US gubmint shutdown + default + subprime sequel?

[ICantSpellDawg]

That's not true. Price mail correctly for the desire and cost of service. 45 cents a stamp doesn't reflect a sensible cost. If people began to see that their mail was too costly to send when postage hit a dollar, 2 dollars, maybe they would use some sense and invest in electronic methods. Otherwise, if the mail really needed to go out, maybe the dollar would be worth it. Ups and fedex would appreciate the growth in function and volume

[gaelic cowboy]

That's not true. Price mail correctly for the desire and cost of service. 45 cents a stamp doesn't reflect a sensible cost. If people began to see that their mail was too costly to send when postage hit a dollar, 2 dollars, maybe they would use some sense and invest in electronic methods. Otherwise, if the mail really needed to go out, maybe the dollar would be worth it. Ups and fedex would appreciate the growth in function and volume

The reason mail is a 45 cent has nothing to do with sensible costs, it is a fundamental part of the governance of any country being able to communicate with official correspondence to any region under it's control.

UPS and Fed Ex would still end up being given federal money to keep the ability to send an letter from Alaska to DC.

[ICantSpellDawg]

Ok, how much would it cost to open up Fedex availability in certain parts of Alaska and Puerto Rico? I think we are at the point where that is a weak argument. In the mid 1900's that held plenty of water, now we spend this much money in order to make sure that the Federal government can ship confidential and secret correspondence to the middle of nowhere? The post office serves as a job provider - an unnecessary welfare donor. It pays people money for a service that is no longer necessary.

Why does Ireland still have a post office? You can travel to anywhere in Ireland in around 4 hours. I'm saying that sacred cows need to be slaughtered. There is waste in government because we fail to re-evaluate needs. We see "post office" and everybody knows that we need one, except that they don't know why we need one.

[gaelic cowboy]

Why does Ireland still have a post office? You can travel to anywhere in Ireland in around 4 hours. I'm saying that sacred cows need to be slaughtered. There is waste in government because we fail to re-evaluate needs. We see "post office" and everybody knows that we need one, except that they don't know why we need one.

Well part of the reason is we use the post office for different things over here, we have things like Post Office banking and Social Welfare payments renewal of Passports etc etc there is a myraid of things.

However those things are not the reason we have a Post Office it really does still come down to official communication between citizens, we would still have to suplement the private sources of mail and we would still require them to open offices all over the place in order to do business.

I am open to having a private mail service but it would have to still engage with the existing universal service obligations and it would have to have offices at pretty much all the same locations give or take a few more(considering the latest population increase here they prob need extra ones)

UPS an Fed Ex likely don't want to have to offer any of these services to be honest, there quite happy with the lucrative chunks they have already, then we have the problem that if any of them went bust it creates messy problems with the service while new vendors are sourced.








On an historical note the British system of government here was subverted through interception by IRA agents in the sorting offices in London and Dublin, they knew what the British were doing before the Governor General had even read it.

[ICantSpellDawg]

Well part of the reason is we use the post office for different things over here, we have things like Post Office banking and Social Welfare payments renewal of Passports etc etc there is a myraid of things.

However those things are not the reason we have a Post Office it really does still come down to official communication between citizens, we would still have to suplement the private sources of mail and we would still require them to open offices all over the place in order to do business.

I am open to having a private mail service but it would have to still engage with the existing universal service obligations and it would have to have offices at pretty much all the same locations give or take a few more(considering the latest population increase here they prob need extra ones)

UPS an Fed Ex likely don't want to have to offer any of these services to be honest, there quite happy with the lucrative chunks they have already, then we have the problem that if any of them went bust it creates messy problems with the service while new vendors are sourced.

On an historical note the British system of government here was subverted through interception by IRA agents in the sorting offices in London and Dublin, they knew what the British were doing before the Governor General had even read it.

In the United States, we have separate SS offices that rent out space in private buildings. I can't think of anything other than passports that private companies couldn't do better and more profitably. Before anyone says "not everything is about profit", save it for an argument about social security. What the hell IS about profit or efficiency or sustainable growth?

[rory_20_uk]

In the UK there was a massive outcry when large postoffices that contained little more than open space to line up waiting for the tills. Most of these have been replaced with small counters in shops. They do the same job in a lot less space.

Some have claimed the network must remain in place as some elderly can not use computers - rather than solutions to the problem, keep everything the way it is...

There are few things that have to be sent through the post. Most of the rest is either historically sent through the post or people think it would be nice to have sent in the post. The former category can be sent via email. The latter can be sent at what the item costs to send.

I can send a 30kg parcel anywhere in the UK. It will be picked up from my doorstep at a set point. I purchase it online and print the label myself. This service costs £5. Not bad, I think. I've sent 400g through Royal Mail having to go to a post office and the rest of the hassle for roughly the same cost.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

In the UK there was a massive outcry when large postoffices that contained little more than open space to line up waiting for the tills. Most of these have been replaced with small counters in shops. They do the same job in a lot less space.

Some have claimed the network must remain in place as some elderly can not use computers - rather than solutions to the problem, keep everything the way it is...

There are few things that have to be sent through the post. Most of the rest is either historically sent through the post or people think it would be nice to have sent in the post. The former category can be sent via email. The latter can be sent at what the item costs to send.

I can send a 30kg parcel anywhere in the UK. It will be picked up from my doorstep at a set point. I purchase it online and print the label myself. This service costs £5. Not bad, I think. I've sent 400g through Royal Mail having to go to a post office and the rest of the hassle for roughly the same cost.

That doesn't cover government post, does it?

[Centurion1]

usps handles passports as well and also other paperwork. like selective service

[Beskar]

Vince Cable made a few comments on this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14267091

[ICantSpellDawg]

double post