The New Intimacy

Do you think US Postal Service deserves a bailout?

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Contributor: Stinkytofu10 Stinkytofu10
link

What are your thoughts on the Senate bill that just passed to bailout the United States Postal Service? Do you think USPS deserves a bailout, or do you think it's due time for a major change?
Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):
What's USPS?
Geogeo
1
I don't really care, because I don't use USPS (or very rarely).
OhMy!
1
They can't compete with other logistics companies like UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.
ghalik , MamaDivine , AnotherPrettyFace , OhMy! , unfulfilled
5
Who needs more letter spam?
AnotherPrettyFace
1
They are an aging government agency and they need to change with the times.
Tork48309 , Ryuson , Ms. N , jmex83 , ghalik , AnotherPrettyFace , BlooJay , Rossie , darthkitt3n , RomanticGoth , El-Jaro , Bethrianne , Ansley , PassionateLover2 , fallwillow , OhMy! , powerandintent , CollegeFun2014 , unfulfilled , pootpootpoot , Kindred
21
I regularly use the USPS and I need them to keep the services they've always provided.
Ryuson , Ms. N , cburger , nanamondoute , jmex83 , ksparkles16 , ghalik , Terri69 , GenderSexplorations , JackRaiden , BlooJay , Rossie , darthkitt3n , P'Gell , Raigne , RomanticGoth , DustBunny , KyotoAngel , El-Jaro , PeaceToTheMiddleEast , fallwillow , Petite Valentine , xOhxSoxScandalousx , richsam , RonLee , powerandintent , ViVix , Liz2 , Various , unfulfilled , pootpootpoot
31
USPS is an important part of the United States and it needs to be kept afloat.
Ryuson , Ms. N , cburger , jmex83 , ksparkles16 , ghalik , GenderSexplorations , JackRaiden , BlooJay , Rossie , darthkitt3n , P'Gell , RomanticGoth , KyotoAngel , El-Jaro , Ansley , fallwillow , Honeybee , Petite Valentine , RonLee , powerandintent , Liz2 , Various , unfulfilled , pootpootpoot , dv8 , Kindred
27
I have rarely gotten good service(customer or delivery) from USPS.
ghalik , P'Gell , RomanticGoth , Missmarc , fallwillow
5
I view USPS and other logistics companies roughly the same.
Gunsmoke , El-Jaro , PassionateLover2 , Incendiaire
4
I'm a hermit.
ghalik , El-Jaro , married with children , mistressg
4
Total votes: 100 (48 voters)
Poll is closed
04/25/2012
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Contributor: Tork48309 Tork48309
Their overhead costs are killing them. They need to be privatized to be successful just like many parts of the government. Contracting business out on a competitive level creates lower cost and better results.
04/25/2012
Contributor: Chilipepper Chilipepper
They're still better than UPS.
04/25/2012
Contributor: Ryuson Ryuson
(Review Program Mentor)
While I think that they DO need to change with the times a bit, they're still SO much cheaper than UPS and they're a lot faster, too. I also like the way that they come by every day at a certain time so I can plan on it.
04/25/2012
Contributor: Ms. N Ms. N
They do need to change some things, but they are so much easier to use to send things OUT than UPS or FedEx for me.
04/25/2012
Contributor: Gunsmoke Gunsmoke
They need to compete. Part of the problem is the retiree burden is unsustainable. They are going to have send the retirees into the Pension Benefit Guarantee Board - then reorganize as GM did.
04/26/2012
Contributor: nanamondoute nanamondoute
USPS is so cheap...if they change, the customers will most likely bare the brunt of it. As everything is going more electronic, shipping packages aren't as efficient anymore. But because of this, the prices may not be able to be kept as low...which I don't want.
04/26/2012
Contributor: jmex83 jmex83
Quote:
Originally posted by Stinkytofu10
link

What are your thoughts on the Senate bill that just passed to bailout the United States Postal Service? Do you think USPS deserves a bailout, or do you think it's due time for a major change? ... more
I think that they need to make some serious changes in order to stay afloat with all the other options that are out there for us to use.
04/26/2012
Contributor: ksparkles16 ksparkles16
I definitely think USPS is a vital part of our lives even if we use technology more now. Think of all the houses that mail carriers visit nearly everyday! It's kind of baffling when you think of it. I think it would be beneficial for them if they cut Saturday mail. I think the USPS is something we need and has a lot of history associated with it.
04/26/2012
Contributor: Terri69 Terri69
They need to keep the USPS afloat but it needs to be streamlined.
04/26/2012
Contributor: GenderSexplorations GenderSexplorations
They definitely need to keep the USPS afloat. But some things do need to change.
04/26/2012
Contributor: wetone123 wetone123
I think I need a bailout! I'm pretty sure most of you feel the same!
04/26/2012
Contributor: JackRaiden JackRaiden
It's hard to believe USPS can't keep themselves afloat with billions in revenue. Their major problems can certainly be fixed (e.g. 100% pension funding), but since it's up to our congress to do so...

