Is it possible to just let this dinosaur die? I get my bills electronically and pay them online. My pet peeve is someone writing a check. Especially in the grocery store I almost come unglued. Queenbee
The U.S. Postal Service said it lost $3.3 billion in the quarter ended Dec. 31 -- typically its strongest -- and that it expects to run out of cash in October unless Congress agrees to cuts in facilities and employees.
“If the Postal Service is unable to reduce its operating costs by $20 billion a year by 2015, we may not be able to return to profitability,” Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said at a board meeting in Washington today. “We may become a long-term burden to the taxpayers if we are not able to make these reductions quickly.”
The ninth consecutive quarter of losses may increase pressure on Congress from the Postal Service and customers to approve legislation intended to return it to solvency.
“We have a Postal Service that essentially is living from paycheck to paycheck, which is a very risky proposition for the American economy and the 8 million private-sector workers whose jobs rely on the mail,” Art Sackler, coordinator of the Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service, said in an e-mail. “Each day Congress fails to enact postal reform, this problem grows more difficult and perhaps more expensive to resolve.”
The coalition’s members include Bank of America Corp. (BAC) and FedEx Corp. (FDX)
9 comments:
Sorry, Queen, but I still post bills and write checks. Unless you are going to GIVE everyone a computer AND free Wi-Fi, I doubt you could enforce only a debit or online bill. That said, the problem (as I see it) with the PO and other big union companies is that they have grown so overinflated with greed that now they refuse to accept a loss of benefits, pensions, etc. The FIRST thing to do is cut out Sat. delivery. And, take a look at how much it costs to mail in other countries. The USA is CHEAP. I remember getting a letter from Scotland and the paper was so thin it was like onion skin. They also write on every inch.
I am stopping most cards (although I still do sympathy and get well if someone is in the hospital.) But birthday, anniversary, etc. I'll phone. They just put a Hallmark in the grocery store and INCREASED the price of cards. Everyone was complaining.
I'm not enthralled with everything Denninger writes but I have to admit that he is correct when he says eventually the MATH will win out. This month we have to have 5 weeks of food, gas, spending from our SS check. Thankfully, I plan every meal (as much as I can) and watch every dime but you are always faced with the 'UNEXPECTED'.
That's the problem, the Post Office, Teacher's Unions, State Government, etc. no one EVER thought about saving for a 'lean' spell. They spent every dime PLUS money they didn't have.
If there is one thing to teach your children, it is the art of saving. Not only do you install a good lesson, the ANTICIPATION makes the reward all the sweeter when you see the fruits of your labor. That's why having a garden, a pet, etc. are good LIFE LESSONS, IMO.
It would be interesting to see a breakdown on USPS expenses:
operating costs vs. pensions & benefits to retired employees.
Also, to see a comparison of wages & benefits to current employees, vs. people with similar jobs who are working in the private sector.
Chicken Little said...
"This month we have to have 5 weeks of food, gas, spending from our SS check."
"eventually the MATH will win out."
- - - -
Speaking of MATH, this month has 29 days = four weeks + 1 day. How does this add up to five weeks?
Sorry, just feeling snarky this morning. I am not enjoing being grilled about this equipment failure at work. (See yesterday's post.)
But speaking of needing more money to buy less food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the US’s cattle herd has thinned to 90.8 million, the smallest since 1952.
One of my colleagues 'harvested' an elk and two deer last year, and we are going to exchange some garden produce for some meat.
It is great to be able to do some trading, while telling Bug Agriculture to go f* themselves.
Mammoth-I'm 'snarky', too ;-)
We get paid the THIRD week of every month. So February's check comes next week on 2/15 and must last us until 3/21!
As for the Post Office, my dad was a postmaster. He told me YEARS ago that this would happen. Once he saw UPS and FedX develop he knew that the PO would either have to change or die. AND, at that point all employees were given PENSIONS. It was only later (70's I think?) when they made the employees go to Social Security.
You also have to look at the RATES for service. If you mail books, magazines, or dvds, you can get a FAR cheaper rate. I know this as I mail books to my friend to read so we 'exchange'.
