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General Philatelic/Gen. Discussion : Changes in USPS

 

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amsd
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Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads

22 Jul 2011
05:50:39am

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the NY times discusses an article on revamping the USPS. Nothing new in the article other than a greater likelihood that it might happen. Most significant changes revolve around the federally mandated pension and health funds and Saturday delivery. For a read, look at http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/22/business/lawmakers-prepare-to-overhaul-postal-service.html?pagewanted=2

David
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Drmicro68
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22 Jul 2011
05:21:55pm
re: Changes in USPS

Reducing mail delivery will have a significant impact on the current 65+ population. My spouse is computer-phobic. Of the 200 plus on our church list less than half have computers, and probably less than half of them use them for anything other than email. This tact by USPS is simply to scare citizens, especially seniors, into agreeing into paying more taxes. It is despicable. If USPS had paid into pension & health funds as required, & had employees paid (or pay) a portion, USPS might not be in the situation it is now. My 2 cent stamp worth.
Roger

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amsd
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Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads

23 Jul 2011
08:01:11am

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re: Changes in USPS

Roger, i think you are correct that reduced mail delivery will have a negative impact on computer-phobic, who are likely to be disproportionately among the elderly.

I don't know that you are correct about several other assertions. There is no correlation between USPS and federal taxes. USPS isn't supported in any way by federal taxes. in fact, it's the other way around, as USPS subsidizes congressional and other free-frank mailing (it's supposed to be revenue-neutral, but isn't); and they are responsible for DoD benefits for postal workers (that is USPS is responsible for the money that DoD should have contributed to pension and health funds for former military people who now work for USPS. If you mean "rates" rather than "taxes" congress has given USPS free rein to raise rates yearly, commensurate with inflation on many categories of mail, and they can apply to PRC for other increases.

As to contributing to pension and health funds, what you describe is how business SHOULD work, but seldom does. USPS is the only federal department that is required to do this, and the rates have been found, when examined, to be always overstated, meaning that USPS has been required to pay more than the funding needs would be. They are claiming this again in congressional hearings (they've been correct in all earlier assertions, so one would think this will happen again).

I don't think the USPS is blameless for the current fiscal woes, but they are not sole players; further, they are subject to scrutiny by congress (but receive no funds, as discussed above) meaning that they are not free to build and execute their own business model (probably thankfully so, given some of their schemes).

I actually think reducing delivery is, on the whole, a good idea. It reduces the single largest expense USPS has (80% is employee cost). You can nibble at stamp production and automation all you want, as long as you understand those nibbles are dealing with the 20% not covered by wages and benefits and those are almost all covered by union agreements. If you don't cut costs, and you don't increase volume, what other options do you have?

David Teisler

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Joelgrebin

23 Jul 2011
08:37:15am
re: Changes in USPS

It is a sad irony that political opinions have entered a hobby venue. This is not the first time political perspectives have shown up on this message board. It is a shame.
David you are right about reducing delivery services by the USPS. Every business reduces unprofitable or costly operations to improve the bottom line. AS I understand it, the USPS is a quasi-governmental/business concern. They need to watch what they do.
From a personal pov, most of my mail is junk mail. However, I do realize the USPS receives much of its revenue from those companies using that service.
Maybe what should be reduced or eliminated is the overproduction of all the Panels, commemorative and other non-essential stamp production that caters mainly to collectors rather than users of stamps for mail purposes only. what do you think?

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amsd
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Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads

23 Jul 2011
11:20:02am

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re: Changes in USPS

Joel,

i actually think that this discussion is politically neutral. There is politics in the congressinal discussions of postal matters, but that's not really being discussed here.

as to reducing collector-inspired stuff, the philatelic revenues collected by USPS are a miniscule portion of their revenue; so any positive or negative effects to the bottom line based on missed or gained opportunities are small. Production costs for said products are an even smaller portion, and they're a small portion of the 20% of non-personnel costs, meaning any savings from eliminating things like prestige booklets or event covers will be negligible at best.

And, yes, USPS is a quasi-federal entity; there are congressional oversights, presidential appointments to the regulatory agencies, and federally mandated rules that all apply.

