards (yes, we have private trash collection where I live and it works orders of magnitude better than government run trash collection). I can't pay my water bill on-line because it's run my the stinking government. It's pitiful.
A.) It's not twice as much B.) Time is money
I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. They are constitutional.
Microsoft? A company caught violating anti-trust law? Accenture spun out of Arthur Anderson shortly before Anderson collapsed in the wake of the Enron scandal. Thanks for reinforcing my point.
Since January 3, 2011, Republicans have controlled the power of the purse.
A) Bull B) It takes me less time at the PO than it does at UPS or FedEX.
LOL. I have first hand knowledge of this. I was a Vice President at one of Accenture's subsidiaries. Anderson and Accenture were operating as separate companies for years. Arthur Anderson was an accounting firm. Accenture is a systems integration company. Anderson didn't spin Accenture out. The Accenture Partners revolted and pushed their way out of the company. Arthur Andersen collapsed shortly thereafter. Accenture had nothing whatsoever to do with Enron. Yes, Microsoft and Accenture are two GREAT companies because they focus on their customers and generally do a great job for their customers. ditto for Apple. Government bureaucrats don't understand the concept of a customer. That's the problem.
In the Fantasy Land branch of the USPS?
So was slavery. We can always amend the Constitution to get rid of the mandate that the government operate a post office. Regardless, the Constitution says nothing about the government monopolizing first class mail delivery. For a while, people did operate competitors to the post office's mail delivery service. The government passed laws to shut them down. Now, technology has made mail delivery nearly obsolete.
No, it's not. Apparently your wild generalizations don't apply everywhere. Grow up and deal with it.
I would agree that if others want to deliver the mail they should be allowed to.
I have used FedEx, UPS, and USPS extensively in business. These days I rely entirely on the Post Office. Who has to wait in line at the PO? You can print postage and schedule a package pick up all from the comfort of your own home.
You have the courage to tell the masses what no politician told them: you are inferior and all the improvements in your conditions which you simply take for granted you owe to the efforts of men who are better than you. Ludwig von Mises in a letter to Ayn Rand
I keep MS applications off my computer.
You have the courage to tell the masses what no politician told them: you are inferior and all the improvements in your conditions which you simply take for granted you owe to the efforts of men who are better than you. Ludwig von Mises in a letter to Ayn Rand
And it's cheaper, too. I do it all the time.
And reliable. So do I.
You have the courage to tell the masses what no politician told them: you are inferior and all the improvements in your conditions which you simply take for granted you owe to the efforts of men who are better than you. Ludwig von Mises in a letter to Ayn Rand
You don't use windows?
No sir.
You have the courage to tell the masses what no politician told them: you are inferior and all the improvements in your conditions which you simply take for granted you owe to the efforts of men who are better than you. Ludwig von Mises in a letter to Ayn Rand
Who has to wait in line at the PO? The last time I was at the Post Office was about a year ago. I needed to mail a small package overseas for personal reasons, not business. Someone told me mailing overseas is cheaper at the Post Office. I waited in line for 45 minutes watching clerks take alternative coffee breaks while the customers lined up. I finally got frustrated and left. I went to FedEx. I was done in 10 minutes. To add insult to injury, FedEx is 4 miles from my house and the Post Office is 15 miles from my house. So I basically wasted a couple of hours on this for no reason. I will never do it again.
I worked for Microsoft for 8 years, prior to the 7 years I worked for the Accenture subsidiary. Microsoft was a great company. Now they are a huge, lethargic bureaucracy. But they can still innovate -- the Microsoft Kinect is extremely cool and will usher in a new age of how people interact with technology. Microsoft also has strong enterprise products, but not across the board. SAP and Oracle both lead Microsoft in certain types of enterprise products like ERP and CRM systems. Apple is kicking Microsoft's butt in the consumer space (outside of gaming X-Box and Kinect). This is what's great about competition. Microsoft and Blackberry screwed the pooch in mobile so Apple and Google are taking their market share away. Oracle's CRM product got too fat, so SalesForce.com is eating their lunch. On and on. When the government mandates monopolies, this kind of innovation is not possible. That's the point that you, go65 and especially Godwinson just don't understand. It makes me crazy that you don't understand it because it is so obvious.
They may be a great company, but in the past, I've found their products don't deliver on the promise.
You have the courage to tell the masses what no politician told them: you are inferior and all the improvements in your conditions which you simply take for granted you owe to the efforts of men who are better than you. Ludwig von Mises in a letter to Ayn Rand
What the government did in the case of Microsoft was ended their monopoly, allowing competition to thrive. You seem to have no problem with monopolies. Does this sort of thing bother you either? Since January 3, 2011, Republicans have controlled the power of the purse.
