The Post Office Announces 3000 Jobs To Be Cut Then We Learn That Congress Approved A Raise & A Bonus for the Postmaster.
Posted by the912project on March 20, 2009 · 149 Comments
How does this differ from the AIG Bonus situation?
Read here: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/02/18/postmaster-general-gets-pay-bonus-agency-falters/
and here: http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/20/post.office.cuts/
Then … well you know what to do below!
I've had a few relatives who worked for the post office, and their benefits and retirement packages were quite nice. Granted, this was quite a few years ago, but from what I can tell they still get better and cheaper benefits than most of the private sector. As for overtime and pensions, how many private sector jobs even have pensions anymore? Wait, let me rephrase that. How many private sector jobs with employers not in danger of filing for bankruptcy have pensions?
Yes, some of them work hard. But if your honest with yourself, you'll admit the benefits are pretty good.
Here are just a few examples and imagine these multiplied 1000's of times over….
More than once I hade to go about 20 miles out of my way to deliver a 10 ounce manilla envelope with one ink cartridge to a post office…in a semi with a 48 ft trailer..delivery cost roughly $75…many many times i would deliver two or three cases of bottled water (frome office depot??? dohhh) to a post office..for delivery costs of $85 +….I once went 30 miles round trip to deliver one case of copier paper…other times it was toilet paper and if there was no loading dock we added a 35 to 55 dollar inside delivery fee.
Sorry to go on so long but this is where these peoples jobs are going…where the stamp increases are going…isn't the post offices one of the largest delivery sevices in the world? Can they not send someone down the street to buy toilet paper? Anyway that is my 42 cents worth Glen give me a call I'd love to tell you more.
Good Luck and God Bless America
I feel for the people that are about to lose their jobs. I too lost mine, I worked as a semi driver for an LTL carrier(less than truckload) and one of our accounts was the USPS in conjunction with Office Depot who are contracted by the USPS for everything from office supplies, bottled water, toilet paper and most of the other sundry products used in the post offices. The company I worked for delivered to a large majority of post offices in Illinois and adjoinining states. I'm asking you to think about what I'm about to tell you and stack it up against the costs incurred, the jobs lost and the absudity of it.
As I said before… either it's okay for all of them to get bonuses or it isn't okay for all of them. Of course, there are other issues such as individual contracts and whether or not a person's bonus is really a bonus or just the last part of his or her salary.
The dishonest politicians and those who just don't have a back bone are the spawn of greed. They adhere to their own desires and nothing else unless it comes back to them in favors or cash. It's appalling.
Internet. People pay their bills online and communicat online. That is alot of mail that is not moving through post offices, and a heck of alot of stamps.
My first thoughts on this were along the lines of folks being run out/bribed out of post office duty so new, infectious leeches can be put in place! The ones there are just too honest and Obabba just can't have that because it spoils his sinister plans.
I had previously heard they were going to cut back to a 5-day delivery week, so they wouldn't have to lay anybody off! But that must have been to weasel this in! Other businesses have done things similar to this-get rid of the honest ones in order to make room for the sinister ones…
I can't argue with someone who thinks he knows it all. UPS has wanted to deliver mail for the last 20 years because we knew we could do it better and cheaper. SO myou really believe what they tell you? No wonder the USPS is so bad. Not paying taxes, not paying fuel and road taxes isn't taking money from Congress?? You have no idea how and what UPS does or wants. 100% of the population would have better mail service with UPS.
Jersey girl knows exactly what she's talking about. Check my response to Rick 1951 about 17 hours ahead for more facts you don't know about the USPS.
As a retired Supervisor for UPS I can tell you that the USPS will never make a profit. They don't have to. Congress always gives them what they need to operate. Very few people know that the USPS uses revenue from first class ( .42 stamps) to subsidize there parcel post business. Parcel post is in direct competition with UPS. While UPS must raise there rates to compete. Also, USPS pays no federal taxes, tax on fuel and no road/ fuel tax for the use of interstates and roads. There expense per employee is way below what UPS is. They are partners with Fedex also. So lets make the playing field fair. Give UPS, Fedex, USPS and any other major carrier the rights to deliver first class mail. The USPS can be eliminated at a huge tax savings for the American people, plus your mail service will imporve 1000%. The postmaster general can then find an honest job.
Really Rick? Huge tax savings?!! The post office hasn't taken a tax dollar since 1971 when tricky dick nixon cut us loose from the federal teat. We have been self supporting ever since. Get your facts straight. We are also in bed with UPS. How long have you been retired? Here's another interesting fact. 70 percent of post offices LOSE money. What business could do that without carrying those offices? Half the population would be without mail service. UPS doesn't go anywhere they are going to lose money. That's why they are now doing drop shipments at the back door of EVERY post office.