I grew to respect USPS thanks in large part to their prices and quick (First Class/Priority) delivery. Frankly, they enable many small online businesses to function, and even do much of UPS/FedEx's job (residential delivery) these days. They employ half a million people (many of them veterans). I'd hate to see what a UPS/FedEx duopoly would look like.
04/26/2012
Contributor: BlooJay BlooJay
I'll only use USPS. I like their prices and their service better.
04/26/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
We'll all get screwed if they get privatized (it's just an other way for rich white guys to make a buck (or several billion of them) on the backs of the middle class. NO PRIVATIZATION!

The government bailed out some of the car companies and they bounced back wonderfully. Why not a semi-governmental sector like the USPS?

Also, the people who were PROMISED retirement benefits and counted on them and paid into them shouldn't suffer, either. Why is it so many people for other people losing their retirement benefits as long as it doesn't effect them personally?

I do NOT want to be forced to use a for profit delivery service for things like bills and letters and even packages if I choose not to. UPS and FedEe SUCK, DHL is one of the least reliable companies EVER and they are "privatized." ; ; It wouldn't solve a thing and we'd get screwed in the middle.

I also don't want to pay extra for Saturday deliver or lose it altogether.

Fund the USPS so it will thrive. Then make some changes so it can stay competitive with companies which are for profit like UPS and FedEx and let us keep our USPS.
04/26/2012
Contributor: RomanticGoth RomanticGoth
They could update a few things here and there. And, improve their customer service. We can't get rid of them... they are part of our history.

They need a bailout.
04/26/2012
Contributor: Raigne Raigne
Yes. Absolutely. Far more than the businesses we bailed out to keep the nation afloat did. I would point out that part of the reason they have such high overhead is that ideas for how to reduce costs have been shot down, like eliminating Saturday delivery. Yes it's a minor inconvenience, but if it's necessary to keep the post office operating, do it. I do not think it should be privatized.
04/26/2012
Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
Quote:
Originally posted by Gunsmoke
They need to compete. Part of the problem is the retiree burden is unsustainable. They are going to have send the retirees into the Pension Benefit Guarantee Board - then reorganize as GM did.
It may be unsustainable going forward, but it would be grossly unfair to renege on people who worked for 20, 30 or 40 years to earn what they were promised.
04/26/2012
Contributor: DustBunny DustBunny
Given the choice, I try to use the USPS. But sometimes they don't cut it when it comes to mailing stuff or price.
04/26/2012
Contributor: Missmarc Missmarc
Quote:
Originally posted by Stinkytofu10
link

What are your thoughts on the Senate bill that just passed to bailout the United States Postal Service? Do you think USPS deserves a bailout, or do you think it's due time for a major change? ... more
Honestly I am very torn on this issue. While the price of USPS is lower compared to UPS and Fedex, their service is very very poor. I've been treated very very badly at the post office, or even on the phone with them. Most postal workers that I've encountered at USPS work as if they will never lose their jobs no matter what they do. Which is probably true.

I try to use the USPS as little as I can. Every time I have any contact with the USPS I always end up wondering how those people manage to get paid with the kind of attitude they give off. They will get more of my business if they start treating me better
04/26/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
I just have one problem with the United States Government NOT bailing out the United States Postal Service and it's this:

