Portland: Ten Arrested in Occupy Action at Post Office
Posted 11 years ago on May 26, 2012, 11:39 p.m. EST by OccupyWallSt
press release via Occupy Portland
Police arrested ten members of labor unions, faith groups, neighborhood organizations, and Occupy Portland who refused to leave the University Station post office at closing time this evening. Unfurling two ten foot banners, reading “Occupy the Post Office” and “No Closures! No Cuts!” the protesters blocked the closure of the retail window while a rally of over a hundred supporters chanted outside. Earlier a line of demonstrators had marched through the office, delivering postcards addressed to the Postmaster General.
“The Postmaster General’s plan to close processing plants, delay mail delivery, and cut hours in the nation’s post offices will not fix the postal service’s financial crisis,” said Jamie Partridge, an arrestee from Occupy Portland. “Congress manufactured the crisis and Congress or the President will fix it. If the PMG can’t wait, he should step down and allow in someone who will protect the postal service.”
“People from across Portland are coming out to show that we value our public services and we will not allow those services to be sabatoged by corporate interests. Today we defend the Post Offices, but we know that these public services – our Post Offices, our libraries, our parks, and even our schools are all the target of corporate interests profit-driven machines, says Laurie King, organizer with Occupy the Post Office. “We are coming out to say that all communities deserve access to the mail service, and we will not have it handed over to the highest bidder.”
The Postmaster General is poised to close half the nation’s mail processing plants, including Portland’s Main Office, while reducing hours from 25% to 75% at 13,900 post offices. Donahoe is also pushing for an end to door-to-door and Saturday delivery. Organizers say that the financial problems that USPS is experiencing is due to a funding mandate passed by Congress in 2006 that requires the USPS pre-fund retiree health benefits 75 years in advance. This law was a product of ALEC and its Congressional members who focus on shrinking and privatizing public services. Community members are pressuring Congress to pass bills HR 3591 and S 1853 which will repeal the pre-funding mandate and protect the Postal Service.
“USPS is financially sound, the Congressional mandate to pre-pay benefits for 75 years is shackling the Post Office. This is clearly a part of Wall Street’s plan to privatize and destroy an honored institution of our community,” says Lataya Dailey, an organizer with Occupy St Johns. “The Postmaster is complicit in this plan to gut and cut our community Post Offices. We demand he resign immediately.”
This action was part of an on-going effort by a community coalition to support the Postal Service by Occupy St Johns, Occupy Portland, the Rural Organizing Project, and Jobs with Justice.
Occupy St Johns and Occupy Portland are part of the international Occupy Movement fighting against the inequality of wealth and power in our existing economic and political systems. Jobs with Justice is coalition of labor organizations and community groups dedicated to protecting the rights of working people and supporting community struggles to build a more just society. JWJ has been an active supporter of public infrastructure like the Post Office since its founding in 1992.
I would bet that with most of the country using email, FaceBook, Twitter, and Google the demand for snail mail has diminished.
The demand for package delivery may have actually increased due to Amazon, Overstock, Tiger... Many of these companies use UPS and FedEx
I pay all my bill on line and have "paperless" selected for phone, electric, gas, tv, credit cards....
So if demand is down then you have to close some facilities. The factory that sold horse drawn buggies closed after the car became the primary mode of transportation.
It is technical evolution. In this case unfortunately saving trees costs jobs.
but the money hasn't gone away
What money?
You put a $0.45 stamp on an envelope. If there are less envelopes there are less stamps.
I even get less paper junk mail than I used to. Unfortunately I get ten times as much junk email but at least it is not costing trees.
Printed mail is fading fast. I have not licked a stamp to pay a bill in ten years. Just like Borders Books and Hollywood Video the demand will go so low it will become time to close up shop.
Get it through your fat libertarian head. This has nothing to do with snail mail. This is an engineered crisis legislated by ALEC to push USPS under. Gee, I wonder if UPS and Fed-Ex have involvement with ALEC legislation. OF COURSE!!!!
Hi JadedCitizen,
Excellent post!!!!
Best Regards
Hello. Am I really talking to a whole state? Should I call myself Texas?
I know that the amount of mail processed per day has been steadily declining since the mid 1990s. Why would you keep the same number of processing plants if these is less to process?
Do we really need mail delivery on Saturdays?
