USPS in trouble

[keziak]

I don't know if this link will work if you do not subscribe to the Washington Post but it says the revenue for the USPS has collapsed due to Covid and if they do not get an infusion of funding from the Federal government they could close as early as June.  My husband says Republicans hate the Post Office and want to see it go away, why I can't imagine.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-postal-service-was-in-trouble-before-covid-19-now-its-fi...

[ten_o_nine]

What else is new? At least they found something to blame it on.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Really? Because their bad financial state lately has been due to two things. The first is the requirement to fund retirement packages for people not even born yet. The other is the cheap shipping from places like China.

Neither of those decisions were made by the USPS but they sure have suffered the consequences.

[keziak]

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@ten_o_nine wrote:

What else is new? At least they found something to blame it on.

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Are you flippant because you ship by UPS anyway?

[uncseniorsportsfan]

Well based on all the junk mail I still am receiving - somebody must still be supporting the post office.  In the space of one week I received 6 pieces of mail from the DNC and RNC including one each supposedly from Barrack Obama, Donald Trump, and Mike Pence - all looking for donations to the DNC or RNC.  If they enclose a postage paid envelope, I send them a note to take me off their mailing list as there are far more worthy causes for donations.

And then there were an average of five pieces of mail per day from charities - some I never heard of - requesting donations often suggesting $500 and up.    Unfortunately for them - they are just wasting their money on me as I cross those that send out a lot of pleas in the mail off any future donation list.   With any donation I make I send a note that I make most of my donations in November and more than one solicitation per year may result in no future donations.   Most of the charities I give to year after year manage to comply with my request.  

In addition to poor management and overly generous benefits - the postal service is in trouble because private companies - none of which would deliver letter mail for 55 cents - have skimmed off the most profitable parts of the delivery budiness, and folks use electronic means of communication rather than send cards, letters, bills,  payments, and statements.    

[earlyant-77]

Who believes the Washington comPost?

And if anything, MORE packages will be delivered during this time. More people are shopping online.

[ed8108]

Expecting a cut in the frequency of some mail delivery, accompanied by extended days required for delivery

[1tuna]

................general reply..................

I have made over 6000 trips to my post office.I love the USPS and they do a great job.I wish ebay was run as good as the post office.The money for the PO will come from somewhere,it always does

[m60driver]

The two major factors in the financial decline of USPS is (1) the decline in first class mail due to e-mail, not a political issue, and (2) forcing USPS alone to fund future retirement funds, a ridiculously political hot potato.  There are some groups who have been salivating, for many years now, over the possibility of privatizing mail delivery and then profiting.  Those are powerful people who have donated to and captured the the support of one of our major political parties.  And they, that political party,  play the long game and do whatever they can to cause USPS to financially flounder.  If you think the private sector can do a better job than the existing USPS in delivering mail without either increasing cost and/or downgrading service, especially in less populated regions, then you have drunk too much of the Kool-Aid and are beyond redemption.

[justagirl12]

I agree with @1tuna I love the USPS! In 25 years of shipping almost every day I have never had a package lost or damaged, they deliver faster then anyone and the price can’t be beat. Also, unlike ups and FedEx, my mailman knows me and will put my packages safely in my garage for me and will even sign for me so I don’t have to stop what I’m doing. ☺️ 

[rschissler]

Republicans don't hate the PO any more than anyone else.  In fact, Republicans and Democrats will vote to fund them, so I wouldn't worry.

[bbravo65]

...on behalf of the United States Postal Service hard workers as Clerks and Mail Carriers,  I greatly appreciate all your posters supporting us in response of a very untruthful information about USPS will shutting down at the end of June, 2020...

...these are few things about USPS...

1- USPS is the only agency of the US Government that is expected to earn profits, yet it receives NO TAXPAYER MONEY. The postage as selling stamps and shipping packages, and the services as renting PO Boxes and delivery mail fund the operation, NOT U.S Taxpayer money. Period!!!

It's providing respectable middle living incomes class for more than 500,000 employees. It's the second largest employee's number after WalMart. Also USPS is the most helpful agency that always welcome our Servicemen and women, our Veterans, to employ with us after they finish their service time in protecting our Nation. The number of it Veteran's employee makes up to nearly 2/3 of the total employees in system.

2- The greatest burden on the USPS is the pre-funding of retiree health benefits...OVER 5 BILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY. Congress has the power to change that! But they don't and regardless several appeals they might will not either. (open...Congress is on BOTH Parties, not ONE...please don't side with one and blame another...no propaganda here...!). No other government agency, nor any private business is required by law to prefund retiree health benefits. The logic question that should be asked of Congress is "WHY"?

The US Mail Service is one of the best bargains in the field of communication. It's reliable, trusted and secure, and you don't have to worry about spam, viruses, monthly plans, roaming charges and dropped signals. You can mail a first-class letter in the US for only 55 cents.

 Every times USPS needed to raise the cost of that first-class mail, it has to go through several requirements until it can be approved. USA is the ONLY nation with the cheapest cost and less frequently raising prices in postal services.

Please don't wish for the day that USPS is privatized. You will see more expenses in mailing letters and shipping packages (open...eBay and Amazon will be bankrupted over high-cost of shipping...). Rural residents won't be able to receive their mail at their door. No more Sunday delivery plus suspended delivery due to bad weathers, holidays, any catastrophes (likes this COVD_19).

Let's stop the efforts to privatize the USPS and save one of the most trusted and respected institutions in the United States!

[keziak]

The article I cited said that actually due to covid the volume of first class and junk mail has significantly decreased and the business of sending packages does not make up for it. 

Plus Amazon is getting around the P.O. by having a fleet of employees (contractors?) pick up packages and deliver them themselves.

[bbravo65]

...you got a (simply way to say...) fake news!!!

...talk to your daily mailman, go to your local Post Office, having a field trip at any postal distribution plants so you can self-inform a correct information...

...the recently decision from the US Administration and it was approved by Congress to pardon the USPS debts with Federal Bank could be the reason for Washington Post to write that misleading article on purpose of injecting more panic into the US society...it's time now for people to stop supporting the spreading of untruthful information which was provide by unreliable media...

[mr_lincoln]

@keziak   No worries, if it is truly a broken system our President will fix it during his 2nd Term from 2020 to 2024.