I'm just sayin'
"At the same time, the Postal Service, an independent federal agency, is crumbling alongside the economy and as online communications increase competition. The Postal Service lost $2.8 billion last year when total mail volume recorded 202 billion pieces of mail, its largest single drop in history — down more than 9 billion pieces from a year earlier."
—-
The fact that the Postal Service is an independent federal agency and they lost $2.8 billion, it only comes to reason that short fall would come out of tax payer money…. No?
I don't know. And that fact that he is receiving a performance bonus, is that based on not losing $4.5 billion. I don't know, I am under the assumption that bonuses are based on profitable performance.
That would make sense to me.
What do you think?
Here's to Your LifetoSuccess,
John Clark
http://www.lifetosuccess.com
I know, I am one of those subordinates or "worker bees"
I hear ya Bro!
Reach out to the other WST groups in your area, move on to your county or parrish, move to state level, and so on. We can do this. Use the technology. We must have hundreds of tech-savvy people who can link us together. Data bases, Twitter, You Tube—-whatever it takes. You know, "grass roots" with teeth. AND, ( and I can't emphasize this enough), we MUST get the young people involved.
For heaven's sake, what are we waiting for 1 hour ago
Well, everyone, WE HAVE THE MECHANISM in place to start our own "ACORN" type group. WE HAVE "WE SURROUND THEM" FOLKS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY! We just need to link together, get organized, and get out there spreading the word—peacefully but with strength and respect. We can be in shopping malls and public places, ballgames, and neighborhoods. We have the right to peacefully assemble. If we need permits for these venues, or to go door to door, surely there are those among us who know the ordinances, and the correct and lawful way to do things. I cannot and will not believe that there is more brain power in ACORN than in the rest of us.
If we have two or three hours a week to blog, then we take those two or three hours to talk to our neighbors and community. Continued below………
IntenseDebate Notification <DIV>Dead wood should always be taken out. It makes doing the job easier, for those who want to work</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">
A desk top Pitney Bose machine may be good for "vanity stamps", but it's not practical for an ad campaign. The cost would be too high and the production numbers too low. That's why no one has gone the Pitney Bose route. For my idea to be practical, a corporation would have to contract with the Post Office.
Good idea! Maybe we SHOULD start printing our own money!
They have told us that they are eliminating 1400 management positions. What the may also do is lay off any career employee with less than 6 yrs of service. We are presently (at least in my corner of the country) an organization with just about enough “indians” and way to many “chiefs.” Presently, I travel to numerous post offices within 25 miles, sometimes working 5 in one week to make 30 hours. thanks for the reply
Dropping jobs but a bonus or pay increase for the Postmaster. Plus stamps are going up by 2 cents in May. Expect him to get a 500% raise, letters costing $1.00, and luxury trips to Aruba when the giant inflation bubble blows up all over us all…
No problem with the carrier jersy. It's the management that has to go. As long as it's tied to the government it will not get better for the people or the carrier.
Any further reasons why you don't want government running ANYTHING? Post office should be sold to FEDEX or something.
I can relate. I worked for the Post Office just after getting out of the service back in 1971. I relieved the guys (2 of them) that ran the machine that would sort and cancel letters (small post office) when they were on breaks. They both called in sick for 3 days so they could go fishing together. I was forced to run the machine alone with an untrained helper. I was barely trained myself. Upon their return they learned the production on that machine had gone up 30% with me running it. They complained to the union that I was trying to make them look bad and "force" them to work harder. I was taken off the machine and not allowed to run it again.
It was not complicated. I just watched for potential jamb ups and was proactive. Their style was to read newspapers and react to jamb ups. They did not want a change to their litle racket. I guess things have not changed much since then. And yes, my manager was also not allowed to disciplne or fire or even sound as if he was displeased with them.
I agree with you, Trooper_Thorn, I live in a small town, and the same folks have been working in the Post Office for years, and they do a great job. Unfortunately, it is the big cities that drag down the Post Office, too many employees! Let me clear up one thing though, I am not saying "ALL" postal employees are bad, ever wonder why we have that term, "going postal"? The good ones get frustrated with the system, it is too political, too many "quotas" and too many abusers of the system, that is what needs to be cleaned up.
Anybody but me see the movie "The Postman" if our post offices were run with that kind of passion, it would be different.
Maybe the Post office should look into saving some money by refusing to deliver junk mail that I have to pay the garbage disposal company to pick-up once a week. It would certainly be the "green" thing to do. Less gas for delivery and less crap in the landfill.