Are you claiming the mandate has nothing to do with it?
Course not now-a-days you peel and stick the stamp.
That just shows to go you how long it has been for me. I pay all my bills on line, my paycheck is direct deposited, I email and text message my friends.
The only thing I get via snail mail is stuff I don't want like all this week political campaign crap.
Bless you Joe - perhaps some day you can help out an unfortunate down on their luck individual and let them steal your identity.
Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
The easiest way to steal someone's identity is to go through their mails and/or their trash.
Paying my bills on line it safer than paying them through the mail.
I wonder what the per cap income is in zip codes losing offices?
the data could be gathered zip code closure by closure
but I have not seen a comprehensive table
income by zip code is also available,
Closing offices seems the wrong way to get the economy moving though
We may find the Royals unwilling to pay for more and more stuff the peasants want, as we relinquish more and more power over to Them, the need to keep us happy will be reduced and the little people will learn to live with less and less, of course we could try to alter the court, but soon it may not matter, Ted Tuner was on CNN last night, when a guy as rich as him says the rich are too damn rich, we should pay attention
This might be neither hear nor there - but - I wonder how many of the proposed to be closed Post office distribution centers would serve those high income neighborhoods.
that was my question too
Well then - hmmm. Somehow I can't see them getting ( allowing ) stinted on service.
The sooner we realize we all serve the Royals, the sooner we can decide if we want to keep doing that.
Already decided - Nope.
Only one King and He is not in residence - yet.
White collar criminals and their corrupt governmental supporters have gotten above themselves.
I thought money was His will on earth, are you saying that's not true?
(the "unseen" hand of the market, "we" all know Who that really is, right?)
Sorry for the late reply - crappy internet connection again today - DHS - Echelon?
Anyway other than the pointy tailed one?
There are plenty of greedy hands manipulating the market.
I suppose I wont be able to reply to any further reply for another hour at least if my internet issue continues. If I just read it seems there is no problem. It seems like when I make comments though I lose my connection.
Paranoia self destroya?
my system got so cluttered I had to do a clean install to fix some bugs a while back, it was a pain, but seems to have helped
Mine varies between 3 to 25. Though 3 is usually when I have only been able to log on long enough to make a reply from the last time I lost my connection - and if I then lose my connection again immediately after I make my delayed reply.
a delayed reply?
er,,, log on and take no action for an extended period of time?
I run a system check every time I have an internet problem - quite often I remove several tracking cookies. No evidence that they are not regular tracking cookies of data miners but it seems like I find an awful lot of them.
I hit in the teens, close to the same number every time
GeriTroll! Back to post more self-aggrandizing meanderings laced with pro-regime propaganda, are we?
A ddywedwch y gwirionedd wrthym ?
GeriTroll! Do you mean like aging forum trolls who spew attacks and insults left and right then hide behind the forum moderator's skirts when challenged?
You can try, Joe, but the unions would have us drive completely empty trucks to completely empty yet fully staffed post offices from here to eternity just to avoid change. And why? Because someone else gets the bill. Liberals call it progress.
Think any of the hippies in the picture give a damn about email?
Get your fat anti-government, libertarian head out of Grover Norquist's asshole, Joe.
Yes, I am anti-government on this one.
The post office is technically not a government entity however government fucked it up by forcing them to over pay into the pension fund.
In Sweden and Germany the government got out and the systems are thriving.
USPS is the major employer of military veterans. How bad would their lives suck without a proactive employer that also provides a necessary service?
Another opportunity, to kick our veterans in the nuts. All this while we pay private military contractors millions.
No Shit - WTF is up with THAT?!!!!!!!!
Things are so messed up. Blackwater (goes by a different name now) just got a $250,000,000 contract from our government to conduct their disgusting activities in Afghanistan. After their behavior in Iraq, it is unbelievable.
No doubt you can find their droppings all over South America and Africa looking after corporate interests as well.
While ago it was snail mail, now it's a mandate forcing them to over pay into the pension fund. You sure change your mind in a hurry.
I did not change anything. It is both. They are short on cash because of the mandate. Less services are needed because the demand has gone down. And by the way, we really do not need mail delivery on Saturday.
So you agree with the protest against the mandate?
Sure.
But I also believe that some service need to be trimmed.
I think ALEC needs to be trimmed.
At the ankles.
Out of existence.