David

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Les
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23 Jul 2011
11:35:31am
re: Changes in USPS

Speaking as a retired regular Army officer, I find it hard to believe that the USPS is responsible for benefits earned by former Department of Defense retirees. Legally, retirement pay is classed as retainer pay and (yes) the government did not fund retirement pay. Officers who work for any agency of the government after retirement will lose two thirds of their retirement pay to avoid the dreaded "double dipping".

Medical care for DOD retirees is through a government sponsored insurance program called TRICARE. A Postal Service employee can forgo the USPS medical program which is also available to all government employees and use Tricare. It really depends on which is more financially advantageous to the employee. Tricare is jointly funded by active duty, retirees and the DOD. And retirees lose eligibility for Tricare as a primary insurer when they or their dependents are eligible for Medicare. This transition will typically triple the retiree's cost for medical care. Tricare becomes a secondary payer.

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Cdj1122
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..

23 Jul 2011
01:05:38pm
re: Changes in USPS

It is a shame that so much of the public's opinion about USPS has been distorted by political rhetoric.
Quite often I see disbelief when I point out, to often very vocal individuals, that USPS is required to be self sufficient and is not a drain on the public treasury.
Then when the inevitable question arises about why some "junk" mailers get such favorable rates, I try to explain that bulk mailers get those reduced rates because they label their mail and presort and bundle it by zip code, thus taking on themselve a very large portion of the cost of processing what they are sending.
That also meets disbelief since it runs counter to the political propaganda that they are continually spoon fed by the "anti-gub'ment" groups.
If I can, I then try to point out that selling, in today's world, a 44¢ stamp, to a collector that costs significantly less than 44¢ per sheet (of say 100)to produce and market that will lie in some album somewhere until the paper decays is a very profitable deal indeed.
Unfortunately, quite often facts are strange foreign objects to so many people.
Factually, despite the criticism directed at USPS so commonly, it is an example of a successful use of government power.

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amsd
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Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads

23 Jul 2011
02:21:47pm

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re: Changes in USPS

Collin, the other benefit USPS accrues from junk mail, although the advent of internet is reducing this too, is increased first class mail returning orders and then possibly more mail fulfilling those orders.

And, yes, one of the cost savings for DoD pushed through by the last administration was a transferrence from DoD to USPS of pension responsibility and therefore funding. I don't know if this still holds true; there was a huge outcry about this and much gnashing of teeth. But it was, and may still be, true.

David

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Rgnpcs
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23 Jul 2011
03:12:44pm
re: Changes in USPS

I remember when Herman "Pat" Herst was alive, he stated that the Post Office Dept funded many Federal Offices I am wondering if this is still true?
Also the US Government (Obama) could bail out the PO, exactly the same way it did the banks, and if they would send the troops home, they would have plenty of money to do so.
Richaard

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Joelgrebin

23 Jul 2011
03:49:51pm
re: Changes in USPS

David,

I am curious as to the cost effectiveness of the production of the slick catalog USA Philatelic, the maintenance of an 800 phone number for sales and the loss of sales due to the overproduction of philatelic material that is destroyed by the USPS that did not make the retail sale. Those are the kind of costs that should be considered and eliminated from USPS operations, I think.
joel

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auldstampguy
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Tim
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23 Jul 2011
05:18:31pm
re: Changes in USPS

Good point Joel, but back to David's point, if cost of production is only 20% of the overall budget, it doesn't really matter how efficient you are in the production process, the wages and benefits (the 80%) is going to kill you.

Regards ... Tim.

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amsd
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Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads

23 Jul 2011
11:15:01pm

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re: Changes in USPS

Joel, don't know the specifics, but i'm sure this is small potatoes. all things have costs, and most of those things should also have revenue attached. the decisions are about the relation of cost to revenue (or sometimes, as with their earlier olympic sponsorship, something less tangible and measurable).

USPS recently cut Donna at RI philatelic. In their mind, this was a drain. to those of us who collect US, she was a wonderful resource. I suppose I'll probably put aside fewer new issues because i'm more likely to buy only what i need, so there will be a net loss from this single customer because of that single action.