I swear lately I'll about squeezing every nickel. In fact, I'l already CHRISTMAS shopping! I buy books (used) or dvds (used).I keep an eye out for stuff on my list to see if it goes on sale or on a 2-for-1 price all year. AND I stick to my budget. I found a few items for my grandkids for 70% off the original $1 price. If it ain't on sale, I don't buy it. If it isn't something I need, I don't buy it.
As we have the grandkids a lot during the summer, I recently invested in 101 Science projects for kids (USED). Most of the stuff you need is regular household items. I also 'barter' with a friend who is an artist. She's going to come teach the kids how to make their own 'books' out of paper and thread as long as I feed her and make scones. I am not artsy. I teach them about music.
Before I forget EVERYONE get on that NASA Space Site today to see the most uplifting 5 minute video of stars, aurora, etc. set to music.
At least something to uplift us today ;-)
Mammoth- I'll bet your 'grilling' comes from the 'safety' issue. God forbid they have any mark on a record. You do realize that's probably because they worry about a Worker's Comp Case...IF they have such a thing where you are?
Nah, safety really just gets 'lip service here.' Unless someone actually gets hurt.
The issue is why the inspector - who received ~$7K - did not find the problem before it blew up (quite literally).
But that's what I get paid the big bucks for - ha!
"the US’s cattle herd has thinned to 90.8 million, the smallest since 1952."
Darn vegetarians. Who do they think they are? ;-) Have you ever noticed that they have an air of superiority about themselves? They think that we should cater a special meal for them while everyone else eats whatever and is happy?
CL I am not trying to insult people who use checks, just in the check out line at the grocery store. The post office is a big waste of money and should be put out of the taxpayers misery. Imagine how much it costs to process every check that is written? The time and paper boggles the mind if you think the whole process through from sending the bill to final processing. it's not just a .46 stamp.
If the Postal Service goes, there goes another bit of the fabric that holds the nation together. FedEx and UPS are not going to deliver a letter across the country to some isolated hamlet for the same low price that it costs to send it across a big town. If everything is done electronically, then that allows the government to spy on even more of everything. It also makes it easier for the government to shut down the flow of information. There's too much unrest? Internet kill switch. You're someone the government doesn't like because you are challenging the power structure? ZAP! Your electronic access is suspended.
How many millions of people somehow make a living from magazines and other publications that go through the mail? What percentage will lose their jobs if there is no Postal Service? UPS is not going to deliver the news magazine, or the Ladies Home Journal, or even your local weekly paper (lots of rural areas like the ones where I lived when I started in journalism still send papers by post.)
Let's not ignore the fact that one of the reasons the Postal Service is going broke is because of a law passed in 2006 that requires the USPS to pre-fund its pensions for the next 75 years over a 10-year period. Those are the 10 years we're in now. No other enterprise has to do this. It was done deliberately by Congress to break the postal unions, because HOW DARE THEY get a good pension?!?
That seems to be the underlying logic in America now. "I don't get a good deal! I'm fucked if I lose my job or get sick or if I want to retire and have enough money so I don't starve to death. SO WHY DO THOSE OTHER LUCKY BASTARDS HAVE IT BETTER THAN ME?!? Let's destroy what they have!"
No one ever thinks about the alternative -- why shouldn't the system be set up so EVERYBODY has it better? No, the only thing people can think of is dragging everyone else down into the mud.
You don't hear Canada or Australia or other advanced countries talking about destroying their mail systems. It's only in the United States where the vision of the powers that be, and sadly, many of the populace, seems intent on breaking an institution that's been around since Roman times. Yes, they had their own official message-transmitting service then. It is one of those things that holds civilization together.
The "United" States is going to break apart. There are so many things that are pushing in the direction of destruction and atomization. Let's blow up the Post Office. Let's eliminate the public schools. Kill Social Security and Medicare. Every man for himself! I got mine, Jack, and fuck you if you lost yours. I got this gun, and I'll kill you if you make a move on me." Look to Somalia and Afghanistan to see how badly things go in countries that have wiped out their socialistic institutions like the Post Office. Total free-market means anarchy.
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