To pre-existance. Kind of like slapping em so hard they travel back in time.
Hard to travel without ankles.
LOL - travel by the law of physics - any object in motion tends to stay in motion - momentum - equal and opposite reaction.
I knew a physics lesson was coming, it was in my horoscope today.
Ah - and the late night silent vote down begins.
You had 2 points - for quite awhile - then poof.
Some people (?) must have just spotted your nasty comment.
Damn the sock puppet users must be going crazy - they can't collapse a comment and they can't confront with any success so they are relegated to taking shots at comment scores out of spite.
What a bunch of losers!!!!!!!!!!
If I remember correctly - didn't MASH have 3 o'clock charlie?
Now we have late night sock puppet.
Damn - a Nostradamus moment.
Far F'n Out.
Anything for the rest of the year?
Like corporate valet?
10.00 Muffin and 12.00 brownie catered meetings - subsidies to fossil fuel?
Yep - Yep -Yep - can not argue with that.
Yes, I believe we should end all subsidies but you already know that.
Yes - I and many others do.
Though I would shift some of that money to green tech R&D and implementation.
It never ceases to amaze me that you " seem " to be a popular fellow. Even though you are a supporter of the status-quo.
Guess you are a successful Worm Tongue.
What's haps in mordor?
Huh.
I take it you do not agree with what I posted?
I take every thing you say under advisement. I also count my fingers after having come near a comment of yours. You are a pretty self satisfied arrogant asshole with no understanding or compassion for the victims of white collar crime.
You blame the victims.
You suck.
Closing a postal distribution center is white colalr crime?
WildBunions - Hey - and welcome.
Closing a distribution point in and of itself is not a bad thing - as long as the service does not drop off and as long as employment is not reduced.
I did not blame anyone. When did I blame someone. If I were to blame someone I blame the government for being involved because they fuck up everything they touch.
The USPS is technically not broke. It was the government that forced the USPS to over pay into the pension fund. Under the mandate, the USPS is required to make an annual $5.5 billion payment over ten years. These “prepayments” are largely responsible for the USPS’s financial losses over the past four years and the threat of shutdown that looms ahead.
USPS does an excellent job, for a fair price. Would hate to have to depend on Wall Street, to do anything right.
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use the post office as a government distribution hub
convert bomb factories to high speed rails
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Slander
I didn't see my name anywhere
LOL
Maybe they could turn that post office into a museum on how government and unions resist change. Maybe you'd like to bring back the horses too. LOL.
The old hippie in the picture is just upset because Fedex won't deliver pot. Everyone else in the photo probably just lives off the government and couldn't give a shit how senseless it is.
When we have an unemployment problem you don't fire people. If you hire people you increase consumer spending, you increase demand which WILL the greedy "job creators" to create jobs like they should be, you increase revenue, you cut the deficit, you cut the debt. Thats hoe it works! So Support OWS Vote out anti union politicians
You also don't have them do useless things. The inability of government and unions to cope with change, even stunningly obvious change like sharply declining volumes due to email, is just amazing. It's called progress. Sadly, unions and a pandering government don't want to hear about it. Maybe if we wrote them a letter. LOL.
Heh, here's a jobs idea: Let's hire even more people and have them pull the mail around in wagons? I better be careful, maybe the unions will want to run with it.
There are many good ideas to hire people. I prefer the govt encourage private hiring, however when there is an unemployment problem you don't fire people!!!!
It's the mentality of Greece. Resist all change, even the most unbelievably obvious change because some distant unknown nobody will pay for it.
If government and the unions can't cope with even email, and the evidence so far is that they can't, God help us.
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We must HIRE!!!! Not FIRE!!!!! We are hurting the whole country when we fire people. We are coming out of the worst economic collapse since 1929!!! Created by the 1% criminals and they're political cronies. support OWS. Vote out pro post office closure politicians!
Making idiot stands like why the Post Office should ignore email is just another credibility shredder for leftists.
i thought that was already posted
American Dad - Ollie North
You do realize USPS (the Post Office) delivers packages, right? They pick them up at your door for free, after you schedule a pickup at their website (online!), and with UPS it costs $10. And they deliver them much faster for the same price or less with 2-3 day priority mail. It usually takes UPS about a week, if they're not late. I ship things all the time and I prefer USPS for most items. And some of us still get paper checks (from employment) in the actual mail.
