USPS is not a government agency, even though it cannot do anything without congressional approval. Did you know that the USPS puts millions back into the general fund in support of the US economy. It is this burden, which they cannot remove that is causing it to fail. By the way, It costs less than 50 cents to send a letter to Guam, or Alaska, or Hawaii. Try getting that bargain with private industry.
– Franka
This is a ridiculous move. No wonder the USPS is broke, making decisions like this. We are already isolated enough over here without town mail being sent across the mountains and back to go a mile or two. Mail service needs to be taken out of the hands of the government and given to a private enterprise who can show them how to make a business flourish.
– Teri Curtis
This article appears in Dec 8-14, 2011.
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Ah, yes, the mantra of “private enterprise–they’ll do it better!” When was the last time you used Fedex or UPS to mail anything? Mailing a letter here in Bend to someone else in Bend? $22 and change to do what the Post Office does for a half a buck! Half way across the country by next week–hey, only $30! Fedex is no cheaper. They won’t touch most classes of mail and they use the post office to make some of their deliveries. Yet we complain when they raise the rates a few cents and start yelling that private companies could do it faster, better, cheaper. Get a clue! Private companies cherry pick the profitable sectors and ignore the rest. Rural deliveries on a regular basis–fugedaboutit! We need our postal service. People piss and moan that it isn’t worth it–until they consider the alternative.