Save the USPS !!

[AJ Oliver]

Few people are aware of how important the US Postal Service is to the 

functioning of our society. (See book, How the Post Office Created America). 

Lining it up for destruction and/or privatization is most likely the most dysfunctional 

and evil thing that the Drump has done. 

This goes way beyond mail-in voting. 

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/04/13/trump-threatens-postal-service-amid-pandemic-saveusps-urges-bulk-stamp-purchases-and

 

[Ishmael]

November is a long way away. Trump can do an awful lot of damage in that time. Where the fuck is Congress?

 

[AJ Oliver]

One way to help restore the USPS to health would be to bring back postal banking - 

which we actually had until 1971, believe it or not. 

I'm counting on Liz Warren to get it done. It was part of her platform. 

It could serve many of those who are currently unbanked, of which there are many. 

The Federal Reserve estimated there are 55 million unbanked or underbanked adult Americans in 2018, which account for 22 percent of U.S. households. One report found the nationwide rates to be 7.7% unbanked and 17.9% underbanked, with the most unbanked state Mississippi, at 16.4%.

 

[mikewof]

Save the USPS. Agreed.

It's the glue that ties our nation together across politics, across income classes, across regions, ideas, education and ambition.

And President Trump may be yet another pawn in this attempted and arguably hostile takeover of the U.S. Postal Service, but it's been in the works for years and many have attempted and so-far failed . It might actually finally happen during this quarantine. But I think we are sufficiently aware of the danger of losing our Lovely Postal Bride, that we will do what's right and finally put a ring on her finger.

Oh, shit, I'm turning into Normy, I'm about to move this response to the other USPS thread. http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?/topic/212346-usps-going-private/&tab=comments#comment-6841922

Whew ... I burped out some stale beer and the feeling went away. In the words of Rick Yukon mocking Dwight Eisenhower on the golf course before he was imprisoned for the United Crushing Corporation's failure to properly vet his credentials as a steam pressure engineer; "you can get anything done as long as you let someone else take the credit for it."

 

[mikewof]

This is going to be a good thread. But everyone here is going to need a reality clamp if we're going to make it happen.

 

[Cal20sailor]

This is going to be a good thread. But everyone here is going to need a reality clamp if we're going to make it happen.

Classic.  

 

[Mrleft8]

Why would anyone want to dispose of the USPS? (Aside from vote tampering, and inconveniencing lower income people)

 

[Not for nothing]

the post office , should be modernize , to say the least,, no it should be put out of business , just be made more efficent ,

do we really mail every day to get a box full of junk mail, ? maybe junk mail should all come one day a week ,and be charged full rate!                                 but  regular mail is slow as shit, ?     Go to a 3 , 4, or five day work week, elimating overtime for the 6th day, tell me is there really any mail you need on saturday?that would cut down on the work force , overtime , sick time and vacations   and then .There pensions ( from friends that are for the USPS) are out of line with many industries , maybe go to a 401 K system ?                                                      I go to the local UPS , I get greeted with a warm friendly smiling face, and I'm in and out in a couple of minutes. Go to the local post office there's always line and just when you turn to go, that teller goes on a break! They usually have a frown and act like it's pain to do their job ,   If you hate your job that much quit and  be happy, and please don't go postal!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

 

[Mrleft8]

My post office here in Cow town N. Fl. is great. They're friendly, they make a second trip out to my place (10 miles) if I have something that comes in late, but can't wait for tomorrow (Chicks, bees, saplings). FEDEX on the other hand is useless. They've left live (not so much after 5 hours out in the Fl. sun) lobsters and frozen Omaha steaks to rot by my gate post a quarter mile from my house, even though there's a sign there saying not to leave pkgs there. UPS is good, but they can be slow.

 

[AJ Oliver]

The Reich hates the USPS because it is a major part of the glue . . 

that holds our society - such as it is - together. 

And they also hate it because (like the VA) it works. 

It is a living, breathing contradiction to their dumb-ass ideology. 

 

[Ishmael]

I'm sure David Brin has been mentioned here before, but yeah.

Basic glue. Trump has shattered a lot of glue lines. Are there any real patriots left in the US government at any high level? How bad is the rot?

 

[AJ Oliver]

I'm sure David Brin has been mentioned here before, but yeah.

