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Offline Chris_

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The President and the Postal Service
« on: August 12, 2009, 06:27:24 AM »
The President and the Postal Service



President Obama made what his advisers believe were his first public comments on the U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday, basically knocking its performance during his health-care-themed town hall in New Hampshire.

He said an audience member raised a "legitimate concern" about how a government-run health-care program might affect private insurers.

"My answer is that if the private insurance companies are providing a good bargain, and if the public option has to be self-sustaining -- meaning taxpayers aren't subsidizing it, but it has to run on charging premiums and providing good services and a good network of doctors, just like any other private insurer would do -- then I think private insurers should be able to compete. They do it all the time."

Then he invoked the Postal Service:

"I mean, if you think about it, UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? No, they are. It's the post office that's always having problems."

That comment provoked laughter from the audience.

Asked to clarify, the White House said Obama was pointing out that while core Postal Service services are different from those offered by UPS and FedEx, it has not undermined the competitive spirit of the private shipping industry.

MORE

That's not what he meant.  The USPS existed before UPS and FedEx.  People choose the private option because the USPS can't do it as well.  Kind of like choosing a private school for your children even though you still have to pay for publik edukation for everyone else.

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Offline TheSarge

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2009, 06:34:06 AM »
See what happens when the President turns off the teleprompter?
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Offline DixieBelle

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2009, 08:17:01 AM »
I think if you opened TOTUS, there would a Clinton inside of it. :-)
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Offline Chris_

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #3 on: August 12, 2009, 08:22:15 AM »
Next invition for a beer to the Postmaster General does the Zero ever think?  :hammer:
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Offline thundley4

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2009, 09:13:04 AM »
Quote
Heading Home
What a day in New Hampshire. Big Guy decides to ad lib one of his patented comparative examples to simply things for the simple country folk we were talking to today, and he goes off script to do it. Wow.

Of course, comparing Big O's health care plan to the post office makes sense ... if you're talking about the dead letter office. That'll teach him to go off script.
POSTED BY TOTUS AT 1:32 PM 27 COMMENTS
TOTUS Blpg
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Offline Wineslob

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #5 on: August 12, 2009, 09:21:22 AM »
Quote
President Obama made what his advisers believe were his first public comments on the U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday, basically knocking its performance during his health-care-themed town hall in New Hampshire.

He said an audience member raised a "legitimate concern" about how a government-run health-care program might affect private insurers.

"My answer is that if the private insurance companies are providing a good bargain, and if the public option has to be self-sustaining -- meaning taxpayers aren't subsidizing it, but it has to run on charging premiums and providing good services and a good network of doctors, just like any other private insurer would do -- then I think private insurers should be able to compete. They do it all the time."

Then he invoked the Postal Service:

"I mean, if you think about it, UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? No, they are. It's the post office that's always having problems."

That comment provoked laughter from the audience.

Asked to clarify, the White House said Obama was pointing out that while core Postal Service services are different from those offered by UPS and FedEx, it has not undermined the competitive spirit of the private shipping industry

Seems to be alot of if's and's and but's.

Tele-boy is a moran without his 'prompter.
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Offline lastparker

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #6 on: August 12, 2009, 10:26:45 AM »
OOoooo I heard this last night and immediately thought, "That comment will be disappeared as soon as his handlers can get to the media outlets."

The Post Office and the DMV are the examples I always use when I argue against government run healthcare.

I haven't heard it so far today......
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Offline TheSarge

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #7 on: August 12, 2009, 11:00:34 AM »
Quote from: lastparker on August 12, 2009, 10:26:45 AM
OOoooo I heard this last night and immediately thought, "That comment will be disappeared as soon as his handlers can get to the media outlets."

The Post Office and the DMV are the examples I always use when I argue against government run healthcare.

I haven't heard it so far today......

You won't until Rush and Hannity and Co. get ahold of it starting in about 5 minutes.

Then the MSM will be all over it...but only to attack Limbaugh yet again for his racist attacks against the POTUS
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Offline GoldieAZ

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #8 on: August 12, 2009, 12:23:03 PM »
He didn't mention the fact that they consider cutting mail delivery to 5 days, dropping Saturday delivery, due to the outrageous debt his administration has added.

So, what gets cut from government health care? hmmm

The "care"?
The "health"?

