USPS Crisis: Postmaster General slowing mail & in contact with Republican Party officials!

[jj23]

Somebody needs to re-up the @DEAD7 free market thread.

The bullshyt he has posted in this thread to backup his assertions is legendary.



With his solutions the government will still end up paying private firms to cover the hole left by the USPS, ESPECIALLY as they know that with USPS gone, they can play a game of chicken with the government until those grants and free taxpayer money comes through.

He makes the argument of a politician, who knows the grift is in, and has already scoped out how he is going to make some bank out of the situation, but needs to act concerned to convince his voters he is approaching it from a moral high ground.

 

[ghostwriterx]

Absolutes
If that's how you approach structuring society, then we will just have to agree to disagree.


Privatizing, and subsidizing unprofitable routes vs will save tax payers millions. Something I know your ilk isn't fond of... End the govt imposed monopoly USPS has on mailboxes and letters and let the market sort it out. I'm confident many of the fears are unfounded. Rural areas will continue to receive mail.

Why does the Post Office have to be "profitable"? Is there any another government service/organization that we're holding to this standard?

 

[jj23]

Why does the Post Office have to be "profitable"? Is there any another government service/organization that we're holding to this standard?

Let's start to force congress to be profitable.

 

[Loose]

Let's start to force congress to be profitable.

They're profitable for their own pockets

 

[DEAD7]

Why does the Post Office have to be "profitable"? Is there any another government service/organization that we're holding to this standard?

Not sure theres another comparable govt. service...If there is and the market can satisfy the demand for the service at a lower cost to tax payers we should definitely explore it.
At worst, I'd say lift the monopoly and let see how the market/consumers respond.
If a market actor decided to deliver to rural areas at low cost in exchange for access to mailboxes that would destroy that argument completely.

Im saying lets see

 

[DEAD7]

With his solutions the government will still end up paying private firms to cover the hole left by the USPS

Paying less...

Ya'll really don't mind more govt spending/inefficiency as long as it isn't going to a private company...

 

[morris]

USPS stays one of the most mismanaged agencies/services.

How are they still afloat? Legendary worst hold times and customer service.

 

[DEAD7]

You're asking for a system guaranteed to be fragmented, expensive, inefficient, and unequal.

That's not how govt. contracts work... but alright.

Edit: a Libertarian poopoohing absolutism is rich. Every Libertarian I've seen has been an ideologue of the highest order. Their rigidity is their main selling point.

Purist are fools, regardless of the ideology.​

 

[Adeptus Astartes]

That's not how govt. contracts work... but alright.

So now they're contractors? Even worse. How could you implement this system nationwide while maintaining both coverage and competition? Cronyism, regional monopolies, and sweetheart deals will be rampant, and you know it. Why not just keep the existing system?
Privatized mail is a pipe dream anyway. It would take congressional approval to dissolve the USPS.

Also, you didn't answer my question re: postal banking. Why are you against it?

Purist are fools, regardless of the ideology.

Agreed. You have to concede that one of Libertarianisms biggest draws is its inflexibility, from Bob Barr to Ron Paul to Justin Amash.

 

[DEAD7]

Also, you didn't answer my question re: postal banking. Why are you against it?

I'm unsure about it...
How big of an expansion would it be?
Are they going to be subject to the same regulation as the private banks they are competing with?
What's this payday loan nonsense?
At the present moment, post offices do not have any digital or mobile banking services and building infrastructure from scratch will be expensive as well as time-consuming... there are no vaults or any other security features which are mandatory for banks.
… and there is very little guarantee that consumers might opt for such services. It is quite likely that with the introduction of 5G, internet connectivity might become cheaper and widespread... rural customers might start using internet banking if the services are cheaper and/or better.

You have to hate the idea of private industry to want to continue throwing money at this. Other countries have privatized their postal service and its working fine.
This whole debate comes off as the left fighting to keep govt. from any downsizing.
Its been conceded that postage alone isnt going to be sustainable going forward.

 

[ghostwriterx]

Not sure theres another comparable govt. service...If there is and the market can satisfy the demand for the service at a lower cost to tax payers we should definitely explore it.
At worst, I'd say lift the monopoly and let see how the market/consumers respond.
If a market actor decided to deliver to rural areas at low cost in exchange for access to mailboxes that would destroy that argument completely.

Im saying lets see

You ducked the first question. Why does it NEED to be profitable? I'm all for cutting needless government spending, but the Post Office provides a valuable service to every citizen at an affordable cost and free of free market concerns. And it does so at a relatively low cost to the taxpayers. There are several other more expensive and pointless government services to pare down. Voting by mail, passport services etc. shouldn't be handled by private industry.

There is currently nothing stopping private industry from trying to compete with the post office in rural areas. If they thought there was money to be made they'd already be doing so.

 

[Adeptus Astartes]

Post offices would only offer the most rudimentary banking services. Check cashing, small loans, transfers, ATMs, and maybe small savings accounts. I've never heard of the Postal Banks doing payday loans. As a matter of fact, they are supposed to be an alternative to the predatory finnancial industries that currently plague the hood and rural white America like Check into Cash that do shady shyt like payday loans. From what I have seen, the other countries that did private post are tiny. America is huge. The postal service is one of the few things government SHOULDN'T be downsizing.

I'm unsure about it...
How big of an expansion would it be?
Are they going to be subject to the same regulation as the private banks they are competing with?
What's this payday loan nonsense?
At the present moment, post offices do not have any digital or mobile banking services and building infrastructure from scratch will be expensive as well as time-consuming... there are no vaults or any other security features which are mandatory for banks.
… and there is very little guarantee that consumers might opt for such services. It is quite likely that with the introduction of 5G, internet connectivity might become cheaper and widespread... rural customers might start using internet banking if the services are cheaper and/or better.

You have to hate the idea of private industry to want to continue throwing money at this. Other countries have privatized their postal service and its working fine.
This whole debate comes off as the left fighting to keep govt. from any downsizing.
Its been conceded that postage alone isnt going to be sustainable going forward.

 

[Conan]

Saving the post office just to piss off @DEAD7 and other libertarian acolytes is enough reason to vote for Biden

 

[DEAD7]

Saving the post office just to piss off @DEAD7 and other libertarian acolytes is enough reason to vote for Biden

Fair enough... Ill be voting for Biden too. Hopefully the rethugs have got this wrapped up by then.

 

[DEAD7]

Post offices would only offer the most rudimentary banking services. Check cashing, small loans, transfers, ATMs, and maybe small savings accounts. I've never heard of the Postal Banks doing payday loans. As a matter of fact, they are supposed to be an alternative to the predatory finnancial industries that currently plague the hood and rural white America like Check into Cash that do shady shyt like payday loans. From what I have seen, the other countries that did private post are tiny. America is huge. The postal service is one of the few things government SHOULDN'T be downsizing.

Its the single payer shyt in reverse

Technological advancements(email, instant messaging, etc.) are downsizing it. It will die on its own if no one does nothing.
The question is whether or not its worth saving, and im arguing it'll cost tax payers less to privatize it... with the downsides opponents argue being flat out untrue. Rural/poor areas will still be serviced.