Yes, I'm aware that they deliver packages. I'm also aware that volumes continue to plummet because of email, that the Post Office's losses are continuing to escalate, that the unions fight even the most basic reforms, that politicians fight even the most basic reforms, and that even ending Saturday deliveries remains a hill too far.
Here's a plan. Let's keep running trucks up and down every street in the nation, 6 days a week, regardless of cost and without any adjustment or change, as long as "some of us" don't know about direct deposit. Sounds like a plan, well, as long as YOU aren't paying for it. In case you're wondering, stupidity like yours is why Greece is now bankrupt.
As paper mail volume has gone down, shipping of packages has gone up due to internet shopping.
Great, and the Post Office's losses continue to mount on declining mail volumes and all attempts at reform are being fought by pandering politicians and the union. Oops, you didn't "realize" that, did you?
Email, have you heard of it? Don't worry, the Post Office and its unions hasn't either. This is why Greece is bankrupt.
You're just a mishmash of talking points and anger.
the post office can send everyone the bills in the house of representatives
Your posts make no sense. Hitting the pot a little heavier than usual today?
I've used inane drivel as a springboard before
It's not the ZOMG UNIONS!!! It's healthcare costs, just like everywhere else. Congress mandated that the Post Office PRE-pay for retiree healthcare (which no one else has to do). And the Post Office operates at a net profit before that pre-funding.
Oh, and BTW, the Post Office is funded through stamps and other postal products (shipping labels), not taxpayers, at least not unless you're blind or in case of election:
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/consumerawareness/a/uspsabout.htm
"In 1982, U.S. postage stamps became "postal products," rather than a form of taxation. Since then, The bulk of the cost of operating the postal system has been paid for by customers through the sale of "postal products" and services rather than taxes."
"The USPS does get some taxpayer support. Around $96 million is budgeted annually by Congress for the "Postal Service Fund." These funds are used to compensate USPS for postage-free mailing for all legally blind persons and for mail-in election ballots sent from US citizens living overseas. A portion of the funds also pays USPS for providing address information to state and local child support enforcement agencies."
http://www.npr.org/2012/05/11/152480799/postal-service-still-searching-for-ways-to-stem-losses
"The Postal Service faces lots of private competition, from the Internet to private shipping services. But it's also limited in its ability to cut costs and compete with those services by law, even though it receives no taxpayer funding. It's now seeking approval from Congress to cut Saturday delivery, as well as some of its health-benefit costs."
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/five-things/the-u-s-postal-service/11433/
"Operationally speaking, the USPS nets profits every year. The financial problem it faces now comes from a 2006 Congressional mandate that requires the agency to “pre-pay” into a fund that covers health care costs for future retired employees. Under the mandate, the USPS is required to make an annual $5.5 billion payment over ten years, through 2016. These “prepayments” are largely responsible for the USPS’s financial losses over the past four years and the threat of shutdown that looms ahead – take the retirement fund out of the equation, and the postal service would have actually netted $1 billion in profits over this period."
"Until 1971, mail delivery was handled by the Post Office Department, a Cabinet department in the federal government. Postal worker strikes prompted President Nixon to pass the Postal Reorganization Act in 1971, transforming it into the semi-independent agency we now know as the United States Postal Service. The USPS in its current form runs like a business, relies on postage for revenue and, for the most part, has not used taxpayer money since 1982, when postage stamps became “products” instead of forms of taxation. Taxpayer money is only used in some cases to pay for mailing voter materials to disabled and overseas Americans.
USPS spokespersons have been adamant in emphasizing that they are not requesting taxpayer funds from the federal government to make this year’s payment. Rather, they say, the USPS is asking Congress to authorize access to an estimated $7 billion that they overpaid into the future retiree pension fund in previous years"
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/240925_Post-office-isn-t-taxpayer-funded.html
http://www.nalc.org/postal/perform/selfsufficient.html#subsidize
http://gardnernews.com/post-office-is-not-supported-by-taxpayer-funds/
Hello Glurp, Thank you for this post. It says so much, and gets the truth out. Best Regards
No, it's that email is progress and all we ask is that our government and the unions not completely pretend it isn't happening.
Get ready... it isn't just revenues, it's how revenues compare to COSTS. For the Post Office, costs are too high for the volume it now processes. Gheesch, is it really this hard? Email, falling volumes, losses, reform, change, adaptation... only the last three parts are missing.
