Gary Varvel by Gary Varvel

Gary Varvel

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  1. Ms. Ima

    Ms. Ima said, 4 months ago

    They have to pay the union retirement promises somehow.

  2. ARodney

    ARodney said, 4 months ago

    But they shouldn’t have to pay them all up front, like no private business in America does. It’s all congressional inaction and incompetence, the hallmark of the GOP.

  3. disgustedtaxpayer

    disgustedtaxpayer said, 4 months ago

    (ARodney seems to ignore facts about who is in charge of congress and blames every year’s “incompetence” only on the GOP…..not the mark of a wise mind, IMO)
    -
    If Congress believed in the free market system, it would have permitted the PO to give up its monopoly on first class mail, and allowed private companies to compete.
    -
    Congress favors the UNIONS, therefore in 2006 it required the PO to deposit $5.5 Billion into an account for medical benefits, each year for 10 years.
    -
    But the PO has been losing money for years….$5.1 Billion 2011, $15.9 Billion 2012, mostly due to the set-aside for health care for union employees, not reduced first-class mailings paid by stamps, which keep rising in cost.
    -
    It is Democrats, not the GOP, that mandate deficits and debt to benefit UNION MEMBERS……and that restrict competition and enforce government monopolies.

  4. Harleyquinn

    Harleyquinn said, 4 months ago

    I still say, 1)Tues, Thurs. Sat. Home delivery. Mon.-Sat pickup. Mon.-Sat premium delivery.
    2. end the mailbox monopoly. But keep the over site and charge for it.

  5. dtroutma

    dtroutma said, 4 months ago

    Ben Franklin had a great idea, that worked admirably for some 200 years before the decided to "corporatize’ the outfit, and that’s the fact. Then when they saddled the government run program with added shackles no “private” corporate competitor had, the knife was run deep. BTW, UPS, which IS union, is cheaper, and generally far faster and more efficient in rural areas than FedEx, which has fought unions from the beginning. UPS also runs their employees pretty ragged during holidays, but overall, their satisfaction is higher than at FedEx.


    As I look out the window today, and see the wind and snow, with some sleet mixed in, or think back to Arizona and those 120 degree days, I think of all those “wise righties” who complain about Postal Service employees (right; “scabs”) bleeding the poor taxpayer and stamp buyer dry.


    When I go to the box, pick up my medications, or packages that arrive 3-5 days quicker than with FedEx, or even a day or two faster than UPS, I realize the Postal Service remains a pretty good deal for Americans, and Ben Franklin had a good idea. BTW: remember also that the first “public” roads in America were established as “post roads”. Many roads in especially rural America are also maintained and kept open for two major reasons, postal delivery, and collecting kids to go to PUBLIC schools.

  6. Night-Gaunt49

    Night-Gaunt49 said, 4 months ago

    @Ms. Ima

    The Congress already makes them pay way too much each year for the retirement funds. No other business has to do it. That is whya they are chronically short of money even though they make a profit every year.

  7. Harleyquinn

    Harleyquinn said, 4 months ago

    We need to turn this into a green movement so that the stuck in the past green loony libs might get with us.
    Just think how much of the demon CO2 is used 6 days a week for home delivery! We need to cut that in half! Half the demon CO2 for a bigger pile of junk mail 3 days a week!

  8. Tigger

    Tigger said, 4 months ago

    @ARodney

    Nope this happened before the Republicans took control of the House and Senate in 1995.. The liberals said the USPS must pay the retirement upfront

  9. Tigger

    Tigger said, 4 months ago

    @dtroutma

    With the end of Saturday Delivery what will you do when you run out of Meds of Friday and have to wait until Tuesday for your meds to be delivered due to Monday being a Federal Holiday?

    Oh, trust me, they will halt delivery of packages on Saturday in November.

  10. Tigger

    Tigger said, 4 months ago

    @Night-Gaunt49

    Because the Democrats said they have to do it. The Republicans wanted this action to stop, but they’re called ‘Union Busters’ by you for them wanting them to cut the retirement pay.

  11. Ellen Gwynne

    Ellen Gwynne said, 4 months ago

    IF you think about it, the more we cut jobs for unskilled workers, the more we will pay in other social programs. I challenge all you smart people out there to come up with paying replacement jobs for people without a good education to do.

  12. swr

    swr said, 4 months ago

    @ARodney

    Nope its a bipartisan screwup. Besides several companies are havein to make big payments now to their pension plansdue to the econumy. But mostlyly its been states who over promise and under fund

  13. Ketira shena Pretarasedrin

    Ketira shena Pretarasedrin said, 4 months ago

    @Harleyquinn

    Go Green (forever) Stamps
    .
    Go Green Postcards that you (or your recipient) can actually plant as there are seeds embedded into the paper!

  14. Lynne B

    Lynne B said, 4 months ago

    There is a very good and detailed discussion of the problems the Post Office faces, how it might be fixed if Congress get out of the way(!), and why we really do still need it, here: http://www.esquire.com/features/post-office-business-trouble-0213

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