How could you not love the post office?

Anyone that mails stuff on a regular basis sees how important it is. I don't understand how privatizing the post office is even a question the constitution requires this service to be provided by the US Gov. Not to mention UPS is double or more the price, no joke.

No, the Constitution does not require the US Govt to provide the service. It merely authorizes Congress to establish post offices and postal roads.

Think about that and then come back and explain how the power to establish something requires a provision of service.

Quote from Mr.Ritz : Not to mention UPS is double or more the price, no joke.

I ordered a stack of books from the opposite coast, probably a 15 lb package. Seller shipped media mail. It was on my doorstep the following afternoon the next day for like $4 and change. Tracking showed it was shipped via air coast to coast.

Another story, the local USPS office wouldn't give me 2" of tape to seal a package I would be paying $12 to ship unless I shipped Express mail for like $30 more. Told me to use UPS or Fed Ex b/c they let you use tape. I did.

Tell me, how can an organization like this NOT deserve to go out of business.

Quote from BigBananaMess : Another story, the local USPS office wouldn't give me 2" of tape to seal a package I would be paying $12 to ship unless I shipped Express mail for like $30 more. Told me to use UPS or Fed Ex b/c they let you use tape. I did.

They did that to me too! Rather than suggesting UPS or Fed Ex, they offered to sell me an entire roll of tape, which I did buy. Unreal.

A tale of two post offices....

In my local city, they had two post offices. One was a regular, government owned one that had been there for decades. Run by the USPS union and very Post Office-ish style on the inside. The service was fine.

The other post office was one of the new axillary, contract units that have become increasingly popular for the USPS to cut costs. It was non-unionized labor. It was much more convenient and quicker to get in and out of for people on my side of town. The service was fine. They were turning a profit for the Post Office every year.

In order to consolidate services and save money which branch do you think was closed? The union shop, or the non-union shop?

I really have no idea if the union shop was costing money, but of course the non-union shop was closed despite it turning a profit and the local paper running the numbers showing that it was earning the government money every year.

Quote from Mr.Ritz : Anyone that mails stuff on a regular basis sees how important it is. I don't understand how privatizing the post office is even a question the constitution requires this service to be provided by the US Gov. Not to mention UPS is double or more the price, no joke.

The Post Office will always exist in some form or fashion.

However, if UPS and Fedex did not provide a niche the government run post office could not or wasn't filling, they would not be multi-billion dollar companies employing tens of thousands of AMERICANS in well-paying jobs.

Nevermind it's illegal for a 3rd party service (UPS/FedEx) to deliver first class mail.

Generally I find that the UPS is good up to priority mail, anything over that, UPS/FedEx are not only cheaper, but tracking is MUCH better and so is CS & delivery times.

Don't mistake the fact that postage is cheap FOR YOU (general public) for it being affordable - you pay for it via taxes and fees (E.g. subsidize it) one way or another.

Quote from Dr. J : Nevermind it's illegal for a 3rd party service (UPS/FedEx) to deliver first class mail. Generally I find that the UPS is good up to priority mail, anything over that, UPS/FedEx are not only cheaper, but tracking is MUCH better and so is CS & delivery times. Don't mistake the fact that postage is cheap FOR YOU (general public) for it being affordable - you pay for it via taxes and fees (E.g. subsidize it) one way or another.

It is my understanding that USPS is generally NOT subsidized. I do not think it has cost taxpayers any money.

Quote from TRNT : It is my understanding that USPS is generally NOT subsidized. I do not think it has cost taxpayers any money.

Not only that, but the USPS has generated an operating profit for the last several years. The only reason it's "bankrupt" is because Congress is forcing the USPS to pre-fund its pensions for the next 100 years over the course of 10 years---something no other business on the face of the planet is forced to do. Imagine if, when you were 15 years old, someone forced you to pre-pay for the entire cost of your retirement home. Then, when you couldn't fork over $300k as a 15 year old, they declared you "bankrupt!"

Quote from Mr.Ritz : Anyone that mails stuff on a regular basis sees how important it is. I don't understand how privatizing the post office is even a question the constitution requires this service to be provided by the US Gov. Not to mention UPS is double or more the price, no joke.

I've found that UPS/FedEx are not even close to being competitive for my business. Most of my items have a relatively thin profit margin, so I'm very cautious on the shipper I use. It has to be the cheapest and the most reliable, and every single time except once over the last year (shipping about 1000 pkgs this yr) I've found USPS to be the best.

Not a single package lost or late. Can't say that about UPS--they're competent but pricey and slow. FedEx is utterly incompetent, expensive, usually late, and they lost several of packages. I won't use FedEx at all anymore, at any rate.

Quote from BigBananaMess : I ordered a stack of books from the opposite coast, probably a 15 lb package. Seller shipped media mail. It was on my doorstep the following afternoon the next day for like $4 and change. Tracking showed it was shipped via air coast to coast.

1. Media Mail is subsidized because Congress wanted to encourage the dissemination of books, technical manuals, drawings, and intellectual material.

2. Media Mail is a "space available" service--packages are shipped by the fastest available method once all premium packages have been accommodated. IE, they load all the express, priority, and First Class mail, and any space that is left over gets filled with Media Mail or Parcel Post items.

Quote from BigBananaMess : I ordered a stack of books from the opposite coast, probably a 15 lb package. Seller shipped media mail. It was on my doorstep the following afternoon the next day for like $4 and change. Tracking showed it was shipped via air coast to coast. Another story, the local USPS office wouldn't give me 2" of tape to seal a package I would be paying $12 to ship unless I shipped Express mail for like $30 more. Told me to use UPS or Fed Ex b/c they let you use tape. I did. Tell me, how can an organization like this NOT deserve to go out of business.

Here is the winning recipe:

If they do a good job, it is because they are inefficient and they should die.
If they do a bad job, it is because they are inefficient and they should die.

Dude UPS would have charged you 25 for that package.. You can afford to buy their tape.

Quote from BigBananaMess : Another story, the local USPS office wouldn't give me 2" of tape to seal a package I would be paying $12 to ship unless I shipped Express mail for like $30 more. Told me to use UPS or Fed Ex b/c they let you use tape. I did. Tell me, how can an organization like this NOT deserve to go out of business.

They will give you packaging if you ship priority mail, or you have the option of buying your own packaging materials. Why do you want a free ride? Are you some kind of postage queen?