BINGO
I work for the Postal Service and work hard every day to deliver mail to the correct address–even if that is not the address on the envelope. People complain about junk mail but with the dramatic decrease in first class volume, the junk mail pays a lot of salaries. In our office of about 100 employees, we have 7 supervisors–about 4 too many. We are followed on the street often and watched closely as we case mail in the office. We are harassed and told to hurry. Some carriers don't care just like employees in other fields but I have found that most want an honest days pay for an honest days work. Also because we are entrusted with important private communications between consumers and their banks and credit card companies, we must undergo stringent background checks. Do the other companies like UPS and FedEx have to do that?
bjgold, the problem is not at the bottom but at the top. ie; After 3 written complaints to my post office i finally closed my actual mail box from delivery. We have, I think their called, CCU's. Every Saturday the neighborhood went around delivering everyone elses mail and collecting their own, lol. When I spoke with the post master he said the CCU's are to improve and reduce ID Theft. I said, "How the hell can you say that when every one else in town has my mail"? And I've got everyone elses?
Privatizing would be best I think.
I'm a postal worker who gives 100% all the time – so don't spread my wealth – spread my work ethic
I am a subscriber to The Washington Times National Weekly. In their issue mailed on February 27, 2009 they reported on the "investigation" congress will have concerning the postmaster's pay increases. One of Mr. Potter's quotes included the words "setting records for on-time delivery". I had to laugh when I read that – I received the newspaper on March 7, 2009. Apparently eight days is setting records.
Wow, light speed. Is it printed in India. LOL?
I know a guy who was a supervisor and retired from the postal service and the stories he can tell me are unbelievable. He is a white man who worked in Philly and he was forced not to reprimand any minorities or veterans. He couldnt fire anybody, regardless of what they did. How can a business run under those conditions?
I handle mail every day, and if you would see how some pieces are addressed AND delivered to the proper addressee, you might feel differently. Do you have any idea how many people think that their mail will magically follow them to their new address?????? Most of 'em who are under 40!!!! They don't even update their addresses when they file a tax return, then yell at us when we return it to the sender because THEY moved without leaving a forwarding address!
So true, Jerseygal! I recently moved and am amazed at how many pieces of mail I receive each week with previous tenants' names but MY current address. In speaking to neighbors who've lived in the area for a few years, I've found that all of these addressees are young (well under 40) and are either to lazy to fill out a change of address form or ignorant of the existence of the form.
Thanks for the reply. the under 40 crowd seems to think that the change of address form automatically changes their address (those that file one in the first place) They also move into a new residence, and think that the mail carrier will “know” that they are there!
I concur, if people don't stand up now, it could get really ugly in the long run, I have been screaming as loud as I could for a long time now, thank God for giving us Glenn Beck and this movement! Here is what I said, way back when it was still avoidable! http://opinionhead.com/2008/02/27/question-can-yo...
All government raises and bonuses should be stopped until we're out of this mess… AIG had many lines of business – some were well managed, properly run and profitable. The folks who ran those divisions earned and deserved their bonuses. The ones responsible for getting AIG into the state it is where WE have to bail them out – because of their greed – should have their pay taken back, not to mention no bonuses for them!
Then the PostMaster gets a huge salary increase and bonus for managing to run the postal system almost as well as the failed AIG execs? If you fail a business, whether private, public or government run, the people should be taked care of before the execs!
I'm sure there is plenty of waste in the Postal Service, however I work in a small town post office where we get by with as little as possible in terms of basic supplies and manhours, and watch as upper management micromanages our little world from some faraway district office. Sarbanes-Oxley is having the same effect on the Post Office as its having on the private sector. The Postal Act of 2006 states that we must be in compliance with Sarbanes-oxley(SOX) by 2010. My observation from the lowly clerk position is that the "transparency" now requires us to print an additional 5 reams (2500) sheets of paper, in the name of proving transparency and compliance, per week in this rural area (about 75 small to medium size postoffices). I received an e-mail stating what we must print out daily, then opened the next e-mail which declared that we have "Gone Green!" – conserving here, recycling there. The numbers geek in me immediately had to quantify the amount of paper we were "conserving" in the name of SOX.
How about if the numbers geek in you multiplies those 5 reams by all the small town post offices in the US by the cost of a sheet of paper! How many trees did we kill today? At least you know your employer is compliant, right? Not! HA!
WHY did they send you an EMAIL, LOL? Didn't they want to buy a stamp?
I think you are on to something, maybe that is the whole plot? That is how the liberals have taken over, they promise to pay you for failure! Umm, what is it called? Oh yeah, welfare, thats it!
In response to Kwilliams, Yes it may be sorta subcontracted however, the thread says that the Congress had just approved of a pay raise & a bonus for the Postmaster General. That means the US Congress has oversight over the postal service or the lack thereof and of course we are well aware that the employees of the US Postal service are federal employee union members. If you put lipstick on a pig it does not make it Paris Hilton, it is still just a pig. (hehe paris hilton, pig hehe.) I wonder if the congress is going to raise a stink and tax the Postmaster General's bonus at 90%?
All we need to know about the government and running anytype of business. They took over the Mustang Ranch legal brothel a few years back . They failed in running that. Now the only people getting screwed is US and it is costing us alot more then a visit to the Ranch.
Don't believe everything you get in an email.
http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/government/a/mus...
