"The USPS postage increase" Topic

The USPS has significantly raised the cost of Priority Mail Flat Rate packages for the Christmas rush. They are saying that it is only temporary.

So what do you think?

A. I agree it is only temporary(but I have my fingers crossed).
B. I agree it is only temprary because the government is here to help us.
C. I agree, and I understand you have a bridge For Sale.
D. Are you kidding(when does the government ever give back money).
E. I work for the governfment and we are tracking how you vote.

D. Are you kidding(when does the government ever give back money).

and

E. I work for the government and we are tracking how you vote.

They're lying, as usual.

B (in the most cynical, non-believer way – like, sure, I believe that – heavy sarcasm intended), C, and D definitely seem to apply here, though no doubt E probably does as well now too (though I don't work for the government, but the NSA has access to ALL your messages).

When have we ever seen them reduce rates on postage costs?

I am in Canada. Unfortunately I don't buy from Americans. The postage costs are already so steep it typically costs significantly more to mail the item than the item costs. Much cheaper to buy from the UK and the EU where there often postage free options are available if you buy enough. This is not good for USA businesses.

Definitely D

The US government doesn't care.

In fact, given the many policies, edicts, and royal pronouncements/declarations of late, I suspect they ARE purposefully trying to stifle "free trade", travel, and consumerism in the USA, by doubling our energy costs, threatening and/or actually enacting carbon taxes, etc., etc.. Some have been brazen enough to publicly declare that.

I think that the latest Postmaster, with all that experience, must be telling the truth. Oh wait… he doesn't have any experience. Don't forget, his companies are still doing business with the USPS even though he runs it. Maybe that will make a difference.

What does the competition do? The idea is profitability and if USPS charges too much, they won't make sales much less profit (or breakeven).

I already paying high prices. It take 2 weeks to get a package from Detroit to Decatur Ill. 15 dollars plus. Orders that are sent 2 day priority daily take 2 weeks if I lucky from Texas or Wisconsin. The price goes up and service goes down .

No profits. Costs are too high here and everywhere else in the world, where mail is even more costly for the most part. Here, we expect to mail a letter and pay what we paid years ago. This is a part of the Executive branch, it is not private. We don't ask any other part of the government to make a profit – because its a public service. You don't get charged when you call the fire department either. You pay taxes.

This Postmaster was a fundraiser for the Former Guy. This appointment was a reward. Delivering a public service is not the same as selling widgets or political fundraising. He is one year in. We will see how he does.

Dutch – mail service has grown less reliable everywhere in the last couple of years. Lots of factors. Even Amazon cant make a lot of its deliveries as fast anymore.

But that is a crazy amount of time for a package to go that distance. They have to do better.

The USPS has significantly raised the cost

Define "significantly" please.

D.

its all about how do we pay for the Postal Workers Pensions and healthcare. The choices are:
1) make the postal system profitable enough to pay them or
2) pay more Federal Taxes.

I prefer #1. Postage costs are effectively a VAT tax. You only pay them when you use the service.

Yea, sure. They said that federal income tax was temporary too.
Hi. We're the government. We're here to help. Trust us.

People want profit from a public service, then accept:

Close all rural PO with less than X number of users (like how many PO in WY, ND, SD, AK, most states, actually cover the costs to operate them).

Make all mail and packages going off shore pay their way.

Charge the actual cost to get a letter, package, etc., from point A to point B, plus 10% profit. See note above.

Force PO employees to work for minimum wages or no health benefits.

Force all private package shipping firms to close (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.) so all packages have to ship via USPO

Watch people scream bloody murder when it happens.

D.

But yes, it's better than taxes.

The other big shippers, FedEx, UPS, etc., pretty much came about because the USPS was seen as slow and unreliable, and people were willing to pay more for better service. Of course, the USPS has a technical monopoly on mail (personal letters, etc.), but that gets overlooked a lot, and has all but vanished in the time of e-mail, texting, blogs, Facebook, Instagram, etc., etc.. You want to write to Grandma? Send her an e-mail, she'll get it today. These days the mail is largely for junk and bills— but that's been going on a long time.
The USPS made a hit with Priority Mail— it was cheap and for most people two to three days was just fine— I don't have to have that eBay T-shirt tomorrow.

Personally, I think the USPS should be privatized and open to broader competition, and the US government should offer a contract to providers for remote regions and necessary federal communications. (They actually used to do this— they were called "Star Routes," and they brought mail to the American West back in 19th-20th centuries. They consisted of private contractors who acted as postal couriers to rural areas, small towns, etc..)

But those are just ideas from a citizen with no experience in the process. Reform is needed, and has been for a long time, whatever final details prove appropriate.

OK Some Hard Facts about the US Postal System

On July 26, 1775, the U.S. postal system is established by the Second Continental Congress, with Benjamin Franklin as its first postmaster general. Franklin put in place the foundation for many aspects of today's mail system.

The Postal System is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the United States, including its insular areas and associated states. It is one of the few government agencies explicitly authorized by the United States Constitution

The USPS has always been on the edge of quality and speed of delivery, up until Postmaster DeJoy

In 2006, Congress passed a law that imposed extraordinary costs on the U.S. Postal Service. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) required the USPS to create a $72 USD billion fund to pay for the cost of its post-retirement health care costs, 75 years into the future. This burden applies to no other federal agency or private corporation.

OK My soapbox…Really where else can you mail a letter for 55 cents and send a letter 3000 miles in a few days(Before DeJoy it was very quick, he ordered the destruction of many sorting machines), many of you might not know this, but there are parts of this country where UPS or FEDEX will not deliver, but the post office does.

Mr Parzival, why is that you say reform is needed, you do know that the USPS is always evaluating and reforming, 15 years ago the move sorting facility here to another site…just to say reform is need is a copout statement.

Mr stecal, as I posted above Congress has put an requirement of there healthcare and retirement cost be paid upfront, No company in history has this requirements, if you took this away you would find the postal service does make money

Really Folks does privation work…should the Fire department be privatized, Its a service people it does not say Profit service…be careful what you wish for.

ElJoeK Thank you for this… people do not ever seem to get this, or how well this service has held up over the years compared to much of the rest of the world.

The current Postmaster reduced efficiency and capacity last year by removing sorting machines, as you say, and there is still no sign that he understands public service management, a field in which he has no experience.

We all like to blame the government. Like it or not, much of it runs well, does critical work. The USPS needs new leadership and some reorg to restore credible service. Privitization replaces public service with profit motive.