Editorial: Postal Service needs to reinvent self

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   Stacie Lposted 12 years ago

   Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle
   Updated 08:27 p.m., Thursday, September 8, 2011
   Hypothetical question: If the U.S. Postal Service went out of business without warning one day next week, would anyone notice?
   
   Or maybe the question is not so hypothetical. Despite its happy-talk television ads about operating without a subsidy, it turns out the post office is in bad shape. Dire financial straits.
   
   How bad? The Postal Service owes a bill for retirees' health care for $5.5 billion that comes due at the end of this month, another obligation for $1 billion must be met in October, and others will follow beyond that. If these are not addressed, and it will take help from taxpayers to meet these obligations, the head of the Postal Service fears that the service could be shut down by next summer. Others are not so optimistic. Some say the end could come by year's end. Again: Would anyone notice?
   http://www.chron.com/opinion/editorials … 161819.php
   
   yeah I'd notice!..If you live in a rural area ,the nearest mailing operations are 35 miles away..the Post Office does a great service to small towns and rural locations..

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   goldenpathposted 12 years ago

   This puts greater emphasis on online bill paying and advertising as well as information exchange.  Mark my words, taxes and infringement on the internet is coming.  Free access will no longer be free.

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   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   As far as I'm concerned residential mail service should have been cut back to 3 days a week years ago. Monday, Wednesday, Friday for half. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday for the other half.

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      goldenpathposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Possible...  However, one must consider the immense diverse needs of the people.  Millions of elderly depend on that SS check on the day it arrives.  Perhaps an extreme time sensitive home mortgage that needs to be signed.  The list is endless.
      
      I do agree that it would have cut the expenses down tremendously.

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   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   One day won't kill anybody. Besides, between direct deposit, Fedex, UPS, online, etc. everyone has options.

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      goldenpathposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You'd be surprised.  There are actually many people out there who do not have any internet access or even direct deposit options.  These things are so passive to the rest of us but it's true that there are parts of the country and world that are still decades lagging in technological options.  I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't of seen it.  The past couple of years have greatly opened my eyes though in my travels.

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   Stacie Lposted 12 years ago

   I'm thinking about some of us that have to mail packages...the nearest competitor for me is 35 miles away..
   unless UPS and Fedex would have to start doing the flat fee mailing and arrange pick ups
   

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   paradigmsearchposted 12 years ago

   For those folks who would be killed by one day and don't have any other options...? Set up a special program. Even if that special program costs a billion dollars, that would still be 99 billion saved.
   
   PS Be forewarned that I pulled those numbers out of you-know-where.

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      goldenpathposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I thought I felt a tickle!

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