Profit is revenue minus costs. USPS makes PROFIT without the mandate to PRE-fund the retiree healthcare.
It's like talking to a car horn with some of you rightwing radicals -- no matter what, it's the exact same response. Beep! Government is evil!
The damaging congressional action glurp mentioned is at the root of the current revenue/cost discrepancy.. THis congressional action is part of the political effort to destroy these american jobs. The reality that you are pretending to ignore. You don't kill american jobs for your own political gain. It is treasonous.! and we are in a recession so we should be tryin to hire more americans.
those congress bills could bulk up delivery load
"idiot"? Insults? I guess your arguments are too weak to keep this civil. The post office is only a target because there are politicians who are trying to hurt the recovery by firing postal workers. They are trying to do this because a good economy is bad for them politically, and because they don't mid hurting postal union workers who do not vote for them. It's just politics. And it is hurtful to american families and the american economy. Treason is a good word for it. It's not supply and demand. its not email. or fedex competition. It is politicians who are treasonous. Support OWS. Vote out anti union politicians!!
Email, change... is it really that hard? The unions probably would have us using horses again or parking the trucks and pulling the mail around the country in carts.
Pick something smarter to be in favor of. Ignoring email just makes you look like an idiot.
Your using the same tired example of ancient tech. We all agree that would be ridiculous. The point you are ignoring is that we hurt the economy and american families when we fire people during a recession! One party is pursuing this because they are engaging in treasonous behavior against the country for political ends. Support OWS. Vote out anti 99% politicians.
Support progress, vote out politicians that can't acknowledge even something as simple as email reducing the need for Post Offices and government workers criss-crossing the country is half-empty trucks.
support OWS. vote out anti postal worker politicians.
Right - On!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Oh your cynicism just screams of accuracy. What an intelligent assumption, I've truly never heard the "living off the government/hippy" angle, that's very original. I'm just quivering with anticipation for what other incredibly insightful nonsense you'll spew. Let me just add a bit of self reassurance... LOL (I'm hysterical).
Well, here's some. There's the thing called email that's collapsing volumes at the Post Office. Sadly, unions and government don't react well to change because they spend other people's money. So, the Post Office is burning through money and we're supposed to operate the Post Office as a fully staffed museum to mail delivery.
as long as those that read the mail walk the earth
You mean FedEx who's owned by the Koch Brothers who are trying to further monopolize because they don't profit from decimating this country enough? So amusing and sickening how all of you sheep will defend greed that will one day take away your job and house, and then you get to hear the regurgitation "get a job dirty hippie" of course all of those jobs are overseas with the tax breaks! Keep waving that made in China flag on command while chuggin down some brewski's this weekend thinking you're Patriotic and doing something to save your country besides watching American Idol and calling in for your fav! BTW do you say that BS to the homeless vets who have been sh*t upon too?
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People need to make the government help people. This is a start.
USPS does an excellent job, for a fair price. Would hate to have to depend on Wall Street, to do anything right.
the post office could send everyone government information
has everyone gotten their voting book in the mail ?
What might that be? Something to inspire the population to partake of the Democratic process that has made this country great - in the past?
Huh.
Never heard of such a thing.
Funny.
In layman's language - not legalese. Unless of course this legalese is taught as a second language - to promote understanding and education on the art of confusion. Public service programs could be instituted for the population at large.
BTW - communications of substance - not brochures that say much - but none of it useful.
the Mexican government isn't afraid to broadcast
Their life depends on staying in touch with their people. Crime is unbelievable there the organization so deep and twisted. The only thing saving any semblance of society there is their contact with the people.
The best way to save the Post Office is to use the Post Office.
Here is a short 4 min video that I filmed at this protest in Portland. The full video link is posted with this video in the discription. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alDJwPGIUp4 ((( i )))
We NEED to get after the right individuals, not the low level people. Action should be taken at the Bilderburg Conference coming up. These are the individuals that are at the criminals but never get any media attention. http://www.rt.com/news/bilderberg-power-us-obama-932/
Even the federal government has stated that they will stop mailing social security checks in favor of direct deposit.
Saving the United States Postal Service is a just cause, as proven by the troll presence here.
Austerity just digs a deeper hole in a very fast manner.
