Posted on 01/08/2006 12:41:03 PM PST by notpoliticallycorewrecked
Okay enquiring minds want to know :
Which would you prefer a private company delivering your mail or the U.S.P.S.?
The Post Office is privatised in the Netherlands and works just fine. Japan is about to privatise their post office. Britain has opened its postal service to competition and no ill effects.
It is unlikely the USA would suffer if it followed suit.
Regards, Ivan
It would help if I had put a private company OR the U.S. Postal Service. D'oh.
From a strictly economic standpoint, I'd have privatized the USPS long ago. But the USPS does have its uses, such as assigning ZIP codes and such. I wouldn't get rid of it completely, but I'd scale it back considerably. Like, they wouldn't deliver mail anymore.
"Since the U.S.P.S. can't seem to manage their finances properly, provide lousy service and have an attitude about it to boot, isn't it time to let a private company or companies take over the mail service in this country?"
"The Post Office is privatised in the Netherlands and works just fine. Japan is about to privatise their post office. Britain has opened its postal service to competition and no ill effects."
How huge is the delivery area for the Netherlands? How about Japan? Most private forms will not deliver to out-of-way areas. That's what keeps them profitable. They can chose where they'll deliver. If it's not profitable, tough.
The USPS has to delivery everywhere, including isolated areas in Alska, for instance.
So you don't even have to wonder why you are banned from time to time. That IS good.
I will double check, but I believe the Post in Australia is privatised too; thus the argument about out of the way areas is moot.
That said, there are plenty of out the way areas in Britain too. Yet the Post Office is commercially successful.
Regards, Ivan
Can the USPS do all that without tax subsidies? If not, you're *still* paying more for their services. It's just that you're paying them 1) whether or not you're actually using them, and 2) on your income taxes instead of at point of sale.
80% of my mail is unsolicited junk, and I only buy 2 books of stamps per year. I would rather pay 50 cents per stamp to a private company than continue with the USPS. Government postal and rail service needs to be phased out.
I completely disagree. What examples do you have that make you come to that conclusion?
I think the USPS just gets bagged on because they are a government entity.
I think they do a magnificent job, for very little money. You think spending $.37 or $.39 is too much to ask to take a letter anywhere?
I am amazed they don't make more mistakes, given the magnitude of the job.
My hat is off to every mailman in this country, who get my mail to me everyday, rain or shine.
Higher rates to out-of-the-way places would result in costs to deliver to more populous areas dropping. End result: everyone gets what they pay for.
"I will double check, but I believe the Post in Australia is privatised too; thus the argument about out of the way areas is moot.
That said, there are plenty of out the way areas in Britain too. Yet the Post Office is commercially successful."
Have you taken a look at a map of the U.S. lately? It's just a wee bit bigger than those 2 countries and not contiguous.
Since I have no basis for comparison, this is a tough question to answer. A private company MIGHT be better but would they be cheaper?
Keep the U.S. Postal Service!!!- Otherwise, the bars in America will be empty between 2:00 and 5:00 pm.
I have no problem whatsoever with postal employees. I just think that a private entity could do the job better.
Any idea what it would cost to build and run a nationwide mail distribution system equal to what the post office operates? No thanks. I'm not generally a fan of government monopolies, but occasionally they make sense. If the USPS were privatized it would inevitably end up being 200 separate companies all trying to coordinate with each other to get the mail delivered.
I use FedEx or UPS, it may cost more but I know the item will get there when I send it.
The last time I sent something important via usps they lost it, however if I sent a box of rocks usps 3rd class to Siberia it would be there the next day.
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