Author Topic: Straw Man says the post office is doing great. It goes on to lose $5 billion.  (Read 1482 times)

Fury

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Any other words of wisdom, Nostradamus?

Perhaps you can give us this week's lottery numbers? Any hot stock tips?











P.S. Short the shit out of any stock this guy recommends.

Soul Crusher

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Post office is like Most other govt run entities, stuck in an antiquated model that no longer works.

Straw Man

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Any other words of wisdom, Nostradamus?

Perhaps you can give us this week's lottery numbers? Any hot stock tips?











P.S. Short the shit out of any stock this guy recommends.

why do you feel the need to lie when you can find my quote and tell the truth

Straw Man

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Post office is like Most other govt run entities, stuck in an antiquated model that no longer works.

you haven't actually read any of the info in the various threads about the post office have you?

Soul Crusher

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you haven't actually read any of the info in the various threads about the post office have you?

Yes I have, the pension situation is unsustainable. 

Straw Man

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Yes I have, the pension situation is unsustainable. 

you mean the one that requires them to prepay 75 years in advance for employees that don't even exist ?


Soul Crusher

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you mean the one that requires them to prepay 75 years in advance for employees that don't even exist ?



yes, it's unsustainable and needs to be reformed.   They need to do away w the unions in the post office and change those laws.    Have a defined contribution plan, etc. 

Straw Man

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rather than retyping I'll just copy my old post

maybe you can read them this time and reply to the content

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/09/05/postal.default/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. Postal Service does not have the money to meet an obligation to a retiree health care trust fund coming due at the end of the month, but if there's a default, officials promise no interruption in the mail, the payroll or payments to suppliers.

Commenting in response to a New York Times article Monday suggesting that the Postal Service may have to shut down within months, spokeswoman Yvonne Yoerger said there's "nothing actually new in the Postal Service's position."

"We are required to make this $5.5 billion payment into the future retiree health benefits fund and probably won't be able to make it when it comes due September 30th."

The fund was mandated by a 2006 postal reform act that postal officials today believe does not match the reality of declining revenues and a smaller work force. Tuesday, congressional lawmakers will address the matter in a hearing on postal operations.


Yoerger said at that hearing, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe will insist that the fund be re-scaled from the days when there were 900,000 people on the payroll. The mandated funding level has not changed in the years since then, although the Postal Service has trimmed 250,000 jobs.She said "the fact is, no other government agency and few corporations in the private sector are required to fund retiree health benefits 75 years out."

The newspaper quoted U.S. Sen. Thomas Carper, D-Delaware, as saying the financial problems are so dire the Postal Service may close this year.

Yoerger agrees that her agency does not have a sustainable business model but stopped short of saying a shutdown is possible. One answer is to adjust those mandated payments.

"We want to have the pre-funding mandate eliminated and have the money already paid into it used for those purposes" of covering health care benefits for future retirees. She said, "We've overpaid into our retirement funds, and we'd like some of those overpayments refunded and used for future funding."

She acknowledged the basis for the advance payments were mandated in 2006 because lawmakers wanted assurances that the Postal Service could cover benefits for its future pensioners.

In addition to relief from the future retiree payment mandate, Yoerger said the proposed business plan of the Postal Service would include a combination of closing post offices, expanding joint ventures with private industry and changes in how often you get the mail.

"Right now we are required to deliver six days a week," she said, "if it can go to five days a week, as proposed, we could better match the declining volume of mail."



Here's an idea

let them raise the first class postage rate rather than having a below market rate as compared to any other country

Another idea, don't require them prepay into a defined benefit pension plan that they've already overpaid by into by an estimated 6.9 billion**.

Even better, get rid of the defined benefit pension and switch completely to defined contribution plan

Finally, get rid of the rule the the USPS has to be revenue neutral.   This makes no sense.  Why shouldn't they be allowed to make a profit so they will have a surplus when times are good.

There are lot's of things they can do to fix the problems

**
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-22/u-s-postal-service-will-suspend-contributions-into-employee-pension-fund.html

Soul Crusher

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I agree with you.    But why can't these things ever get done?   Same for municipal workers where I live.  the pensions these people get are NUTS!   It's not realistic or sustainable.