Wrong twice. They would all LOVE to have the profitable big city deliveries,but would have to be subsidized beyond belief to provide mail delivery to the suburbs and rural areas. I have tried DHL,FedEx,and UPS,and the post office is ALWAYS quicker and cheaper.
"I adore John McCain, support him 100 percent and will do everything I can to support his reelection. As everyone knows, I was honored and proud to run with him. And Todd and I were with him in D.C. just a week ago." (Sarah Palin,Dec 2009) ************************************ DID Palin say or write these things or not? (Me) I don't know or F ing care. (Mad Dog posted on 2009-12-26 16:36:33 ET,post # 105 http://libertysflame.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=5510&Disp=114#C114)
I have tried DHL,FedEx,and UPS,and the post office is ALWAYS quicker and cheaper. I live in the suburbs. FedEx is down the road. So is UPS. I don't have to wait in line. The Post Office is 15 miles away and I have to wait HOURS to get service. I don't where you people live, but you don't in the West. I'm sick and tired of subsidizing your Post Office, Amtrack and the rest.
Shouldn't you have started that out with "Once upon a time...." like all fairy stories? NOBODY has to wait in line "HOURS" at any post office to get service,and why the HELL are you there anyhow? They deliver right to your house,they will pick up any packages you have right at your house (unlike UPS,FedEx,etc),and they will even deliver stamps to your house. In other words,you are just parroting the nonsense that has been babbled to you without even thinking about it. Hell,you can even print out and pay for your postage at home,and the USPS web site will notify your local post office that you have a package to pick up the next day. Something UPS and none of the others will do.
"I adore John McCain, support him 100 percent and will do everything I can to support his reelection. As everyone knows, I was honored and proud to run with him. And Todd and I were with him in D.C. just a week ago." (Sarah Palin,Dec 2009) ************************************ DID Palin say or write these things or not? (Me) I don't know or F ing care. (Mad Dog posted on 2009-12-26 16:36:33 ET,post # 105 http://libertysflame.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=5510&Disp=114#C114)
You tell him, petey! They even have The Simpsons stamps these days.
That's a load of bullshit.
That's a load of bullshit. No,it's a freaking fact,shithead. Go to http://www.usps.com and see for yourself. Or continue to remain the ignorant fool that you are.
"I adore John McCain, support him 100 percent and will do everything I can to support his reelection. As everyone knows, I was honored and proud to run with him. And Todd and I were with him in D.C. just a week ago." (Sarah Palin,Dec 2009) ************************************ DID Palin say or write these things or not? (Me) I don't know or F ing care. (Mad Dog posted on 2009-12-26 16:36:33 ET,post # 105 http://libertysflame.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=5510&Disp=114#C114)
Anyone who lives off of a road in rural America knows that the mail is NOT delivered to their house, DUMBSHIT! Drive the backroads of North Dakota and Montana! You need to get out more!
Ok,I stand corrected. It's only delivered to 95% of the houses in rural areas. If you live in a rural area and your property fronts a main road,your mail gets delivered to your mailbox. If you live off the main road,your mail will get delivered to a mail box placed out on the main road. Even then,if you have a package to be picked up or delivered,they will go to your house to deliver or make a pickup. They don't do this for me because I rented a P.O.Box because I am the only house up the road that I live on,and they would only deliver to a box I set out by the main road. Since I can't see the main road or where the box would be from my house,I knew the box would be knocked down or stolen,and my mail would end up scattered. I lived here for over 10 years before the state could keep a stop sign at the end of my road for more than 3 days without it getting stolen. That's why I rented a P.O.Box. Not because I had to.
"I adore John McCain, support him 100 percent and will do everything I can to support his reelection. As everyone knows, I was honored and proud to run with him. And Todd and I were with him in D.C. just a week ago." (Sarah Palin,Dec 2009) ************************************ DID Palin say or write these things or not? (Me) I don't know or F ing care. (Mad Dog posted on 2009-12-26 16:36:33 ET,post # 105 http://libertysflame.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=5510&Disp=114#C114)
Wrong again. PS Form 3849....Notice for package pick-up.
That must be very nice. I'm envious.
Nope,YOU are wrong again. That is the form left in your box if you are not at home when the letter carrier makes the first attempt to deliver your package. You can call the post office and arrange to have the package delivered on a day when you will be home. Some (most?) people end up going to the post office to pick the package up there because they are in a hurry to get it,or because they just don't know they can call and have it delivered.
"I adore John McCain, support him 100 percent and will do everything I can to support his reelection. As everyone knows, I was honored and proud to run with him. And Todd and I were with him in D.C. just a week ago." (Sarah Palin,Dec 2009) ************************************ DID Palin say or write these things or not? (Me) I don't know or F ing care. (Mad Dog posted on 2009-12-26 16:36:33 ET,post # 105 http://libertysflame.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=5510&Disp=114#C114)
No, that is why UPS and Fed Ex exist. The USPS rural route carriers will not deliver to your home! If the package won't fit in your RR box, you have to go pick it up.
the government is the only organization that can do this
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."-- Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899
#13. To: A K A Stone, capitalist eric (#7)
(Edited)
The think the post office does a fine job. Even if they are subsidized by tax dollars. Everyone uses it.