"Comments: Though the intent of this missive is humorous and it makes a worthy point — namely, mixing government and business can create more problems than it solves — it rests on a factual error. In reality, the federal government did not attempt to operate Mustang Ranch after it was seized in a bankruptcy proceeding in September 1990.
It's true that the feds had planned on keeping the business going until the brothel could be sold at auction (a scheme that became the butt of numerous jokes on late-night TV), but a U.S. judge refused to allow the bankruptcy trustee to assume the Ranch's business license. Instead, the IRS foreclosed on the property and auctioned it off a few months later. "
$850,000 in total compensation is not unreasonable for the (CEO) Postmaster General. The US Postal Service employes over 600,000 employees and has a budget of over $75,000,000,000.
The Postal Service biggest problems are the laws that it must follow which reduce its ability to make a profit.
Congress mandates that the Postal Service completely prefunded the retirement system. (completed)
Congress mandates that the Postal Service completely prefunded retiree's health benifits. (2.9 Billion a year)
Congress does not allow the Postal Service to close unprofitable Post Offices.
Congress involves itselt in any reduction or change with the Postal services plants and Bulk centers.
$850,000 in total compensation is not unreasonable for the (CEO) Postmaster General. The US Postal Service employes over 600,000 employees and has a budget of over $75,000,000,000.
The Postal Service biggest problems are the laws that it must follow which reduce its ability to make a profit.
Congress mandates that the Postal Service completely prefunded the retirement system. (completed)
Congress mandates that the Postal Service completely prefunded retiree's health benifits. (2.9 Billion a year)
Congress does not allow the Postal Service to close unprofitable Post Offices.
Congress involves itselt in any reduction or change with the Postal services plants and Bulk centers.
If we just keep having tea parties and commenting on this site and talking around our kitchen tables a leader will rise like cream from among us. We already have as a general consensus that we should elect conservatives in 2010. I think that also applies to local and county elections where the real difference is made. As long as this grass roots thing is working let it work.
Agreed, but what would it hurt? It can only help.
Do you think it was harmful or helpful for me to post the following on a Romney site:
POST:
I have not heard much reaction or discussion from any one to Glenn Beck’s 912 project. This is puzzling to me.
I think the people on this site could be a huge asset to 912 which needs all the momentum it can get to succeed. (Or please recommend a better effort to organize people.)
Timing might be a huge factor. Uniting now might help us clean congress in 2010…in time to reverse damage that is being done.
Is there something holding this group back?
(Glenn Beck’s endorsement of Palin? Glenn’s site competing with this site? ….?)
What are we feeling on this?
I’m just thinking that it might be more important to put the country ahead of some of the things holding us back… for the sake of the success of a movement that seems most likely to make a difference.
THE MODERATOR REPLIED:
Thanks for weighing in everyone.
As regards the 912 project, I haven't done anything with it only because of time constraints and because the news from this dysfunctional administration is flying in so fast, it's hard to keep up with everything!
SO:
BUG SUCCESSFULLY PLANTED IN EARS ON THIS SITE. I think this can only help… it would be huge if we all did it.
You're absolutely right. We need conservatives beginning at the local level – they can then endorse a conservative for county offices, and the county officials help send conservatives to the state legislature, and they lend their support for US congressmen and senators. This takes time, but we must do this as well as finding candidates for the US offices.
I can see one problem with the way we hold elections, we are given the opportunity to just select Republican, or Democrat in a straight party vote. Yes, I voted Republican last election, and if I had to go down the list and vote one by one, I would not even know who most of these people were, nor would I know their stance on the issues.
I propose that this website, in the effort to help the cause, should have a category, where only the elected officials may post, if we could actually get them to interact with us here, we could either weed out that bad ones, or find the ones that support us, Somehow, we need to know who the "good guys" and 'bad guys" (or gals) are, any ideas?
Then we just contact whatever large group we think might be good to unite with us and reason with them. Persuade them of the potential of rallying around these principles.
e.g. We need to comment on NRO blog. Email Tony Perkins. Call/email Medved, Savage, Hewitt, etc. etc.
There is strength in these amazing principles. Let's convince as many of these forums to rally as possible. If Rush sees the potential he may even rally as well.
actually the postal service really is not ran by the goverment any more. It is more sub contracted out
aye old marine that bill is really scarey. Educate our elementary school kids in camps. They will find out what the second amendment means if they try this with me. I will never send my children into socialized Liberal brainwash camps. Would send the wife and kids into exile and use my second amendment rights to fight back for the America we once knew.
Actually I think treason is well worth the time to prosecute each one of them. Especially for Barney. This whole mess was started by Barney Frank and how he walks a free man is totally beyond me. I could think of nothing that would please me more than see Mr Frank stand trial for the crimes he has perpetuated on the American people.
K From Kentucky
I pay all my bills by mail. So I'm helping the UPS to pay workers.
