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America's Postal Service Is Dying a Slow and Painful Death
National Interest ^ | June 14, 2016 | James Gattuso

Posted on 06/14/2016 11:18:14 AM PDT by sparklite2

It’s no secret that the postal business is shrinking. First-class mail volume is melting away like a popsicle in the sun—down 40 percent since 2000.

Less well-known is the shrinkage of the U.S. Postal Service’s board of governors. It is supposed to have nine members (not counting the postmaster general and deputy postmaster general). At the moment, it’s down to one.

At first blush, this May sound like good news for those who think the Postal Service is a government-run dinosaur that should be dismantled or sold off. What better start than to eliminate the board? But on closer look, this postal decapitation is not a solution to USPS’ shortcomings, but a stark illustration of the problems with this government-owned enterprise.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalinterest.org ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: heardthisbefore; usps
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To: sparklite2

Nope. They tried, but it’s still making them money. They still have more DVD customers than streaming.


41 posted on 06/14/2016 12:47:39 PM PDT by discostu (Joan Crawford has risen from the grave)
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To: sportutegrl

They don’t have it now because that would be a violation of copyright laws. Streaming something is making a copy of it, which you can’t do without the permission of the license holder.


42 posted on 06/14/2016 12:48:28 PM PDT by discostu (Joan Crawford has risen from the grave)
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To: dp0622

“how many bills are paid online that used to have to be mailed. 5 or more per person per month?”>

I pay my/our bills via computer totally for decades. My wife has a few medical type bills she pays by check, and a couple other ones when she gets her hair or nails done. So we use one to two stamps per month for her check mailing.

Pg&E, Comcast, local water and garbage companies bill our checking each month for an auto payment.

Our charities, Church and Salvation army get a monthly direct deposit. FR and a couple of other charities are mailed monthly or special checks.

80% of our Christmas news letters are now emailed.

We buy a book of non expiring stamps each December @ Costco to mail our Few Christmas letters/cards and bills for the next year and still have stamps left in the book from the year before!


43 posted on 06/14/2016 12:54:15 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (La Raza thugs in America are Mexico's form of Isis terrorism/terrorists/invaders!!)
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To: discostu

A lot of us in rural areas can’t stream. We are lucky to have internet.


44 posted on 06/14/2016 12:54:15 PM PDT by Himyar (Sessions: the only real man in D.C.)
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To: Grampa Dave

lol!!

you were way ahead of the curve than me.

I’m 48, probably started about four or five years ago. Dont ask me why.

Lazy most likely.


45 posted on 06/14/2016 12:57:25 PM PDT by dp0622 (The only thing an upper crust conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
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To: sparklite2

They have 70 years worth of pensions saved up. They are smarter then most districts and state governments who spent their workers money and will have to pay the piper soon. Post office won’t have that problem. They are the smartest agency we have and most constitutional. Also if they get into banking it will change everything for them.


46 posted on 06/14/2016 1:11:20 PM PDT by napscoordinator (Trump/Hunter, jr for President/Vice President 2016)
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To: ObozoMustGo2012

Unconstitutional. Post Office and military are the ONLY mandatory things that are required in the Constitution. Let’s not nit pick the parts of the Constitution that we like. That is very liberal.


47 posted on 06/14/2016 1:12:16 PM PDT by napscoordinator (Trump/Hunter, jr for President/Vice President 2016)
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To: longfellow

Too bad you did not get insurance....seems to be the customers problem.


48 posted on 06/14/2016 1:13:46 PM PDT by napscoordinator (Trump/Hunter, jr for President/Vice President 2016)
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To: sparklite2
I understand that the vast college education and critical decision skills of today's postal workers warrants them their ungodly pensions and bennies.../sarcasm/.

seriously, if we didn't have these postal workers making so much money, so many benefits with outrageous pensions at early ages, maybe the postal service could survive....

these govt workers think their poop don't stink...

49 posted on 06/14/2016 1:15:48 PM PDT by cherry
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To: Drango

It is shocking how ignorant many are here on the Constitution that they lied and said they read. That is a big fat lie.


50 posted on 06/14/2016 1:16:10 PM PDT by napscoordinator (Trump/Hunter, jr for President/Vice President 2016)
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To: WENDLE; Dave W; flaglady47; Maine Mariner; pax_et_bonum; prairiebreeze; scottteng; M Kehoe; ...
Much as we hate it, do you have ANY idea how many jobs are connected to the commericial mailing industry (i.e., our "junk mail")?

Just for starters, advertising companies, printers, paper mills, loggers, ink manufacturers, envelope makers, artists, lay-out people, collators, mail clerks, accountants, truckers...I could go on forever.