Basic glue. Trump has shattered a lot of glue lines. Are there any real patriots left in the US government at any high level? How bad is the rot?

I thought the original Sci Fi book was better; it really caught the USPS spirit of 

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night" 

The Kostner flick was well intended, but did not nail it. 

 

[Ishmael]

I thought the original Sci Fi book was better; it really caught the USPS spirit of 

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night" 

The Kostner flick was well intended, but did not nail it. 

I couldn't find any screen shots from the book. I have to admit, I haven't seen the flick.

 

[mikewof]

Why would anyone want to dispose of the USPS? (Aside from vote tampering, and inconveniencing lower income people)

Dispose? BUY Motherfucker!

Why buy? Because it's the jewel in the American crown, and it owns and controls some of the most valuable real estate in the country. FedEx and UPS would have been happy to nip off chunks of it back in the 1980s and 1990s, but it wasn't until Amazon came in with big data that they figured out how to buy the USPS without actually owning the unprofitable portions.

 

[mikewof]

The Reich hates the USPS because it is a major part of the glue . . 

that holds our society - such as it is - together. 

And they also hate it because (like the VA) it works. 

It is a living, breathing contradiction to their dumb-ass ideology. 

The VA does work, I agree with you that it's that contradiction.

But the reason the USPS is now ripe for privatization is because it does not work. Amazon, UPS, FedEx, DHL and other carriers have used the USPS's quasi status to buy chunks of their logistics in bulk. Amazon will buy just the last mile, and the front -end 10% for pennies on the dollar, and then they'll bulk process the expensive stuff in their own facilities and with lowest-bidder LTL transport.

The problem with the USPS is that it's not a contradiction to their "dumb-ass ideology but rather a victim of it; they; they can't afford to run their package business without their letter-business-infrastructure and they can't afford to run their letter-business without their package-business-profits. Amazon doesn't want to own the unprofitable part, they just want the valuable stuff. So if we allow the USPS to be privatized then no magic will magically happen with the USPS letter-business costs. Rather, our mail will follow the Amazon model. If you live far enough away from the access point and want your mail you can join Prime and get it for free, or you can pay per delivery.

Your "Reich" shit is getting really old. You're undermining your whole position with that bullshit.

 

[mikewof]

USPS is a social program. 

I don’t want 98 pct of the crap they bring me. Mostly junk mail. 

I would  be fine with once or twice  per week delivery 

And the dickhead postman leaves Marlboro butts on the ground near the box. 

The USPS is not a social program, it's the blood that allows industries to operate.

Given that, your idea is right on target. Delivery on Monday and Thursday only is sufficient unless you really want it every day, and then you can hire a private delivery service to do the dailies.

 

[mikewof]

the post office , should be modernize , to say the least,, no it should be put out of business , just be made more efficent ,

do we really mail every day to get a box full of junk mail, ? maybe junk mail should all come one day a week ,and be charged full rate!                                 but  regular mail is slow as shit, ?     Go to a 3 , 4, or five day work week, elimating overtime for the 6th day, tell me is there really any mail you need on saturday?that would cut down on the work force , overtime , sick time and vacations   and then .There pensions ( from friends that are for the USPS) are out of line with many industries , maybe go to a 401 K system ?                                                      I go to the local UPS , I get greeted with a warm friendly smiling face, and I'm in and out in a couple of minutes. Go to the local post office there's always line and just when you turn to go, that teller goes on a break! They usually have a frown and act like it's pain to do their job ,   If you hate your job that much quit and  be happy, and please don't go postal!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

"Junk mail" is some of the most profitable mail that runs through the USPS. It comes in often presorted, pre-classed and with defined zones.

You don't need to wait on line at the Post Office if it bothers you. Use the automatic machine or your Pitney Bowes meter, or Stamps.com. (The latter is actually an aggregator, they might even use Amazon's infrastructure.)

 

[Cal20sailor]

Mike, you're wrong.

 

[AJ Oliver]

You folks are not nearly skeptical or cynical enough. 

You don't seem to grasp that the US Reich has the entire "administrative state" lined up for privatization 

Their stated goal is to abolish and grab all of it. 

National Weather Service, National Parks, Vets Admin, public schools, NASA, OSHA, National Forrests & Federal Lands 

Not only the USPS - that is only the beginning 

Somalia, inspired by your shining example, here we come