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."-- Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899
#14. To: jwpegler (#13)
the occasional bill from a government entity that is too stupid to sign up to accept PayPal or Credit Cards.
#15. To: jwpegler (#13)
but who in the right mind stands in line for hours at the Post Office to send a package when you can zip in and out of a FedEx store in minutes???
#16. To: jwpegler (#13)
The Post Office should be sold.
#17. To: We The People (#16)
The Post Office should be sold.
#18. To: Skip Intro (#17)
I think the Chinese would be interested.
#19. To: We The People (#18)
I doubt it. You've seen the numbers, right?
#20. To: All (#0)
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."-- Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899
#21. To: Skip Intro (#14)
The government doesn't accept them because of the 3% service charge.
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."-- Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899
#22. To: Skip Intro (#15)
People who don't want to pay twice the price for FedEx versus Priority Mail.
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."-- Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899
#23. To: jwpegler (#22)
#24. To: jwpegler, lucysmom (#11)
Microsoft,
#25. To: jwpegler (#22)
A.) It's not twice as much
#26. To: go65 (#24)
(Edited)
Accenture spun out of Arthur Anderson shortly before Anderson collapsed in the wake of the Enron scandal.
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."-- Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899
#27. To: Skip Intro (#25)
It takes me less time at the PO than it does at UPS or FedEX.
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."-- Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899
#28. To: A K A Stone (#23)
They are constitutional.
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."-- Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899
#29. To: jwpegler (#27)
In the Fantasy Land branch of the USPS?
#30. To: jwpegler (#28)
#31. To: jwpegler (#13)
Most of what the post office does is deliver junk mail. They also try to compete with private companies in delivering packages, but who in the right mind stands in line for hours at the Post Office to send a package when you can zip in and out of a FedEx store in minutes???
#32. To: jwpegler (#26)
Yes, Microsoft and Accenture are two GREAT companies because they focus on their customers and generally do a great job for their customers. ditto for Apple.
#33. To: lucysmom (#31)
(Edited)
You can print postage and schedule a package pick up all from the comfort of your own home.
#34. To: Skip Intro (#33)
And it's cheaper, too. I do it all the time.
#35. To: lucysmom (#32)
#36. To: A K A Stone (#35)
#37. To: lucysmom (#31)
(Edited)
I have used FedEx, UPS, and USPS extensively in business. These days I rely entirely on the Post Office.
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."-- Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899
#38. To: lucysmom, aka stone, capitalist eric, go65 (#32)
(Edited)
I keep MS applications off my computer.
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."-- Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899
#39. To: jwpegler (#38)
Microsoft was a great company. Now they are a huge, lethargic bureaucracy.
#40. To: jwpegler (#38)
When the government mandates monopolies, this kind of innovation is not possible.
http://www.infoworld.com/t/business/us-doj-joins-lawsuit-against-hp-sun-accenture-664
April 19, 2007
U.S. DOJ joins lawsuit against HP, Sun, Accenture
Suit alleges that the three companies formed an alliance with vendors and have been giving each other kickbacks on government contracts since the late 1990s.
#41. To: jwpegler (#12)
FedEx, UPS, DHL, Delivery Express, MDCS, and countless others would disagree with you. So would their customers.
#42. To: sneakypete (#41)
(Edited)
Wrong twice. They would all LOVE to have the profitable big city deliveries,but would have to be subsidized beyond belief to provide mail delivery to the suburbs and rural areas.
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."-- Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899
#43. To: jwpegler (#42)
The Post Office is 15 miles away and I have to wait HOURS to get service.
#44. To: sneakypete (#43)
#45. To: sneakypete (#43)
They deliver right to your house,they will pick up any packages you have right at your house
#46. To: Ibluafartsky (#45)
They deliver right to your house,they will pick up any packages you have right at your house
#47. To: sneakypete (#46)
No,it's a freaking fact,shithead. Go to http://www.usps.com and see for yourself.
#48. To: Ibluafartsky (#47)
Anyone who lives off of a road in rural America knows that the mail is NOT delivered to their house, DUMBSHIT! Drive the backroads of North Dakota and Montana!
#49. To: sneakypete (#48)
Even then,if you have a package to be picked up or delivered,they will go to your house to deliver or make a pickup.
#50. To: sneakypete (#48)
because I am the only house up the road that I live on
#51. To: Ibluafartsky (#49)
Wrong again. PS Form 3849....Notice for package pick-up.
#52. To: sneakypete (#51)
You can call the post office and arrange to have the package delivered on a day when you will be home.
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