{:-])
Europe is figuring that out right now.
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Read the latest 10-Q or 10-K. Mail pieces are substantially down. Where is the mystery?
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OWS needs to talk about Article V to get more support. Article V is the only way to effect the changes needed.
Article V? Whats that?
Right Now ?
It's a way to let the corrupt greedy criminals steal the Constitution and destroy it.
An Amendment To Be - Song
Article V is your first constitutional right.
Article. V.
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.
Use it or lose them all.
Seems like a long shot.
I learned of preparatory amendment for article v by readin here last December. Because there is a proposal by some who really understand the constitution, or at least its roots in natural law, which is a limited set of amendments that only restore enough constituitonality for the nation to be "master of congress and the courts" like Lincoln said; we can be sure it will be safe, and be comprehensive. This forum thread explains them.
http://articlevconvention.org/showthread.php?33-Amendment-By-Layers-Of-Priority-Amendment-Package-Making-CONST.-Intent
Lets talk about that - after we get the population involved in their Democratic process.
To do such a thing now with all of the corporate puppets in office would be the biggest mistake of this country's life/history.
Preparatory amendment for Article V ends all threats of a runaway or hijacked convention. You need to address this solution to the problem you point at. The strategy that the Article V people have produced is flawless.
http://articlevconvention.org/showthread.php?33-Amendment-By-Layers-Of-Priority-Amendment-Package-Making-CONST.-Intent
It provides a limited set of amendments that restore vital constitutionality which in turn keeps the convention completely in the control of the citizens.
Your fear is seriously misplaced because article v actually protect itself, the constitution and the people with a few words.
"shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States,"
Those proposals at articlevconvention.or ASSURE constitutional intent and what you suggest is something to be afraid of is IMPOSSIBLE within the constitution. Article V forbids it.
What amendments would we include? What do you want to change ?
A California man, Christopher Brown has come up with some very fundamental changes which counter the abridging of free speech, love it! Then reform campaign finance and secure voting systems, THEN after informing themselves the people consider how to solve the other very serious problems with the federal government by amendment.
There was a federal criminal complaint against all of congress to AG Holder a few months back that was basically valid, so it's clear now that the people must stand in defense of the constitution or its gone. With congress in violation of the law of the land for 100 years, the article v we need must be the most democratic possible. Article v is the way to do it. Browns got good strategy but it requires people that are willing to realize simple natural law as social structures that work with our knowledge of each others instincts in order to create agreement. The dumbing down and conditioning of media only has people touching upon their lower instincts.
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All workers are under attack by the greedy few. We must recognize this basic fact and stand together in unity.
Yes, greedy people started using email. That was wrong of them. LOL
But, of course, you couldn't give a fuck because it's someone else's money you advocate burning, not your own. You're in the receiving class, not the paying class, I get it.
I take it your user name is a secret hope for yourself.
Email is just wrong. It's an obvious banker plot.
But you should know something. Generosity is about spending your money, not just volunteering someone else's. You're in the recipient class not the paying class, so no shit you don't care how much government taxes, spends, borrows, or wastes.
because I have no property ?
YEP - OH & BTW - I have paid in all of my life to the government - our society.
Yeah it really sucks to see government subsidize fossil fuel.
Yeah it really sucks that the government does not collect taxes from profitable energy business and holding companies.
It truly sucks the the government has not gone after white collar criminals that have bilked retirement programs.
It severely sucks that the government has not gone after the economic criminals.
Worse it bailed their asses out of a jam and let them pay multimillion dollar bonuses for failure and theft and fraud.
Truly sad and unconscionable is the support for fossil fuel drilling and fracking when we are experiencing a glut and are exporting.
What's your sad story on why you " support " the status-quo?
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Do they seriously think keeping small post offices will help an industry which is slowly collapsing simply due to different forms of communication that are now available?