There's hardly a doubt that almost everyone reading this has some connection with or has relatives closely or distantly connected to the commercial mailing business. These jobs (and our national economy) depend a great part on a healthy commercial mailing industry.

So even if you're irritated with the "junk" stuffed in your mailbox, remember that one man's junk is another man's, woman's or baby's bread and butter.

Just toss is out if you're perpetually offended by some of the things in your mailbox...that's what I do (after combing it for great coupons and sales events!

Leni

51 posted on 06/14/2016 1:33:47 PM PDT by MinuteGal ( GO, TRUMP, GO !!!....Plus....Boycott Target !!!)
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To: sparklite2

We had a dear friend send several jars of home made jam. Each was bubble wrapped 2” thick and placed in a corrugated box lined with 2” more.

The US Post Office managed to break every one plus they charged $41.00 for their fine service.


52 posted on 06/14/2016 1:57:53 PM PDT by cassiusking
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To: MinuteGal; WENDLE; Dave W; flaglady47; Maine Mariner; pax_et_bonum; prairiebreeze; scottteng; ...

Yes, Junk mail equals jobs. By the same argument, a whole bunch of jobs depend on auto accidents! There are the giant corporations State Farm, All State, Progressive and Gekko. Then there are the expensive auto body shops (I had a fender bender last year and the estimates ranged from $1500 to $2500), ambulance chaser lawyers and their staff, cops to make accident reports, judges, bailiffs, court personnel, medical rehab, chiropractors, on and on and on. Next time God forbid you have an auto accident, think about all the jobs you just created.


53 posted on 06/14/2016 2:07:38 PM PDT by entropy12 (When you vote, you are actually voting for the candidate's rich donors!)
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To: camle

I’m surprised that people still don’t know that the Post Office does NOT receive any tax dollars.
Nine, Nada zilch. They have not been subsidized in nearly 20 years. The Post Office PAYS into the Treasury billions of dollars a year.


54 posted on 06/14/2016 2:30:40 PM PDT by weston (Ashttps://youtu.be/oBb2EQmtnhQ far as I'm concerned, it's Christ or nothing!)
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To: cassiusking

I use USPS for both an unbreakable/replaceable product and for antique glass I sell on ebay. I’ve had my business since 1987 and been doing ebay since 1998.

One time a business customer called to say her package didn’t arrive. I have suspicions she was looking to double her order for free, but, I replaced the items, which were a low price point. All my ebay purchases and sales have arrived intact, on time. I only buy insurance for the most valuable items and only when the purchaser agrees to pay for it.

Most shipments are 2-day, even to the coasts, although Maine and Vancouver take an extra day, as does Alaska. Even Hawaii is only 3-4 days at most.

Besides wrapping individual items in bubble wrap, I place 3”-5” or more of crumpled paper bottom, sides and top and I double box, making sure to add enough crumpled paper between the boxes to prevent any movement. The rule is NOTHING MOVES inside or between either box.

As for Netflix, my DVDs arrive in two days and are never lost. I have used them for years, from whenever they began the DVD service. I can’t recall when that was.

I’m rural. The worst part of my mailing experiences have been with the local delivery people. Some are incredibly dense. UPS and FedEx, which I use for larger commercial shipments, are wonderful. Fast. Sometime one day later than I expect, but they then have a redirect sticker and the notice of fault appears on the tracking. UPS emails me when I ship and when the parcel is delivered, including the name that signed at the loading dock. 2-3 days between the center of the country, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and Dallas.


55 posted on 06/14/2016 2:40:08 PM PDT by reformedliberal
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To: napscoordinator

Still didn’t get a refund. The merchandise is gone but I am not paying for that. I was paying for the delivery and it didn’t make it.


56 posted on 06/14/2016 2:43:09 PM PDT by longfellow (Bill Maher, the 21st hijacker.)
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To: discostu

I was thinking it would be something like the pay per view service that cable companies offer.


57 posted on 06/14/2016 2:55:03 PM PDT by sportutegrl
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To: sportutegrl

Still gotta have the license to distribute. Which netflix pays for when they can reach a deal on the stream, but just having a copy doesn’t give you that license.


58 posted on 06/14/2016 2:58:34 PM PDT by discostu (Joan Crawford has risen from the grave)
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To: rhoda_penmark

My last Amazon delivery was delivered by Amazon.

.


59 posted on 06/14/2016 3:01:09 PM PDT by Mears
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To: Drango

Right you are.


60 posted on 06/14/2016 3:39:42 PM PDT by seowulf (Cogito cogito, ergo cogito sum. Cogito.---Ambrose Bierce)
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