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July 21, 2011

A Modest Proposal


This could be the start of something wonderful. What if we applied this to all non-military, non-law enforcement government employees? Especially Congress?
Head of U.S. Postal Service says delivery could be scaled back to 3 days a week.

With Internet usage rising and mail volume steadily falling, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe warned the U.S. Postal Service is going to have to make significant cutbacks that could mean no more Saturday service and eventually lead to mail delivery just three days a week.

The Postal Service's "cashflow crisis is at a critical level," Donahoe told USA Today in an interview published Wednesday. Donahoe said eliminating Saturday mail would save around $3.1 billion a year for the cash-strapped agency, projected to lose $8.3 billion this year.

"At some point, we'll have to move to three" days a week of mail delivery, possibly in 15 years, he told the newspaper.

[...] Congress mandated the six-day delivery schedule in 1983, but Donahoe said there may be more support for cutting Saturday service now as the U.S. faces more pressure to improve its fiscal condition.

The idea has "a much better chance today than a year ago. I don't know if I'd say 'likely' yet," Donahoe said.

Democratic Senator Tom Carper of Delaware has introduced legislation that would allow for the Saturday elimination, but the idea is widely opposed by rural lawmakers.

4 comments:

Woodsterman (Odie) said...

They need to run the Post Office like they ran it in the 50's and 60's. They WALKED their routes. Now they all have a supplied truck that costs a fortune.

Government has never had a problem spending our money.

Doom said...

Well, something else they could consider is cutting benefits AND wages. The last I heard, the part-time workers were getting $18 and fifty an hour. Huh? Cut wages, cut benefits, and that should take care of that. Imagine how much money they would have if full-time employees started at *gulp, again* $12.50 and were capped at $18 (after 30 years), which is still much higher than the paygrade but more typical for big company hires at that skill level (give or take, I make some of this up, to a degree). Work with me. That is more than military and police ever make. Bah!

Anonymous said...

Wow, I'm gonna miss those cheerful and helpful Post Office employees. Who's gonna pay for their piercings and anger management classes?

sig94 said...

For those postal employees working in the colder climes of the USA, they can burn all the undelivered mail they keep at home for heating fuel. Save them a ton of money.