You clearly hate the free market. I presume you support the bailout, since you obviously support corrupt government agencies such as the postal service.
If the market wanted the postal agency to survive, the postal agency would be profitable independent of the government.
This test should be applied to all government expenditure. Clearly there was no free market demand for the invasion of Iraq if Iraq had not been invaded before the US invaded. Therefore we should not have invaded Iraq.
In the same way, we should eliminate police and other civil services. If the market wants to be protected from crime, the invisible hand will protect us. So much stupid government waste.
I'm not sure what you have in mind for free market security guards that could replace the military or the police, but I do agree about the Postal Service, I don't use it, and the only thing I get in the mail is junk anyway. As far as the bailout goes, that was a giant waste of money, read this Press Release, http://www.house.gov/list/hearing/tx10_mccaul/2_1...
Congress can't wake up….They are brain dead.
Naturally you didn't get squat. The military is always the last thing the government thinks of, till they need you. Yet congress can vote themselves 10-15% raises and military 3% on a good year. You sacafice all get to defend the Constitution while does nothing but shred the Constitution. Go figure. Hang it there Bro, all vets have been thru it.
Funny you mention the pay raises. Bush last year wanted to give us 2.9%, and Obama and the congress said no, we want 3.2%, so that is what we got. I think Obama may have won over some Military voters with this rhetoric, but now this year he says 2.0%, and congress says 2.9%. Funny how the shoe is on the other foot now. I hope all the Military members who voted for him feel dumb!
Well with the way the service is in my town they should just shut down the whole thing. Why should the PM get a bonus when it takes 9 days for a letter in my town to go 9 miles. He did not earn any bonus or raise if the company is recording a loss.
Having re-read the Constitution at Glenn's behest I must say that I think congresses 90% tax rate is unconstituional in two ways.
1. It would be ex post facto. The tax rate was much lower than that when the money was earned/the bonuses were legal.
2. It seem to be a Bill of Attainder which is also unconstitutional.
I do agree that the Tax on Bonuses should be the same for all. "What is sauce for the goose, is sauce for the gander!"
Let's put this into a little perspective here.
The government feigns indignation at AIG for daring to give out bonuses to employees who are under contract because AIG received taxpayer dollars to the company, who was very much in debt, to keep it from failing due to mismanagement, bad investments etc….
BUT if you recall this same government stomping about all puffed up with righteous indignation is in the same boat as AIG. They are going under too. They have made bad loans, deals, investments also. And yet they see no problem with giving themselves a raise from taxpayers dollars. They continue to put money into useless projects and programs with the taxpayers money but that's supposed to be okay. To me, the spending of billions of dollars on pork projects during a time when our nation is in such a dire state is far worse than AIG handing out bonuses. Tthe GOVERNMENT WORKS FOR ME not AIG. What the government has done is inexcusable and they dare point their dirty little fingers at anyone else??
Washington knows full well the American people are angry. And believe you me…they know why too. That's why they are scrambling to blame this person or that one. To make it look like they are doing something when in fact all they're doing is trying to cover their own butts. Don't for one second think they don't have someone reading our posts day and night and reporting back whats being said.
Washington is screaming it wants our ( government translation- THEIR) money back. Well you know what…me too. I want the money set aside for healthcare back. We can deal with that issue once the country is stable again. I want the money given out to all pork projects back. If your own state won't fund that foolishness, don't expect me to. I want the raises they got revoked. When they start doing the work we elected them to do then we can talk raise. Not until then.
….get out of my wallet Washington or I swear I will fire you come election day……
How about the 800 pound gorilla in the room…..all these bailouts & new programs, BUT not one dime for Social Security. What could $50-100 billion do for SS. Oh wait a minute, that went into the general fund in '68 under LBJ for his Great Society. They sent Madoff to jail for a ponzie scheme, damn isn't that what the current SS system is? No pert walk for congress.
Every person in here who love and want to protect our freedoms should put on the hat of "Paul Revere" and sound the words to your neighbors and friends and relatives and tell them the progressives.socialist are here, they are here and its time we all who are American's first and are not hypenated, but AMERICAN'S work a grassroots movement to throw all incumbents out in 2010. We the people, need to agree to put aside our own self interest, our own independent philosophies and take back our government and show all who we send to represent us in government that they work for us. Ask yourself would you be worried about losing your job? Millions are losing their jobs and homes, it is time we put for an effort, a grass roots effort so that people in Congress lose their jobs as well. Talk is cheap and when war was happening many of us took up the call and joined, you civilians too must take up the call and start a grass roots along with us to VOTE ALL INCUMBENTS OUT! in 2010.
With all the benefits that get paid to postal workers, it's really no wonder they headed downward. Slow or unreliable service, price increases without any increase in value, pension plans and lifetime benefits, and their hiring practices don't seem to bring out the cream of the crop… if this were a private company they would have been bankrupt years ago.