I don't know any of the specifics of USA philatelic, the Caves, prestige booklets, etc. Some of it seems to fly in the face of sanity to me, but I'm not the PMG.

tim's comment helps to put any of these discussions in context: we're talking about small pieces of the 20%.

I do think that USPS is wasteful in its stamp issuing policies, but i don't think it matters much financially. and i think USPS, under David Failor's tenure, has done much to alienate several large classes of collectors, and I don't think USPS cares.

David

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Joelgrebin

24 Jul 2011
10:02:04am
re: Changes in USPS

I see your point and go along with your assertions. Stamp collecting for me had been the collection of the used stamp because of the places it might have been and the overprints that may in place. That's why postal history has become my main collecting interest as well as declining eyesight. Most my my mail is junk mail. Companies that I deal with notify me from time to time via first class mail. My family contacts me by email and telephone. I am not into texting. For me a 5 day a week mail delivery is acceptable. However, businesses have different needs. I firmly believe that if a person or company has a need for a service and that need incurs an extra cost or tax, there should not be a complaint for the extra charge.
With technology changing as a rapidly as it is, it is quite possible that the only kind of actual mail may be such specialized correspondence that requires delivery of actual documents. Again reducing the services of the USPS.
Personally, I don't have problems with the changes in the USPS.
Joel

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Cdj1122
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..

24 Jul 2011
01:39:23pm
re: Changes in USPS

" ... My family contacts me by email and telephone. ..."
Shucks, there are times I send an e-mail to my daughter or my wife if they are at the far end of the house or we chat on Facebook.

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auldstampguy
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Tim
Collector, Webmaster

24 Jul 2011
09:09:31pm
re: Changes in USPS

I know what you mean Charlie, I've been known to send my daughter (who is down stairs) a text to let her know that dinner is ready. :-)

Tim.

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Cdj1122
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..

25 Jul 2011
08:18:18am
re: Changes in USPS

Oh no, don't get me started on Texting.
My wife, a daughter, a son-in-law and I all have cell phones nearby almost all the time. They text incessently. We all live in the same house. Another daughter is here as much as at her house which is a short distance away. Three of the older grand kids living here also have and use the texting thing. The very young (almost babies) have toy cells (usually old broken cell phones) that they think they are texting on and would be if they were old enough to spell.
One of my grand daughters who is in Texas sent or received 25,000 text usages a month ago.
I am the only hold out who is still capable of shouting down the hall when I want someone.
We were all at one son's weddiing in Houston last week and every time I looked at one of them, wife, four daughters, one son, one son-in-law and six of my twelve grand kids they had a cell phone in one hand telling the world and my other son who is in Iraq every detail of the partys and the ceremony.

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Joelgrebin

25 Jul 2011
08:22:19am
re: Changes in USPS

A little off topic...
My 5 "kids" are all in their 40's. And all of them live 80 to a 1000 miles from me. I understand the electronics industry has developed something called the "cloud?" I wish that there was an electronic device of some sort or other invention so that my kids could communicate with me when I am thinking about them.
Joel

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auldstampguy
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Tim
Collector, Webmaster

25 Jul 2011
09:03:47pm
re: Changes in USPS

Joel,
Have you tried Skype? We use it all the time to talk to family in Australia and on the east coast (we live in Minnesota). Talking computer to computer it is free and you can have a really great video chat.

Regards ... Tim.

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Joelgrebin

26 Jul 2011
08:36:44am
re: Changes in USPS

Tim,
Thanks for the suggestion.
Joel

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Cdj1122
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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..

27 Jul 2011
11:35:00am
re: Changes in USPS

My children range from 41 to 27 and besides the ones who live here or close by, one is in Iraq, one in Dallas, one at the university in Tampa and this week one in Rome with his new wife hopefully taking actions that will, in s few month,increase the current 12 grands who currently range between 16 and 3 years of age.
There are times when I spend much of the evening chatting with them using the Yahoo instant messenger and sometimes one or more of my 30 surviving cousins join in.
Then there are several friends, stampers, fellow veterans and occasionally someone with whom I maintain a political dialogue (Argue), giving me three or four active screens all at the same time.
And yes, sometimes I type in some comment into the wrong box and have to explain the meaning of what appears to be a nonsensical remark.
To me it is almost as if whoever is online is sitting around our kitchen table after dinner with a full pot of fresh coffee discussing the eventy of the day.
What a wondeful invention for keeping families together. I wish Isaac Azimov where alive to see one of his dreams come to fruition.

