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United States Postal Service
Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Northwest Arkansas Edition ^ | May 9, 2009 | Laurie Whalen

Posted on 05/09/2009 1:16:49 PM PDT by Patriot777

"As the price to mail a letter is set to increase on Monday, mail volume at the U.S. Postal Service continues to drop. To counter the tough times, the government-run service operating 579 post offices across the state will continue to reconfigure its work force and its ability to compete for customers. Brian Watson, 37, of Lowell, said he's getting ready to make the jump from putting his bills in a mailbox to completing the transaction online because of the cost to use the postal system."

(Excerpt) Read more at nwanews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: carrier; letter; mail; post; usps
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To: ml/nj
Your cost savings were destroyed by inflation caused by the Democrat party.

Take that problem up with the Nancy Woman, Hairy Reed, or Obama bin Laden, OK!

41 posted on 05/10/2009 8:10:10 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: razorback-bert
Sure, but in this BNW postcards are now non-sstandard. It's progress, don't you see?

ML/NJ

42 posted on 05/10/2009 8:26:34 AM PDT by ml/nj
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To: muawiyah
Your cost savings were destroyed by inflation caused by the Democrat party.

You don't give up, do you? I am perfectly aware that there has been inflation. But in other areas where there have been cost savings (air travel, electronics) things haven't increased at the same rate as general inflation. I bought my first RT air ticket in 1969 from Hartford to Miami. It cost me $150. This weekend I am in the middle of a similar RT flight from Newark to Palm Beach. It cost $230 dollars. Your first class stamp in that same time has gone from five cents (I think it had already gone from four to five) for virtually any one ounce envelope to 41 cents for only a subset of one ounce envelopes. (and more next week) You would think some of those lower air costs might be reflected in postage rates too. But no, the government NEVER lowers the cost for anything.

ML/NJ

43 posted on 05/10/2009 8:38:00 AM PDT by ml/nj
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To: ml/nj
You're comparing apples and oranges. Back in 1969 airfares were regulated. You could buy a ticket from Washington DC to Indianapolis for about $369. At the same time you could get a ticket from Indianapolis to Hartford for well under $100. Same distance. Different rates. Most of the differential based on an attempt to control loads (with the insurance industries located in those two cities PROVING to the rate regulators that they, in fact, did provide full loads).

In 1969 the old Post Office Department had had to CANCEL all maintenance related items for the indefinite future because Congress had failed to authorize those funds.

Earlier other Democrat Congresses had refused to allow postal modernization of parcel service so a large number of Postal Service Headquarters economists and operations folks puchased a moving firm in Seattle and named it United Parcel Service. They immediately unionized the place and set up an employee ownership system.

The price of a single First-Class stamp has little bearing on anything until you get to the creation of USPS.

44 posted on 05/10/2009 8:57:39 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: muawiyah

Uh huh, sure.


45 posted on 05/10/2009 8:59:06 AM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: SoCal Pubbie
You're the guy who raised the issue. BTW, presuming you're in San Diego County I've been to a number of postal facilities there and most of the employees in retail operations appear to be female. Can't be sure in CA though ~ folks slip in from San Fran all the time.

Still, at the MPC they're mostly male (and work nights, and I bet you've never been to an MPC at night).

For many years the worst demographic problem was the incredible dominance of females in postmaster jobs. Those ol'gals just wouldn't retire and wouldn't retire and guys couldn't move up. I think it was something like 75% female, maybe more.

No doubt that's a good reason to close down useless small town post offices.

46 posted on 05/10/2009 9:07:15 AM PDT by muawiyah
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To: muawiyah
So I guess my TV was regulated too. I bought a B&W 19 incher in 1968 for about $150. I haven't bought a TV in a while (the last one was a 13 inch - I think - color for $120) but my Mom just bought an LCD 19 inch for $250. TVs two to one maybe; first class mail is eight to one for some and 25 to one for others thanks to guys like you "improving" things for us. Thanks a lot.

ML/NJ

47 posted on 05/10/2009 12:01:44 PM PDT by ml/nj
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To: ml/nj
Postal employees with more than 2 children were usually on supplemental welfare and foodstamps (which your taxes paid for) back when postage was at the rates you cite. At the same time the Post Office Department required subsidization anyway since the revenues weren't enough to cover expenses.

Witht he creation of USPS the subsidization ceased, rates went up with inflation, and the employees went off welfare and foodstamps.

That was a win, win all around.

To argue against it is to argue for putting more people on foodstamps and welfare.

48 posted on 05/10/2009 3:02:17 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: muawiyah
Witht he creation of USPS the subsidization ceased, rates went up with inflation, and the employees went off welfare and foodstamps. That was a win, win all around. To argue against it is to argue for putting more people on foodstamps and welfare.

I'm confused. Is the Post Office there to deliver the mail, or is it a social welfare organization? With all the great automation you refer to one would think the Post Office should have fewer employees and lower skills (if that were possible) required of the average remaining employee.

Why doesn't the government just close the Post Office down and let private enterprise do the job? I would bet standard first class mail between and within major cities would be down to a dime a piece in no time.

Let me guess, I have to pay for your retirement and health care too, beyond Social Security and Medicare?

ML/NJ

49 posted on 05/10/2009 3:20:05 PM PDT by ml/nj
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To: muawiyah
Why would you presume I live in San Diego County? I do not.
50 posted on 05/10/2009 8:10:13 PM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: SoCal Pubbie

Because you sound so much like those guys.


51 posted on 05/10/2009 8:11:22 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: ml/nj
Machinery doesn't repair itself. At the same time postal employment has been fairly stabilized for the last 25 years. Mail volumes increased several times over with essentially the same workforce.

I suppose if mail volumes hadn't increased they could have reduced the labor force, but that's not what happened ~ 'cause mail volumes weren't stable ~ they skyrocketed.

52 posted on 05/10/2009 8:13:56 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: ml/nj
Regarding my retirement, due to the payments federal government employees make into the OPM retirement funds it turns out that they end up paying for their own ultimate retirement.

You were aware of that, right? Government employees pay a part of their AFTER TAX SALARY into a fund that's invested in US securities. Those securities pay for their retirement.

I would have preferred to invest that money myself. That way when I die my heirs could keep their hands on it. Instead, under the federal system it'll revert to scoundrels and ne'er-do-well, or maybe even corrupt contractors and other thieves.

It's NOT FAIR DAMMIT. I deserve to keep my own money. I worked for it.

53 posted on 05/10/2009 8:17:49 PM PDT by muawiyah
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