This is a big myth! Most of us postal workers are not getting crap for benefits. Most postal employees are non career. With the exception of the few old timers left that fall under civil service most of us are getting screwed. I work 6 days a week this is a permanent route that belongs to me. However I do not have enough houses to be career. I would be but as they are doing to many routes they get contracted out to non postal employees so part of the route I don't get to service nor will I ever. We are non subsidised by the govt so we are much different in that respect we have to earn our own money and we do that with stamps. I do not agree the PMG should have gotten that pay raise at all, just remember though most of us are not enjoying the fruits of our labor.
I don’t understand why the post office does not deliver home mail every other day and business mail daily. It would seem like they could reduce the actual delivery staff by a constant 30%. I personally don’t care that my bills come one day later. If an individual needs daily delivery let them rent a PO Box.
As far as any mismanagement, too may/few benefits, and the fact that it took me over an hour to mail a certified letter last week, I really don’t care. It is a monopoly that like so many good companies has good people that are poorly motivated to try to excel in their positions.
You would be better off as a private company. The hacks at he top are still Government appointees.
What benefits are you talking about? My husband pays into his insurance, he does not get bonuses. They do not count any overtime toward his pension which isn't as good as those of a state or federal government worker.
They are not given the same benefits as other "federal" employees.
The US Postal Service does not receive a taxpayer subsidy for its operations.
Yes every since they broke the post office off into a seperate entity they postal workers have gotten the shaft like the rest of the nation. Wrong group to make an example out of
Let's just hope they don't go postal like Obama's going on our country.
Dude You might want to do a little more research,some civil service management level employees get yearly bonuses off of the backs of their hard working subordinates and then the worker bees don't get anything.
It seems to me that the real problem with the Post Office is that it's not generating enough revenue. Here's an idea: Sell ad. space on a postage stamp. Think about it…how much would a corporation pay each year for the privelage of putting their company logo on a stamp which would be seen by millions of people all over the world? If this were done the folks at the Post Office would be happy (money would be coming in), the Corps. would be happy (they would be getting advertising & budget for this anyway), and We the People would be happy(because for once raising money doesn't involve raising taxes).
If there is anyone out there who can actually get this idea implemented…feel free. I'm more interested in the result than the credit.
All a business needs is one of those Pitney Bose machines that prints the postage on the envelope, that already includes their ad. I agree, privatizing the post office may help, they could sell ads on the side of the little trucks running around the neighborhood, but I still think the best thing that could be done is to fire the current postal staff! Why? I had a buddy that was in management there, and the big city post offices have to have like 2 or 3 people for each position, because, there are so many that do not show up for work! I think that something like 10% of the revenue goes to pay the "disabled" staff, you know, the ones I am talking about, they get a government job, then get hurt in a month or two, things like stress and such, look into it, it is a real problem!
I just re-enlisted in the military and didn't get squat!!!!!!!!
We need to ask Rush et al. to put all reservations aside and either do more in talking about 9.12 OR recommend a better idea to unite people. I just sent this to Rush:
Dear Rush:
I have not heard much reaction or discussion from you to Glenn Beck’s 9.12 project.
Unless there is something better, don't you think we need to unite?
9.12 needs all the momentum it can get to succeed.
Timing might be a huge factor. Uniting now might help us clean congress in 2010…in time to reverse damage that is being done.
I’m just thinking that it might be more important to put the country before any reservations on this, unless there is a better effort to tell us about.
It would be so great to see you talk this up a bit, if it is worthy of support.
Thanks!
(we need to send similar emails to FRC, Romney, Sarah, etc. sites, plus any conservative blog that is not talking it up)
I agree with Rush a lot of the time, and agree with you that he's a very important figure and we could use his influence to push some sort of project or unity. The problem with your logic is that Rush has a strict priority system and he will tell you so. It's fairly simple: money, then everything else. The dirty little secret is that Rush LOVES when the republicans are out of power and congress is in chaos because his profits skyrocket. People are unhappy, and they look to him to beat the snot out of the other party. He's not interested in forwarding the 9-12 project because there is truly nothing in it for him.
Now don't get me wrong, I've got no problem with Rush making money, or Glenn or anyone else for that matter. But I don't think Rush is even in the same league ethically or morally, as Glenn is. He's a brilliant conservative mind, and a grand entertainer. But as long as he's making "Obscene Profits" he doesn't pay attention to these types of causes.
The other thing you face here is that Rush views all the other people who do the same thing as him as inferior, and therefore he doesn't pay attention to what they do, and I honestly don't think he cares.
I admire your effort, but I don't think he'll take you up on it.
Then we just contact whatever large group we think might be good to unite with us and reason with them. Persuade them of the potential of rallying around these principles.
e.g. We need to comment on NRO blog. Email Tony Perkins. Call/email Hannity, Ingraham, Medved, Savage, Hewitt, etc. etc. Challenge them to examine their statesmanship.
