More Government Waste

Bodean

Posts: 7,334

OK .. read this morning that the Gov. just approved 34 Billion for the post office.

According to the article, the PO is losing 25 million per day. Multiply that by 365, comes out to 9.1 Billion.

So, they need 9.1 Billion ... but are getting 34 Billion.
www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/08/it-a...

Jasr

Posts: 8,194

Well the National Guard, aka "well regulated militia," doesn't make any money either, but like the postal service it is one of the few government entities specifically mentioned in the US constitution.

Bodean

Posts: 7,334

May 8, 2012 -- 9:22AM, Jasr wrote:

Well the National Guard, aka "well regulated militia," doesn't make any money either, but like the postal service it is one of the few government entities specifically mentioned in the US constitution.

So .. .if it takes 500 million to fund the national guard ... do you sign off on 10 Billion??

catboxer

Posts: 12,323

Since when has the post office been expected to function as a for-profit agency?

Oh, I almost forgot -- since the Postal Reorganization Act of 1971.

Since the good old PO hasn't gotten any money from the gov't since the early 80's, it's not too surprising that it's about to come to grief, considering the costs of maintaining the world's largest vehicle fleet.

But since it hasn't shown a profit -- the one and only anathema in our wonderful capitalist-ruled society -- the PO must go. Mail and package delivery must be "privatized," which means the United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express, lurking in the background of this phony controversy, will be able to rush in and scoop up the remnants.

So once again, the notion of subsidized service which is a public good (i.e., benefits the general public) takes a back seat to the idea that corporate profits are the only social good, with the public -- ordinary people -- getting the crappy end of the stick.

The trouble is, we're already familiar with the game of "privatization" and "deregulation." We know how it's played, and more importantly who it's for.

No way this time.

Adepto vestri stercore simul.

Bodean

Posts: 7,334

May 8, 2012 -- 10:16AM, catboxer wrote:

Since when has the post office been expected to function as a for-profit agency?

Oh, I almost forgot -- since the Postal Reorganization Act of 1971.

Since the good old PO hasn't gotten any money from the gov't since the early 80's, it's not too surprising that it's about to come to grief, considering the costs of maintaining the world's largest vehicle fleet.

But since it hasn't shown a profit -- the one and only anathema in our wonderful capitalist-ruled society -- the PO must go. Mail and package delivery must be "privatized," which means the United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express, lurking in the background of this phony controversy, will be able to rush in and scoop up the remnants.

So once again, the notion of subsidized service which is a public good (i.e., benefits the general public) takes a back seat to the idea that corporate profits are the only social good, with the public -- ordinary people -- getting the crappy end of the stick.

The trouble is, we're already familiar with the game of "privatization" and "deregulation." We know how it's played, and more importantly who it's for.

No way this time.

Cat .. the problem for the PO is the American Postal Workers Union. It's not the cost of doing business that is doing them in ... it's the cost of the PENSIONS, and other Union Negotiated PERKS.

For example ...

www.cato-at-liberty.org/the-postal-servi...

arielg

Posts: 8,206

The PO is running into trouble because the service they are offering is no longer as vital as it was sometime ego. Too much money to pay for too little.

Government can spend that money to solve more pressing problems.

Bodean

Posts: 7,334

May 8, 2012 -- 11:50AM, arielg wrote:

The PO is running into trouble because the service they are offering is no longer as vital as it was sometime ego. Too much money to pay for too little.

Government can spend that money to solve more pressing problems.

True ariel ... but that is only a cause. Since the PO can't adjust to the changing market, thanks to Union Negotiated perks, they are not being able to solve the problem on their own.

amcolph

Posts: 13,400

May 8, 2012 -- 2:11PM, Bodean wrote:

May 8, 2012 -- 11:50AM, arielg wrote:

The PO is running into trouble because the service they are offering is no longer as vital as it was sometime ego. Too much money to pay for too little.

Government can spend that money to solve more pressing problems.

True ariel ... but that is only a cause. Since the PO can't adjust to the changing market, thanks to Union Negotiated perks, they are not being able to solve the problem on their own.

Even you could eliminate the postal workers' union (which I'm sure you would be glad to do whether it helped the Postal Service or not) there would still be Congressionally mandated rules which are also standing in the way of adapting to the current market.

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Unworthyone

Posts: 1,644

So the PO is not a money making proposition.

Neither is the space program under NASA. They just did all the heavy lifting for GPS systems, Telecommunications, weather reports, etc.

Nor is the National Institutes of Health. They only finance about half of all the medical and pharmaceutical research in the world.

Centers for Disease Control is a loser, too. What a waste preventing epidemics.

Not to mention the VA. Lord knows the vets are a major drain on our resources.

Hoover Dam was a hugely expensive project that lost millions.

We wouldn't even have an Internet if it were not for a program called DARPA, an expensive money losing Pentagon project.

Bottom line is this: Some things need to be done, even if there is no profit realized by the government. Deal with it.

I never consider a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend. Thomas Jefferson

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.
Albert Einstein

You can get anything you want out of life if you will just help enough other people get what they want. Zig Ziglar

Here's the difference between a capitalist society and a communist society: Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's the other way around.

Bodean

Posts: 7,334

May 8, 2012 -- 2:37PM, amcolph wrote:

May 8, 2012 -- 2:11PM, Bodean wrote:

May 8, 2012 -- 11:50AM, arielg wrote:

The PO is running into trouble because the service they are offering is no longer as vital as it was sometime ego. Too much money to pay for too little.

Government can spend that money to solve more pressing problems.

True ariel ... but that is only a cause. Since the PO can't adjust to the changing market, thanks to Union Negotiated perks, they are not being able to solve the problem on their own.

Even you could eliminate the postal workers' union (which I'm sure you would be glad to do whether it helped the Postal Service or not) there would still be Congressionally mandated rules which are also standing in the way of adapting to the current market.

Read the article amcoph ... one of the biggest problems the PO faces, is they cannot layoff people, they cannot relocate people, and they have these do nothing rooms that they make people sit in, so they can pay them a cumulative 50 million a year to do absolutely nothing.

Then of course there is the outrageous negotiated pay ... I mean .. 85K per year to sort mail, or deliver mail?? That's a little steep don't ya think?? Add to that, the Pension Plan ... and it is one doozy of a plan. Plus the other perks the Union has negotiated.

There may be some congressional hurdles as well .... but the Union hurdles could be eliminated today, and it would make a huge difference.

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