Following my post earlier this week, reporting on the leasing of space at the National Association of Letter Carriers building, the union contacted me to inform that the leasing of the space is not the result of current financial problems at the USPS. They informed that the leasing started decades ago, apparently during an earlier crisis that is only a vague institutional memory at the Association---only the cash flow from the leasing continues with clarity.
The union further went on to inform me that the number of letter carriers is actually growing. This despite a decline in mail volume and the fact that the the Postal Service warns it may become insolvent next month. Future, layoffs will mostly impact mail clerks at branches.
According to the union, the USPS claims that, when considered as an ongoing business, postal revenues exceed expenses and that the only reason the Post Office faces a crisis is because Congress has mandated a retirement funding scheme that requires the Post Office to fund retirement so aggressively that funds are being put away into retirement for employees that haven't even been hired yet.
When I suggested that the problem, then, seemed to be with Congress, and that the Post Office should seek to compete in a free market, the union person I talked to did not think that was such a good idea and pulled out the Rick Perry card and told me that Perry had told him that a government run Post Office, like the military, is specifically called for in the Constitution (See Article 1, Section 8) and he was a strong supporter of the Post Office.
Who knew that even before declaring that he was running for the office of the President that Perry was already kissing up to unions and thumbing through the Constitution to promise them continuation of monopoly privilege?
My reading of the Constitution says that the Congress shall establish a Post Office, but nowhere does it state that this should be a monopoly privilege.
So the big questions remain, why are postal employees so afraid of a little competition and what the hell is Rick Perry doing kissing up to a union that is afraid of competition?
To clarify RW's comment: "....My reading of the Constitution says that the Congress shall establish a Post Office...."
ReplyDeleteArticle 1, Section 8 actually states: "The Congress shall have Power .... To establish Post Offices and Post Roads...." The "shall" is not a requirement here, just that Congress has the power to do so. Big difference. Hence, establishing "Post Offices and Post Roads" is optional. While it made sense in the early days of the Republic to use that power, it's no longer needed other than to buy votes.
Well, lets follow your logic. Since the post office should be privtized, lets privaitze the military as well and have mericinaries serve the nation. That's right the military should not experience a monopoly priviledge.
ReplyDelete@theyenguy
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, I am consistent. I am for private defense.
I'd like to point out the State Department's(and Hilary, its 'kentucky colonel') little army is mainly mercs. And the constitution allows for citizens militias' with the 2nd amendment.
ReplyDelete@theyenguy:
ReplyDeleteEvery person in the military is a mercenary. People do not "volunteer" for the military no more than they volunteer to be an accountant or a plumber. It is a job.
@theyenguy
ReplyDeleteHardly convincing criticism. You can easily point out the difference between the post office and military, and most people other than Rick Perry would. I don't agree that there are important differences but most people surely believe that.
Lysander Spooner belly laughs from the grave at the failure of the USPS....
ReplyDeleteI highly doubt that a private military would engage in frivolous wars, which cause massive damage to private property, for which a private defense would be liable.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention being cheaper and more accountable.
For the record, I support abolishing the post office and liquidating its assets.