There is strength in these amazing principles. Let's convince as many of these forums to rally as possible. If Rush sees the potential he may even rally as well.
The true question is not only for Rush and the rest but for Glenn Beck to. What are you willing to do to lead this movement to where it needs to go. What are you willing to give up. It is great that you have started this sir and I dont mean dishoner the cause. But, is it just a money maker for a t.v. host or are you really the person to help lead us into the abyss we now face. I for one believe the latter.
As most of you know the US Postal service was at one time the only branch of our government that was profitable. However after years of mismanagement and greed by the upper escellon of the service, it is now just another failed and corrupt government run beaurocracy. No new news here! It is a shame because the local guys and gals here in the little town I live do a damn good job.
I know the situation is not good. The problem lies in the contract. Who signed a contract with ANY employee with guaranteed bonuses to begin with? I thought bonuses were a gift for performance above expectations. I fail to see how anyone running a business that loses money should EVER qualify for a bonus. I would think the minimum expectations for any such job would be to break even or make money.
Dear Patriots & Citizens of the State Of Georgia:
Here is a list of your representatives who voted to abuse the tax system against a small few of your fellow Americans. Clearly, they do not understand the Constitution.
We must choose not to reward failure by doing all we can to ensure these individuals are NOT re-elected.
John Barrow, Sanford Bishop, Hank Johnson, John Lewis, Jim Marshall, David Scott
VOTE THEM OUT!!!
<DIV>Thanks for the information
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Well I suppose the Postmaster's bonus should be taxed at 90 percent. Though I don't believe in doing that to anyone, but how can congress not do it when they are doing it to AIG bonuses? I say stop everything, stop now! Put our Military on high alert against a foreign invasion and let the system reset. And, fire everyone in Congress and strip our Constitution's amendments down to the Bill of Rights. Teach about the Founding Fathers and the Constitution starting with 2nd grade and about why we had to strip the Constitution to the Bill of Rights. I think we most agree slavery is bad and women are equal. Most people agreed in 1861 which is why we had a civil war. So lets move on!
Actually the Civil War was fought over states rights, the federal government telling the states what they could do according to congress…..Gee didn't they just do that with the Porkulus bill, where the Governor can refuse money, but the federal government says the Leg. can over ride that discision. Is that Constitutional? Not the way I read it.
The Congressmen had to hurry and push the bill threw. Sound business? Vote every encumbent out, the next round will read before they vote.
It's government in that Congress oversees it. But the funding is from the stamp-buying public and has been since the Post Office Department became the Postal Service back in 1970.
WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU EXPECT FROM THE HYPOCRITES IN CONGRESS. THEY ALL NEED TO BE TRIED FOR CRIMES AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF THE U.S.
BUT, I CAN'T IMAGINE THE TIME AND ATTORNEYS THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SPECIAL TREATMENT AND KICKBACKS AND SPECIAL FAVORS THAT EACH HAVE RECEIVED IN THEIR 'CAREERS'' IN WASHINGTON.
JUST SEND THEM HOME AND VOTE FOR NEW FRESH FACES AND TERM LIMITS. AND, DARE I SAY COMPLETE TRANSPARENCY????
S IN KY
Its no different here in KY, just more money and more webs to trace.We are the peers and Government is the Ariscates(sp.). We are here to serve them, but they forgot what happened 1776, it just might happen again
Good sir, despite what you may have learned on such havens of culture as 4chan and Ebaum's World, Caps Lock is not cruise control for cool.
This is the opposite move the Postal Service needs to be making………this is what I suggest:
Open the post office and make deliveries 7 days a week. Hire more returning Vets with no jobs; sell T-shirts and other Postal Service Support items; reduce the cost of all mail except that coming from overseas.
I demand a 90% + tax on him. In fact, I demand a 90% tax on all government bureaucrats that don't make a surplus. That should cover about 99.999999% of them!
Everyone, even liberals, will agree that Social Security is a Ponizi scheme that starts to collapse around 2016. I've got good news for you. There is a good chance that this may never happen!
Looks as if the "other" and bigger Ponzi's that congress are runing will collapse first!
I think it's funny that he believes that no taxpayer money is involved in his paycheck or bonus. So where does he think that money comes from, especially if the post office is losing money.
I read this article with my jaw agape. I cannot believe what I read. I had no clue they bought houses as part of relocation package like this article states. Loosing 50+ thousand dollars on average for each relocation is acceptable?!?! This doesn't make common-sense business sense to me. So, if this is common to businesses, no wonder so many are going under.
Stop the nonsense. The postal employees never expected bonuses. This is not part of their hiring process. Why should the Postmaster be different?
