US Post Office is prototypical for a future bankrupt America

[Eight]

Quote from AK100:

See one of Martin Armstrong's recent essays, the one about Rome.

He pretty much says what's going to happen in the US, Europe and the rest of the countries where government promises cannot be met.

It's not going to be pretty.

http://www.martinarmstrong.org/economic_projections.htm

Thanks much for reminding me of his writings, very refreshing...

I would like to know more about him, we get his side of the story but nobody else's maybe... he did lose a lot of $ for some investors but his treatment by the courts evidences a horrendous level of abuse coming his way... I think that somebody thought that his level of knowledge and independence was very threatening and they just stuck him away... I'm sure that he is a Myer's Briggs ENTP [Things are obvious to him that others don't see but he's very incapable of implementing his ideas]

Kevin Mitnick got similar treatment. None of the stupid banks had any security much, same goes for the Public Sector.. so they didn't really have laws in place with regard to hackers but they just stuck him in jail for a number of years! How the hell do they get away with that?

We see those things happening and then people wonder why we are siding up with the Barbarians at the Gates... the Barbarians have more nobility of character for openers...

 

[Rodney King]

Quote from Eight:

whole Canadian Forests are cut down every year and thrown away

Not to make paper. It's made from cheap Southern pines that grow back fast.

 

[misterno]

Quote from JJacksET4:

Why does everyone seem OK with cutting Saturdays? It's the only delivery day of the week most people are home so can make Sure something gets picked up, or can find the mail carrier and discuss something if needed, etc. I would far prefer they cut out Monday or Friday for example.

My other issue is if a company like UPS/Fed Ex or just any private company takes over, do you know what they will do - anyone? - they will stop delivering to rural areas and anywhere else they aren't making money. The post office doesn't make any money I'm sure delivering where homes are spread far apart, but if that is cut off - there goes our mail system. For me if a private company were to take over they would have to guarantee they would deliver to all valid U.S. addresses.

But yes, if the USPS let go all current mail carriers and reposted the positions for 50% of the salary, they would have a long line of good enough people trying for the jobs still.

JJacksET4

Okay, some guy decided to live in the woods in the middle of nowhere, say 50 miles from the closest civilization.

And why should I pay for his mail costing $50/delivery again? help me here.

 

[denner]

Quote from JJacksET4:

Why does everyone seem OK with cutting Saturdays? It's the only delivery day of the week most people are home so can make Sure something gets picked up, or can find the mail carrier and discuss something if needed, etc. I would far prefer they cut out Monday or Friday for example.

My other issue is if a company like UPS/Fed Ex or just any private company takes over, do you know what they will do - anyone? - they will stop delivering to rural areas and anywhere else they aren't making money. The post office doesn't make any money I'm sure delivering where homes are spread far apart, but if that is cut off - there goes our mail system. For me if a private company were to take over they would have to guarantee they would deliver to all valid U.S. addresses.

But yes, if the USPS let go all current mail carriers and reposted the positions for 50% of the salary, they would have a long line of good enough people trying for the jobs still.

JJacksET4

The Postal System is really a perfect metaphor for our entire capitalist/socialist system in a nutshell. I understand the points being made about the USPS being the only current entity capable of delivering to literally every address in the US, but it's something of a non-event at this point in time. Basically, over the past decade we've completely re-designed the manner in which people receive mail (i.e. electronic mail). Now that even the most stalwart holdouts to the electronic age are online, (and presumably some of them do receive electronic statements), we've eliminated a significant percentage of regular mail. What's left are the junk mail and credit offers that most people talk about on here (the sort of stuff that has become the lifeblood of the bloated and bankrupt USPS).

Even still, if you ask 9 out of 10 people if they "absolutely, positively need something overnight" they will not use the USPS express mail. They literally charge the same amount as FedEx, yet can't compare in terms of service. The other assorted fees for registered and certified mail have been climbing skywards for the past decade as well. At some point, they outprice themselves there as well.

 

[the1]

Agreed. This will have to come to an end probably sooner than later but this is only one piece of the problem. The rest of the problems aren't going to end anytime soon. The US Government doesn't have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem Human nature I suppose. The US economy is highly dependent on a constant supply of spending. Savings is frowned up but it's up to an individual to take control of their own finances and start saving, damn it. Alright, I'm getting of my soap box for today.