Let's make a simple argument. These people probably did not find out about this through the mail system. They either got texts (which don't help the postal service at all) or email (the main reason WHY the postal service is collapsing). If they want to help the mail service, the first thing they can do is stop using those electronic forms of communication. Hell, I'd LIKE to use the postal system more often, it means more when you get a letter from someone thanking them than an email or (God forbid) a test. But when there are paperless options online for bill payment or conversation, the postal service will suffer.
the post office is required to have 30 year retirement packages
so retirement insurance is intentional being over calculated into post office cost
What does that have anything to do with what I said?
not sure, but applicable to the subject in general
technology has outmoded the use of a post office
though a major part of the population is not online
A major part? A LOT of Americans have internet access in one way or another.
look it up
I did. Like 75% of Americans have access to the internet.
thanks
I know my parents will never use the internet
Public library? 1/2 hour access? I mean it's better (?) than nothing but not by much.
one hour in san diego
one would have to prepare statements
Hell a lot of planning in advance each time to get some good use out of your time. I had to use the library internet for several months when I was homeless and it just sucked. But I was grateful that I had at least that little bit of access.
An approach for all modern countries to take - in support of workers the economy and a healthy world for all. The following are comments I have made elsewhere :
Wouldn't it be great if instead of throwing billions of dollars away every year sending out financial aid to countries aid that does not make it to the populations of those countries but to the ruling regimes.
How about instead - we take that wasted ( flushed down toilet ) money and buy goods and services right here at home and ship this to the needy countries around the world.
Money straight into our economy supporting business and jobs of all sizes. Shipping out the materials needed to make the impoverished lives around the world better.
Hell exporting green tech not only reduces the need of poisonous fossil fuel environment wrecking industry - it also supplies jobs in implementing that technology as well then running and maintaining that technology.
Jobs at home jobs overseas.
Clean power generation - no fossil fuel strife.
An investment in the future of the world. A real healthy and prosperous investment.
Signed - and I added my bit to the letter as well.
http://act.demandprogress.org/letter/ndaa_appeal?akid=1365.901399.9fbZyr&rd=1&t=2
To President Obama: You can put an end to indefinite detention. I urge you not to appeal the recent ruling by a federal court that makes it clear that indefinite detention violates the Constitution.
To My Senators: I urge you to stand with the Constitution and oppose indefinite detention during the debate on this year's NDAA.
Support the Constitution of the United States of America. Do not allow the interests of the greedy few destroy our society, our country, our world.
Set the justice department onto the real criminals - the white collar greedy criminals running rampant. Prosecute the economic criminals and put an end to the culture of white collar crime.
End strife in this country and then by extension the world.
Implement green technology and export it to the world. End strife over poisonous fossil fuel.
Green Tech.
This is where we should be going: Green Energy we have the technology we just need to use it. This is what I am talking about. A clean future to be implemented NOW!
http://www.hopewellproject.org/
http://ecat.com/
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2009/12/ff_new_nukes/all/1
FuelCell Energy http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=600
Export peace health and prosperity start here at home. Show the world that the USA is not hypocritical.
Good work DKA. NDAA--Signed. Time to end fossil fuel. Best Regards
Thank you. I can always rely on you to participate in common cause unity issues of benefit to all.
Trolls on this thread, are an indicator of how determined the corporations are too destroy the United States Postal Service, an "Act of Treason".
Yes - it really is.
To identify a troll - look at issues that benefit all of society - and see them standing in the way.
To identify a troll look at issues that benefit special interest groups - quite often to the detriment of society/humanity/world - and see them cheering on the issue for the special interest.
Well said.
Thanks unfortunately I have had a lot of experience in identification of trolls. Subterranean dwelling soulless life(?)forms. Allergic in the extreme to health and prosperity for ALL.
Agree.
The destruction of USPS is another way for corporations to steal from, and exert more control over the 99%. If they can steal, they will steal.
I wonder just how untouched their future retiree pension fund really is?
SS was raided for funds.
Hhmmmmmm.
Good Point
Thanks - but a scary thought.
You know that is where many businesses got in trouble?
Starting a retirement program for their employees then either not funding them or only partially funding them.
Yes, corporate pension funds have been subject to robbery by upper level management. Some of the money could end up in a private golf course, a big yacht, a private jet, and an off-shore bank account.
Damn it's 98 degrees on my balcony and the humidity is about 60%.
What's it like in your neck of the desert?
Not even June yet and this is like the 2nd time the temp has gotten this high this year.
Nasty.
About 69 degrees, humidity 18%, pressure 30.06, visibility 10 miles. Elevation here 4000'. For the last few weeks, temp often into 80s. Had good rain and a little snow on peaks, two days ago (rare occurrence this year). Spring here is typically a continuation of winter, but it has been unusually warm and painfully dry.