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Bobstamp
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27 Jul 2011
01:20:30pm
re: Changes in USPS

Skype was a lifeline for my wife and me a year ago February, and for our son, Paul, when our daughter-in-law was seriously injured in an accident in Laos. Paul immediately flew to Udon Thani, Thailand, where she had been taken for immediate surgery. She had three crushed vertebrae, a comminuted fracture of her right humerus, a cracked pelvis, a bad concussion, and numerous deep cuts and bad abrasions.

As soon as Paul arrived, he contacted us via Skype, and every day for the next month we talked with him. He stayed in the hospital with Kim for the entire month, only venturing out a couple of times to explore the immediate, depressing surroundings. I think that without Skype we all might have gone bonkers. The mail service between Canada and Thailand would just not have been adequate in those circumstances.

I don't see how anyone could deny the usefulness of email over snail mail. My mother, according to my wife, just about went crazy over worry for me when I was with the Marines in Vietnam. Those weren't unreasonable worries, and in fact I was seriously wounded. Being in daily contact with me via email wouldn't have assuaged her worries very much, but when I was shot, it was three days before I was able to contact her and my dad, via radio-telephone links from Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. In short, she had three extra days of worry which could been much less stressful if she could have known that I was alive, out of combat, and that my injuries were not life-threatening.

Snail mail in this case was a waste of time: three weeks after I was wounded, my parents got a letter from the Navy saying that I had been wounded, but that my injuries were not considered serious. Except that there was every chance I could still lose my right leg to infection!

Bob

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amsd

Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads
22 Jul 2011
05:50:39am

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the NY times discusses an article on revamping the USPS. Nothing new in the article other than a greater likelihood that it might happen. Most significant changes revolve around the federally mandated pension and health funds and Saturday delivery. For a read, look at http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/22/business/lawmakers-prepare-to-overhaul-postal-service.html?pagewanted=2

David

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Drmicro68

22 Jul 2011
05:21:55pm

re: Changes in USPS

Reducing mail delivery will have a significant impact on the current 65+ population. My spouse is computer-phobic. Of the 200 plus on our church list less than half have computers, and probably less than half of them use them for anything other than email. This tact by USPS is simply to scare citizens, especially seniors, into agreeing into paying more taxes. It is despicable. If USPS had paid into pension & health funds as required, & had employees paid (or pay) a portion, USPS might not be in the situation it is now. My 2 cent stamp worth.
Roger

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amsd

Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads
23 Jul 2011
08:01:11am

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re: Changes in USPS

Roger, i think you are correct that reduced mail delivery will have a negative impact on computer-phobic, who are likely to be disproportionately among the elderly.

I don't know that you are correct about several other assertions. There is no correlation between USPS and federal taxes. USPS isn't supported in any way by federal taxes. in fact, it's the other way around, as USPS subsidizes congressional and other free-frank mailing (it's supposed to be revenue-neutral, but isn't); and they are responsible for DoD benefits for postal workers (that is USPS is responsible for the money that DoD should have contributed to pension and health funds for former military people who now work for USPS. If you mean "rates" rather than "taxes" congress has given USPS free rein to raise rates yearly, commensurate with inflation on many categories of mail, and they can apply to PRC for other increases.

As to contributing to pension and health funds, what you describe is how business SHOULD work, but seldom does. USPS is the only federal department that is required to do this, and the rates have been found, when examined, to be always overstated, meaning that USPS has been required to pay more than the funding needs would be. They are claiming this again in congressional hearings (they've been correct in all earlier assertions, so one would think this will happen again).