Quote from zdreg:

" the endless printing of money to keep bond rates artificially low"

remember though all parties come to an end. short term rates can not be kept artificially low indefinitely. when the velocity of money i.e. turnover picks up prices and inflation will skyrocket because of the humongous increase in the monetary base.

 

[the1]

Damn, I didn't think things were that dire. They are in more debt than many of the worst states. 15B? Ouch. The US Government can't allow the Post Office to fail. It wouldn't take much for the USG/Fed to print 15B out of thin air and fix the USPS. They simply can't go down. Get your wallet out. Yet again the tax payer is going to have to pay for the mis-management of a government office. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. USPS....soon to be ObamaCare. Where is it going to end. I suspect an economic crisis or collpase is the only thing that will stop the spending orgy the USG is currently on.

Quote from niceneasy:

Did you read the article chowderhead?

"The USPS has stayed afloat by borrowing $12 billion from the U.S. Treasury. This year it will reach its statutory debt limit. After that, insolvency looms.


" The USPS is targeting 2,000 of its 31,871 post offices. That's not much for an agency that's nearly $15 billion in debt"

 

[JJacksET4]

Quote from misterno:

Okay, some guy decided to live in the woods in the middle of nowhere, say 50 miles from the closest civilization.

And why should I pay for his mail costing $50/delivery again? help me here.

Because his tax dollars help pay for things YOU may need that he doesn't just as an example. Why do I pay for the fires in the California burn areas every year, when I live in an area that never gets them, etc. It goes on and on back and forth.

Hey, I am not saying it's perfect or anything, but do we really want a scenario where people are hesitant to move the country (thus decreasing city traffic, etc.) just because they are unsure about their mail?

I am all for promoting business, etc. but I think every detail needs to be considered - not just get rid of the USPS because it seems good.

 

[bigarrow]

Quote from zdreg:

the USPO is a legal monopoly on non urgent 1st class mail.
http://www.directcreative.com/blog/is-the-government-monopoly-on-mail-a-good-thing

consider changing your handle to the more accurate small arrow.

Sorry zdreg I didn't realize this was such an emotional subject for you.

 

[denner]

Quote from JJacksET4:

Because his tax dollars help pay for things YOU may need that he doesn't just as an example. Why do I pay for the fires in the California burn areas every year, when I live in an area that never gets them, etc. It goes on and on back and forth.

Hey, I am not saying it's perfect or anything, but do we really want a scenario where people are hesitant to move the country (thus decreasing city traffic, etc.) just because they are unsure about their mail?

I am all for promoting business, etc. but I think every detail needs to be considered - not just get rid of the USPS because it seems good.

You sound as if you have a dog in this fight. Dare I ask what in the world you actually receive in the mail these days? Bills? (All of them have an electronic option) Credit card statements? Brokerage statements? Paychecks? Letters? In case you haven't noticed, all of these items have been replaced by electronic means.

If somebody moving to the country can't be bothered to simply enroll in e-paper statements, then tough luck. Otherwise, any important mail could be held at say a centrally located facility for their pick up. It would greatly reduce costs and still offer some centralized location for rural areas where a physical piece of mail need be delivered.

 

[denner]

Quote from the1:

Damn, I didn't think things were that dire. They are in more debt than many of the worst states. 15B? Ouch. The US Government can't allow the Post Office to fail. It wouldn't take much for the USG/Fed to print 15B out of thin air and fix the USPS. They simply can't go down. Get your wallet out. Yet again the tax payer is going to have to pay for the mis-management of a government office. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. USPS....soon to be ObamaCare. Where is it going to end. I suspect an economic crisis or collpase is the only thing that will stop the spending orgy the USG is currently on.

We've gone far past the point of oblivion with all of these bailouts and "emergency" remedies for preserving some semblance of unions AT THE EXPENSE of basic services. A few others have pointed out the fact that the money now goes simply to pay off retirees and bloated salaries for workers all the while cutting back on the actual services part of the equation. Not at all unlike these school districts that are in constant need of those property tax dollars, but see no problem with slashing many activities and other departments in the school system. Or those schools that can afford to pay the retired administrator a six figure pension, while the lowly teacher is busy forking over her own money to pay for classroom essentials.