Better yet, just the government!
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Offline thundley4

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2009, 12:50:43 PM »
How much would it save the USPS if Franking privileges were ended and congress critters had to pay for their own mail propaganda?  Several million?What's with the bulk rates that are allowed for "bulk mailings".  Raising their rates would help .  It would cut down on junk mail, also which would be good for the environment. :)
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Offline rich_t

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2009, 04:23:00 PM »
Ya mean the Postal Service that in the process of cutting hours of workers, closing post offices and considering going to 5 day a week mail service cuz their losing money?

That postal service?
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Offline miskie

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2009, 04:42:16 PM »
The USPS and the federal government have a funny relationship which results in the USPS getting raped regardless of administration.

Here is the short version -

USPS falls short on profit, Government says 'Aww, thats too bad -- you'll have to raise price of stamps and/or change your business model ' Which can't be done without congressional approval, which takes ages to get.

USPS generates profit, Government says 'Thank you for your contribution.'

I believe that USPS should continue to serve tied to the federal government because of its fundamental importance, and it shouldn't be hamstrung by state regulations-- but it needs to be allowed to act independently so it can react like any other business when things change for the better or worse. And the government needs to stop taking the profits during good years.
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Offline thundley4

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2009, 05:16:01 PM »
Part of what I read is that they can NOT lay off any employees. The only job losses occur by attrition.
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Offline TheSarge

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #13 on: August 12, 2009, 05:16:56 PM »
I wonder if Obama and his staff realize that he made a pretty good argument for why the healthcare system should stay just the way it is?
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The libs/dems of today are the Quislings of former years.  The cowards who would vote a fraud into office in exchange for handouts from the devil.

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Offline Chris_

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #14 on: August 12, 2009, 05:23:29 PM »
Quote from: TxRadioguy on August 12, 2009, 05:16:56 PM
I wonder if Obama and his staff realize that he made a pretty good argument for why the healthcare system should stay just the way it is?
They'll trot someone out shortly to tell us what Teh Wun really meant to say.   :whatever:
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Offline miskie

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #15 on: August 12, 2009, 05:27:14 PM »
Quote from: thundley4 on August 12, 2009, 05:16:01 PM
Part of what I read is that they can NOT lay off any employees. The only job losses occur by attrition.

Yes and no - some employees are considered PTF (Part-Time Flexible) and 'Term' - the term employees are all at risk - their Term can be considered 'complete' and out the door they go. The PTFs can be cut down to nearly nothing. The Rural Carriers have relief carriers that work during the regular carrier's day off, or cover during vacations or sick time. They can be effectively cut to zero hours a week if the regular carriers routes get degraded to the point of not having a day off, or the five-day work week happens.- Making them vacation and sick leave only employees. Of course, the bulk of those carriers will then leave voluntarily.
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Offline thundley4

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #16 on: August 12, 2009, 05:32:55 PM »
Quote from: miskie on August 12, 2009, 05:27:14 PM
Yes and no - some employees are considered PTF (Part-Time Flexible) and 'Term' - the term employees are all at risk - their Term can be considered 'complete' and out the door they go. The PTFs can be cut down to nearly nothing. The Rural Carriers have relief carriers that work during the regular carrier's day off, or cover during vacations or sick time. They can be effectively cut to zero hours a week if the regular carriers routes get degraded to the point of not having a day off, or the five-day work week happens.- Making them vacation and sick leave only employees. Of course, the bulk of those carriers will then leave voluntarily.

Do they hire seasonal employees for Christmas that are non-union?
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Offline miskie

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #17 on: August 12, 2009, 05:40:20 PM »
Quote from: thundley4 on August 12, 2009, 05:32:55 PM
Do they hire seasonal employees for Christmas that are non-union?

Yes and no - The seasonal employees were term-completed after 89 days, preventing them from getting full union coverage. We would hire them at Christmas time to help cover the rush, and during the summer to help cover vacations. Or at least we did when there was money...
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Offline thundley4

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Re: The President and the Postal Service
« Reply #18 on: August 12, 2009, 05:47:04 PM »
Quote from: miskie on August 12, 2009, 05:40:20 PM
Yes and no - The seasonal employees were term-completed after 89 days, preventing them from getting full union coverage. We would hire them at Christmas time to help cover the rush, and during the summer to help cover vacations. Or at least we did when there was money...

Thanks.
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