I don't think the USPS is blameless for the current fiscal woes, but they are not sole players; further, they are subject to scrutiny by congress (but receive no funds, as discussed above) meaning that they are not free to build and execute their own business model (probably thankfully so, given some of their schemes).

I actually think reducing delivery is, on the whole, a good idea. It reduces the single largest expense USPS has (80% is employee cost). You can nibble at stamp production and automation all you want, as long as you understand those nibbles are dealing with the 20% not covered by wages and benefits and those are almost all covered by union agreements. If you don't cut costs, and you don't increase volume, what other options do you have?

David Teisler

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Joelgrebin

23 Jul 2011
08:37:15am

re: Changes in USPS

It is a sad irony that political opinions have entered a hobby venue. This is not the first time political perspectives have shown up on this message board. It is a shame.
David you are right about reducing delivery services by the USPS. Every business reduces unprofitable or costly operations to improve the bottom line. AS I understand it, the USPS is a quasi-governmental/business concern. They need to watch what they do.
From a personal pov, most of my mail is junk mail. However, I do realize the USPS receives much of its revenue from those companies using that service.
Maybe what should be reduced or eliminated is the overproduction of all the Panels, commemorative and other non-essential stamp production that caters mainly to collectors rather than users of stamps for mail purposes only. what do you think?

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amsd

Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads
23 Jul 2011
11:20:02am

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re: Changes in USPS

Joel,

i actually think that this discussion is politically neutral. There is politics in the congressinal discussions of postal matters, but that's not really being discussed here.

as to reducing collector-inspired stuff, the philatelic revenues collected by USPS are a miniscule portion of their revenue; so any positive or negative effects to the bottom line based on missed or gained opportunities are small. Production costs for said products are an even smaller portion, and they're a small portion of the 20% of non-personnel costs, meaning any savings from eliminating things like prestige booklets or event covers will be negligible at best.

And, yes, USPS is a quasi-federal entity; there are congressional oversights, presidential appointments to the regulatory agencies, and federally mandated rules that all apply.

David

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Les

23 Jul 2011
11:35:31am

re: Changes in USPS

Speaking as a retired regular Army officer, I find it hard to believe that the USPS is responsible for benefits earned by former Department of Defense retirees. Legally, retirement pay is classed as retainer pay and (yes) the government did not fund retirement pay. Officers who work for any agency of the government after retirement will lose two thirds of their retirement pay to avoid the dreaded "double dipping".

Medical care for DOD retirees is through a government sponsored insurance program called TRICARE. A Postal Service employee can forgo the USPS medical program which is also available to all government employees and use Tricare. It really depends on which is more financially advantageous to the employee. Tricare is jointly funded by active duty, retirees and the DOD. And retirees lose eligibility for Tricare as a primary insurer when they or their dependents are eligible for Medicare. This transition will typically triple the retiree's cost for medical care. Tricare becomes a secondary payer.

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23 Jul 2011
01:05:38pm

re: Changes in USPS

It is a shame that so much of the public's opinion about USPS has been distorted by political rhetoric.
Quite often I see disbelief when I point out, to often very vocal individuals, that USPS is required to be self sufficient and is not a drain on the public treasury.
Then when the inevitable question arises about why some "junk" mailers get such favorable rates, I try to explain that bulk mailers get those reduced rates because they label their mail and presort and bundle it by zip code, thus taking on themselve a very large portion of the cost of processing what they are sending.
That also meets disbelief since it runs counter to the political propaganda that they are continually spoon fed by the "anti-gub'ment" groups.
If I can, I then try to point out that selling, in today's world, a 44¢ stamp, to a collector that costs significantly less than 44¢ per sheet (of say 100)to produce and market that will lie in some album somewhere until the paper decays is a very profitable deal indeed.
Unfortunately, quite often facts are strange foreign objects to so many people.
Factually, despite the criticism directed at USPS so commonly, it is an example of a successful use of government power.

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amsd

Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads
23 Jul 2011
02:21:47pm

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re: Changes in USPS

Collin, the other benefit USPS accrues from junk mail, although the advent of internet is reducing this too, is increased first class mail returning orders and then possibly more mail fulfilling those orders.