You Bastard your text sounds all too smug. {:-])
I'm gettin ready to ride out another violent storm that is blowing up.
Damn that's like 10 or more already this year.
And to think they got tax breaks on top of that. Sheesh - white collar crime rampant.
I believe they often times used those funds when doing a bankruptcy restructuring as well.
So much crime - serving so little time.
Utter nonsense. The post office is going the way of the typewriter, word processor, pony express and western union - obsolete in the digital age.
The only thing constant is change.
Yes, keeping a known failing part of the government open. We don't need to save the billions it loses every year.
What's killing the post office is electronic communication like this web site. People are using it in preference to mail because it's a lot cheaper and quicker. No amount of protesting will change the fact that mail volumes are dropping, and have been dropping for years, and as a result, the postal service just has too many people an too much infrastructure for its business volume.
If you really wanted to help the post office, you'd shut down this site, print up a bunch of fliers and mail them out first class.
You'de like to shut us down huh? in the end it is self destructive to fire people during an unemployment problem.!! Lets wait until the great recession is over.
You must have my post mistaken for another one. If you'll re-read it, I think you'll agree with me that nowhere did I suggest shutting down the postal service. And nowhere in the debate do I recall anyone else doing so either.
That said, the problem with all of these debates it that people want to ignore inconvenient facts. Conservatives ignore global warming. Liberals ignore the fact that Michael Moore is a very rich, money-obsessed fat-cat that is very high up in their hated 1%. And people, yourself included, are choosing to ignore the key facts in this situation.
I like the post office myself; and if it were up to me, I'd let them raise the price of a stamp by 25% or 50%. When you think about what that 45 cents buys you, it's a great deal; and I've always found the post office to be very efficient. But all that's beside the point. There are a few key facts you can't ignore:
The postal service has a mandate to run at least at a break-even point and preferably at a profit. You may think that's a good idea or a bad idea, but it's a fact.
As I already pointed out, mail volume is dropping dramatically and will continue to do so. The simple fact is that people don't mail as much as they used to, and 30% less mail means 30% less revenue -- even more so, since it's first class that's slowly dying, and that's the most profitable part. People are paying their bills online, looking at catalogues online, outfits like OWS put up websites rather than printing up newspapers and magazines and mailing them to people; and people like you and I are having this discussion online rather than writing each other letters. There's no evil cabal out to get the post office -- it's simple math.
If you want people to have jobs there has to be something productive for them to do. As mail volume falls, there is simply less work, and less revenue to support payroll and benefits.
Pre-funding of retirement funds exacerbates the problem some (although if you're nearing retirement, you should be glad of it -- the lessons of Fall River R.I. and a couple of other cities and what happened to their pension plans when they went bankrupt should be cautionary tales), but even eliminating that only delays the inevitable, and not for very long. The postal service has too many people and too many facilities to support on its current revenue stream and that revenue stream is going to get smaller, not larger in the future.
You could, if you had the votes in congress, to return the postal service to its status as a government agency. Right now it's not, and if it runs out of money, it goes bankrupt just like any other business, everybody loses their job and it defaults on it's pension obligations if they aren't fully funded. If you return it to agency status, then congress can appropriate money to cover losses and in the short term, the problem is solved.
But not in the long term. There are still too many people and too many facilities. If you expect the government to run efficiently and to make wise use of tax dollars you can't expect an agency to employ tens of thousands of people it doesn't need for some indefinite period of time in make-work jobs. And it's completely unrealistic to expect that this will happen in this case. The postal service isn't going back to agency status,and there isn't going to be some yearly multi-billion dollar appropriation to cover the shortfall. The federal government is under way too much fiscal pressure to do that.
So, the postal service is in the same situation as any other business that's on the ropes. It can't save every job -- its best hope is to save some of them. Railing at me does nothing to change any of these facts.
I've acknoweledged email, and competition (fedex, ups, dhl) as realities that reduce revenue from the post office. on-line Bill paying as well. however, I believe that the current problem is related to the unfair republican effort to destroy the democratic voting postal union by creating the unnecessary pension/healthcare requirements. So rather than keep these unfair requirements designed to hurt american working families (for republican political gain). I say remove the politically motivated pension requirements. and do NOT FIRE american workers during an unemployement crises.!!!
Yep - lets try to keep from adding to the grossly swollen unemployed population.