Who in the hell is going to handle all of the mail for the United States military who are stationed across our country and overseas?
04/26/2012
Contributor: PassionateLover2 PassionateLover2
Quote:
Originally posted by Tork48309
Their overhead costs are killing them. They need to be privatized to be successful just like many parts of the government. Contracting business out on a competitive level creates lower cost and better results.
The USPS has evolved like any other government operation; unchecked and out-of-control wages and benefits. It is a labor intensive operation so overhead costs, as you said "is killing them". Since it is NOT run like a business (which it should be), where you can fire dead-beat, unproductive, or lazy workers from time to time; it will never improve. Unless government workers in ANY government agency can be fire, "at will", the problem will never get resolved; the whole Federal government is just out of control! That is also why the Federal government has accumulated 5 Trillion dollars of debt in 3 years; too damn much spending!
04/26/2012
Contributor: PassionateLover2 PassionateLover2
Quote:
Originally posted by Gunsmoke
They need to compete. Part of the problem is the retiree burden is unsustainable. They are going to have send the retirees into the Pension Benefit Guarantee Board - then reorganize as GM did.
You got that right!! It is all about too many USPS employees on the payroll! The agency is overbloated with people!
04/26/2012
Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
Quote:
Originally posted by PassionateLover2
The USPS has evolved like any other government operation; unchecked and out-of-control wages and benefits. It is a labor intensive operation so overhead costs, as you said "is killing them". Since it is NOT run like a business (which it ... more
You think the lazy and unproductive are the first to go in "at will" environments? No. It's the older (i.e. higher-paid) workers and the less connected (i.e. the non-ass-kissers). No union guarantees a worker a job for life. They guarantee a review process for any member who is terminated. I don't see anything wrong in asking an employer to show just cause for letting someone go.

Is the postal services a mess? Yes.

Is it because they can't run a business? No.

From MSNBC:
"In fact, it's the Postal Service that’s currently bailing out the U.S. government. Politicians have been raiding Postal Service revenues for years, using them to make the federal deficit appear smaller than it really is. The fiscal gyrations are so twisted that the Postal Service is right now forced to pre-pay health care benefits for employees the agency hasn't even hired yet — in fact, for many future employees who haven't even been born yet — all to artificially shrink the federal deficit. It's these crushing accounting tricks, not the cost of delivering mail, that has pushed this 200-year-old institution to the brink."

(the bolding is mine, the article is HERE)

The Post Office offers a reliable and affordable service, and it seems to me like people in Washington are agitating to make it private for the sole purpose of destroying the workers' protections (the union) and upping revenue for their competitors (UPS, FedEx, et al).
04/26/2012
Contributor: richsam richsam
Quote:
Originally posted by Stinkytofu10
link

What are your thoughts on the Senate bill that just passed to bailout the United States Postal Service? Do you think USPS deserves a bailout, or do you think it's due time for a major change? ... more
keep the services they've always provided.
04/26/2012
Contributor: ViVix ViVix
Quote:
Originally posted by Stinkytofu10
link

What are your thoughts on the Senate bill that just passed to bailout the United States Postal Service? Do you think USPS deserves a bailout, or do you think it's due time for a major change? ... more
I use USPS way too much, but I've had bad luck with it lately. I've NEVER had bad luck with Fedex.
04/27/2012
Contributor: Liz2 Liz2
They were making money until Congress voted that their pension be funded for 75yrs. This after their funds were raided for years.
Right now it is a "no win" situation for everyone!
04/27/2012
Contributor: RonLee RonLee
The various shipping companies themselves haven't really given me much
grief.  Problems usually can be attributed to an employee who is
either being a jerk or is perhaps lazy or incompetent.  Some years ago
I sent a defective pistol back to Beretta for repair.  When they
returned it to me by FedEx, I couldn't believe it, the driver left the
box that was clearly marked "FIREARM" on my porch.  Luckily, it was
still there when I got home from work that day.  Not long ago I'd
ordered some replacement parts for a GoBidet bidet attachment for a
toilet.  The FedEx driver would NOT leave it on the porch because it
was an item "OF AN ADULT NATURE"... plumbing parts for goodness sake.
I had to drive to the FedEx warehouse or center or whatever it was to
pick up those plumbing parts, in person.  I fault the emplyee(s) for
both of those foul-ups, not really the shipping company.
However, one other problem for me, is that none of them will ship
cremated human remains.  USPS will but not out of the USA over a very
small weight.  So I have yet to get my spouse's remains to her family
in South America.
04/27/2012
Contributor: unfulfilled unfulfilled
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
I just have one problem with the United States Government NOT bailing out the United States Postal Service and it's this:

Who in the hell is going to handle all of the mail for the United States military who are stationed across our ... more
I agree Stormy, I've sent of many a letters to family/friends overseas. They have to have APO boxes.

Also, I'm in a book club called booksforsoldiers and we mail off our used books to those in the military.
04/27/2012
Contributor: married with children married with children
well, I wont get too much into this. But if the government would let the USPS run their own show, like it was set up to do; they would not need a bail out. But as usual, the ruling elite knows best on how to run things; and as far as I can tell it is working out great.
04/28/2012