And, yes, one of the cost savings for DoD pushed through by the last administration was a transferrence from DoD to USPS of pension responsibility and therefore funding. I don't know if this still holds true; there was a huge outcry about this and much gnashing of teeth. But it was, and may still be, true.

David

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Rgnpcs

23 Jul 2011
03:12:44pm

re: Changes in USPS

I remember when Herman "Pat" Herst was alive, he stated that the Post Office Dept funded many Federal Offices I am wondering if this is still true?
Also the US Government (Obama) could bail out the PO, exactly the same way it did the banks, and if they would send the troops home, they would have plenty of money to do so.
Richaard

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Joelgrebin

23 Jul 2011
03:49:51pm

re: Changes in USPS

David,

I am curious as to the cost effectiveness of the production of the slick catalog USA Philatelic, the maintenance of an 800 phone number for sales and the loss of sales due to the overproduction of philatelic material that is destroyed by the USPS that did not make the retail sale. Those are the kind of costs that should be considered and eliminated from USPS operations, I think.
joel

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Tim
Collector, Webmaster
23 Jul 2011
05:18:31pm

re: Changes in USPS

Good point Joel, but back to David's point, if cost of production is only 20% of the overall budget, it doesn't really matter how efficient you are in the production process, the wages and benefits (the 80%) is going to kill you.

Regards ... Tim.

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amsd

Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads
23 Jul 2011
11:15:01pm

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re: Changes in USPS

Joel, don't know the specifics, but i'm sure this is small potatoes. all things have costs, and most of those things should also have revenue attached. the decisions are about the relation of cost to revenue (or sometimes, as with their earlier olympic sponsorship, something less tangible and measurable).

USPS recently cut Donna at RI philatelic. In their mind, this was a drain. to those of us who collect US, she was a wonderful resource. I suppose I'll probably put aside fewer new issues because i'm more likely to buy only what i need, so there will be a net loss from this single customer because of that single action.

I don't know any of the specifics of USA philatelic, the Caves, prestige booklets, etc. Some of it seems to fly in the face of sanity to me, but I'm not the PMG.

tim's comment helps to put any of these discussions in context: we're talking about small pieces of the 20%.

I do think that USPS is wasteful in its stamp issuing policies, but i don't think it matters much financially. and i think USPS, under David Failor's tenure, has done much to alienate several large classes of collectors, and I don't think USPS cares.

David

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"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"

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Joelgrebin

24 Jul 2011
10:02:04am

re: Changes in USPS

I see your point and go along with your assertions. Stamp collecting for me had been the collection of the used stamp because of the places it might have been and the overprints that may in place. That's why postal history has become my main collecting interest as well as declining eyesight. Most my my mail is junk mail. Companies that I deal with notify me from time to time via first class mail. My family contacts me by email and telephone. I am not into texting. For me a 5 day a week mail delivery is acceptable. However, businesses have different needs. I firmly believe that if a person or company has a need for a service and that need incurs an extra cost or tax, there should not be a complaint for the extra charge.
With technology changing as a rapidly as it is, it is quite possible that the only kind of actual mail may be such specialized correspondence that requires delivery of actual documents. Again reducing the services of the USPS.
Personally, I don't have problems with the changes in the USPS.
Joel

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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
24 Jul 2011
01:39:23pm

re: Changes in USPS

" ... My family contacts me by email and telephone. ..."
Shucks, there are times I send an e-mail to my daughter or my wife if they are at the far end of the house or we chat on Facebook.

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".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
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auldstampguy

Tim
Collector, Webmaster
24 Jul 2011
09:09:31pm

re: Changes in USPS

I know what you mean Charlie, I've been known to send my daughter (who is down stairs) a text to let her know that dinner is ready. :-)

Tim.

