Can you imagine a life w/o the Post Office?

[dd74]

Because it looks like it's heading that way...

U.S. Postal Service posts $3.8 billion loss - Nov. 16, 2009

[vash]

how will i get my victoria's secrets catalog?

[Moses]

The US Postal service has become irrelevant. Time to go the way of the Pony Express.

[Christien]

Right in the headline, "may cut Saturday service". You guys get Saturday delivery? Wow, I've never heard of that before. Looks like cutting that will almost completely solve their deficit, which is bit of a far cry from the alarmist thread title! If that's the case, I'd say it's a pretty easy decision.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by Christien

Right in the headline, "may cut Saturday service". You guys get Saturday delivery? Wow, I've never heard of that before. Looks like cutting that will almost completely solve their deficit, which is bit of a far cry from the alarmist thread title! If that's the case, I'd say it's a pretty easy decision.

Cutting Sat. may work for now, but the USPS is a dinosaur.

What's easier? Emailing a letter or writing a letter, folding it, finding an envelope and stamp, then waiting two weeks to find the PO lost the letter to begin with?

Too bad, though. What will my dog bark at now during the 2 PM hour?

[Superman]

Originally Posted by Moses

The US Postal service has become irrelevant. Time to go the way of the Pony Express.

Well, this would be delightful news to those many Pelicanheads who are forever and 100% confident that private business can do anything and everything more efficiently than any gubmit agency. Once the change has taken place and the public option becomes history with no chance of returning.......then we'll have perhaps dozens of private postal services offering various bundled packages that all cost more than what you are currently paying. They'll "compete" with one another through expensive marketing campaigns and cater mostly to commercial accounts. They'll sign you up to multi-month and then multi-year service agreements and you'll be as delighted by their service as you are with your cell phone provider.

[Moses]

I AM delighted with my cell provider. No complaints at all.

The USPS demise has been made inevitable by UPS, FedEx and the like. The only thing limiting the losses of the USPS is the bulk mail they carry. Boy, I'll miss that...

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Moses

....the bulk mail they carry. Boy, I'll miss that...

Although I think I get more junk mail via e than junk mail via snail.

[Moses]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Although I think I get more junk mail via e than junk mail via snail.

But no trees are being murdered. Think of the trees. Think green...

[Mr_Wizard]

Fine by me. All my bills come electronically and I pay all online. I cannot remember the last time I used a stamp.

[Superman]

Right, and just as the telecommunications industry was initially uninterested in local access calls, UPS, FedEx and the like will not relish the volume and detail associated with envelopes and letters, each of which need to be delivered to mail boxes located on peoples' houses. That part of the market is a loser, which is why they've left it up to the USPS. If the USPS is taken out of the picture, the first thing you will hear UPS declare is that while they will be happy to rent you a box at their facility, delivery of letters to anything other than one of their boxes is a service they will not provide. I guess old people will need to learn how to drive again.

I've never before suspected you of being a bong-user Moses, but I can't say I know anyone else who is happy with their cell phone service provider.

[dd74]

I can see a situation where there are 4 or 5 services that act like the USPS, but aren't bloated vestiges of a bloated govt as is the USPS now. In fact, I believe privatizing the postal service might be an interesting idea.

Or...

What if the USPS simply said, "No more periodicals, letters, mailers," and from there, all they'll deliver is Fed-Ex, UPS-like packages. I think priority mail works really well. But the stuff that can be "delivered" far more efficiently via email, should no longer be part of the equation.

The old people will need to buy a computer, a DSL connection, and come up to speed.

[Moses]

It's not that I want the USPS to go broke, I just want them to charge enough for their services that they are not running a deficit.

Very little of import arrives at my house by USPS. Most packages are by FedEx or UPS. My bills are online and so is my payment.

It's not really an indictment of the USPS, it's just that communications have changed dramatically. Bulk mailings are the life blood of the USPS. I think we can live without bulk mail. The concept of delivering an envelope to rural Alaska for 44 cents is quaint. And probably outdated.

[dd74]

Secondly, that article is wrong if it states the post office is self-sustaining. The taxpayer is bailing the USPS out just as we did with the car companies.

[jluetjen]

It reminds me the old saying about what happens if one of us were to leave our job. We'd leave about as much of an impression as you'd leave in a pond of water after you pulled your hand out of it. None of us (either singularly nor institutionally) is irreplaceable.

If the USPS were to cease to exist, somebody or something else would step in and fill the void.

Just think of all of the junk mail that you no longer would get at subsidized rates!!!

[dad911]

As far as I care, they could cut the delivery to twice a week. That would cut 2/3 of the vehicles, and 2/3 of the labor.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by dad911

As far as I care, they could cut the delivery to twice a week. That would cut 2/3 of the vehicles, and 2/3 of the labor.

The postal unions would riot.

[Rusty Heap]

I'll dissagree with 95% of the posts here about go away USPS.

Having just parted out a whole '82 911SC, USPS saved my butt numberous times with flat rate shipping boxes and other shipping.

I mean, $10.65- $13.65 for up to 70 pounds shipped anywhere CONUS? Ever weigh what a pair of front or rear 911 rotors are, and what UPS would cost to ship them? UPS boxes are horribly over priced too! USPS flat rate are free.

And not every bill is able to be paid electronically. Even at .42 cents a stamp, that is dirt cheap to get something say from Washington state to Florida, or New York to California in 2-3 days.

Just like an old girl friend, you guys won't miss the USPS till it's gone.

[Superman]

I have to agree with Rusty, and most of the other posts above.

I'd disagree with the idea that smaller, private companies can collectively do what USPS does. They cannot. This is an industry, a service, that depends on volume. Less volume would mean higher per-piece costs.

I'd agree with Moses (I usually do, but don't tell him that) that I'd prefer they simply price first class postage at a level which funds the service.

And finally, last but not least, I would be fine with a proposal that bulk junk mail costs should be FOUR TIMES THE FIRST-CLASS POSTAGE RATE. By weight, I get at least thirty times more junk mail than meaningful mail.

[JavaBrewer]

Originally Posted by dd74

The old people will need to buy a computer, a DSL connection, and come up to speed.

Yeah right... I have been trying to get my parents and MIL proficient with email and web browsing for years now. My Dad still can't figure out what I mean when I say "It's on your desktop"... MIL is so paranoid she won't sign up for an email address... It ain't happening dude.

A multi phased stand down of USPS make the most sense. Start by dropping Saturdays, then a several years later drop a weekday or two. Repeat as needed.