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"Isaac Asimov once said if his doctor told him he was dying, he wouldn’t lament, he would just type a little faster. "

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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
25 Jul 2011
08:18:18am

re: Changes in USPS

Oh no, don't get me started on Texting.
My wife, a daughter, a son-in-law and I all have cell phones nearby almost all the time. They text incessently. We all live in the same house. Another daughter is here as much as at her house which is a short distance away. Three of the older grand kids living here also have and use the texting thing. The very young (almost babies) have toy cells (usually old broken cell phones) that they think they are texting on and would be if they were old enough to spell.
One of my grand daughters who is in Texas sent or received 25,000 text usages a month ago.
I am the only hold out who is still capable of shouting down the hall when I want someone.
We were all at one son's weddiing in Houston last week and every time I looked at one of them, wife, four daughters, one son, one son-in-law and six of my twelve grand kids they had a cell phone in one hand telling the world and my other son who is in Iraq every detail of the partys and the ceremony.

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".... You may think you understood what you thought I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you think you heard is not what I thought I meant. .... "
Joelgrebin

25 Jul 2011
08:22:19am

re: Changes in USPS

A little off topic...
My 5 "kids" are all in their 40's. And all of them live 80 to a 1000 miles from me. I understand the electronics industry has developed something called the "cloud?" I wish that there was an electronic device of some sort or other invention so that my kids could communicate with me when I am thinking about them.
Joel

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auldstampguy

Tim
Collector, Webmaster
25 Jul 2011
09:03:47pm

re: Changes in USPS

Joel,
Have you tried Skype? We use it all the time to talk to family in Australia and on the east coast (we live in Minnesota). Talking computer to computer it is free and you can have a really great video chat.

Regards ... Tim.

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"Isaac Asimov once said if his doctor told him he was dying, he wouldn’t lament, he would just type a little faster. "

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Joelgrebin

26 Jul 2011
08:36:44am

re: Changes in USPS

Tim,
Thanks for the suggestion.
Joel

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Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
27 Jul 2011
11:35:00am

re: Changes in USPS

My children range from 41 to 27 and besides the ones who live here or close by, one is in Iraq, one in Dallas, one at the university in Tampa and this week one in Rome with his new wife hopefully taking actions that will, in s few month,increase the current 12 grands who currently range between 16 and 3 years of age.
There are times when I spend much of the evening chatting with them using the Yahoo instant messenger and sometimes one or more of my 30 surviving cousins join in.
Then there are several friends, stampers, fellow veterans and occasionally someone with whom I maintain a political dialogue (Argue), giving me three or four active screens all at the same time.
And yes, sometimes I type in some comment into the wrong box and have to explain the meaning of what appears to be a nonsensical remark.
To me it is almost as if whoever is online is sitting around our kitchen table after dinner with a full pot of fresh coffee discussing the eventy of the day.
What a wondeful invention for keeping families together. I wish Isaac Azimov where alive to see one of his dreams come to fruition.

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Bobstamp

27 Jul 2011
01:20:30pm

re: Changes in USPS

Skype was a lifeline for my wife and me a year ago February, and for our son, Paul, when our daughter-in-law was seriously injured in an accident in Laos. Paul immediately flew to Udon Thani, Thailand, where she had been taken for immediate surgery. She had three crushed vertebrae, a comminuted fracture of her right humerus, a cracked pelvis, a bad concussion, and numerous deep cuts and bad abrasions.

As soon as Paul arrived, he contacted us via Skype, and every day for the next month we talked with him. He stayed in the hospital with Kim for the entire month, only venturing out a couple of times to explore the immediate, depressing surroundings. I think that without Skype we all might have gone bonkers. The mail service between Canada and Thailand would just not have been adequate in those circumstances.

I don't see how anyone could deny the usefulness of email over snail mail. My mother, according to my wife, just about went crazy over worry for me when I was with the Marines in Vietnam. Those weren't unreasonable worries, and in fact I was seriously wounded. Being in daily contact with me via email wouldn't have assuaged her worries very much, but when I was shot, it was three days before I was able to contact her and my dad, via radio-telephone links from Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. In short, she had three extra days of worry which could been much less stressful if she could have known that I was alive, out of combat, and that my injuries were not life-threatening.

Snail mail in this case was a waste of time: three weeks after I was wounded, my parents got a letter from the Navy saying that I had been wounded, but that my injuries were not considered serious. Except that there was every chance I could still lose my right leg to infection!

Bob

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