That's true I've rarely heard of govt. workers getting a bonus. The only exception that I can think of is a military enlistment/re-enlistment bonus. Even congress doesn't get bonuses, but they do get to vote for their own pay raises.
govt. workers just give it another name, that they change every few years, the last one I got was called a preformance award!!
dw04 I'm sorry to hear that. The military, at least they used to, gave out "sign on" & "re-enlistment" bonuses for MOS's that were deemed "critical". I know this for a fact because I recieved one of these "sign on" bonuses (this was in the mid "80's"…so maybe it's not done anymore).
And did you hear about the $1.2 million dollar house in SC the Post Office bought from an employee so he could relocate? http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/05/postal.service.r...
I am not against anyone getting a bonus, but it should be based on performance of the individual AND the company for which they work for. Obviously we could not plan for that in AIG executives contracts, because the bail out is UNPRECEDENTED. But a government agency- the Post Office. WAKE UP CONGRESS
This does not differ from AIG bonuses at all….There is an contractual obligation and he should be paid…..
What I found disturbing is offering 150,000 of the 646,000 employees early retirement packages….and there are currently 162,000 who are eligible now….Wouldn’t most privately held companies lay-off employees instead of offering incentive to retire with packages…In addition the Postal service is looking to go to a five day work week…They spend more than they make!
Government run kind of says it all doesn’t it!….
They can offer early retirement since it benefits the USPS. Early retirees take a 2% a year penalty in their annuity for every year they're "early". They've been offering this to selected groups in the USPS for a year or so without a lot of takers.
"Congress authorized higher salaries for top Postal Service executives in late 2006 in an effort to attract and retain the best talent."
That was then . . . before the world turned upside down. Even though the USPS was not capitalist run, it gave lip service to the success of the American system. Anyway, this story (like AIG) is a red herring. The real story is Obama's debt-driven agenda (also covered over by Leno and The Special Olympics).
Go to school for politican science? The schools will try to stuff your head with this liberal crap. You know what the US Constitution stands for there is no need for political science. Books are still readily (for now) available. Lincoln was self taught. We all know less government is the answer.
I want you all to think of the responses that democratic pundits use on tv or radio alot.. This is their favorite line, "Well thats different." Listen for it. I am sure they would say that when applying it to the postmaster's pay or especially in referring to their pay check. They do not mean what they say, or say what they mean.
What a disgrace!! Rather than cutting JOBS, cut the "BIG WIGS" salary, but hey if what the "house" passed to tax at 90% he'd be in that bracket, although their current "Unconstitutional Stunt doesn't make it possible for them to be so specific.) Why not deliver mail on Saturdays and Wednesdays AND CUTOUT the WASTE at all levels!! Is there really a savings with all the servance pay?
Thumbs up, for a Fair Tax nation.
We have to have the post office to stuff credit card offers in your mail box. I get the duty of taking it in the house and running it threw the shredder. I can't live without that!!!!
Just don't forget to recycle all that trash for the good of the ENVIRONMENT….only kidding. See, Beck is rubbing off on me..
I have been unemployed now for a little over a month and a half. Forced to live on unemployment because literally nobody is hiring. Things like this disgust me. I am not surprised though. The U.S. post office is a government service though and I can't say that I would expect them to be any different from any other part of our government. I recently decided to go back to school and finish my education. I'm thinking about going into political science. I can only hope that my true belief in the Constitution and the principles and values will be enough to keep me from acting as irrationally as our government does now. Something tells me that an honest person wouldn't have too much trouble working for the people of this great nation.
I encourage you to do that. Beware however you will get some nasty looks when you speak principles and values.
True, a liberal agenda is forced through the texts and lectures but you must know the enemy in order to defeat the enemy (liberalism, socialism, umm….communism). Stick to the principles and values and you will form very credible arguments. Remember "You are not alone".
Are you all sending a "tea bag tab" ? Buy a box of tea bags and lick those envolopes and use all those outdated stamps for current rate, Hey, maybe we can save some postal workers job.
It is your fault, by saving money on postage, paying your bills online, not enough people are buying stamps! Me too, I pay about 15 online, but, I have 2 bills that I must use a stamp for, guess what, both are Government, and both are taxes! Could this just be a coincidence?
I blame this on the Greenies for scaring us into going paperless. The tree huggers have destroyed the post office in the name of global warming.
I'm sorry I couldn't resist.
It's partly true though. Instead of getting a huge envelope with my cell phone bill listing all the calls, I get it online. Instead of getting my insurance documents mailed every renewal, I get them online. Instead of mailing payments I make them online.
Welcome to a free market capital system. If you can't change with the times and offer a service people want at a price they are willing to pay this is what happens. The people running that business should not be rewarded for a poor performance and not being able to adapt to a changing marketplace.
Not that the Postmaster is considered a CEO but if he was his pay would be far less than any of his competitors. The Post Office employees more than 800,000 people, I would call that a large corporation. I wonder what the CEO of UPS or Fedex makes and why we are not yelling about that.
And we wonder why Postal employees go 'Postal" and lose control.
As a substitute mail carrier on a highway contracted route, I find this as just evil. I use my own vehicle, pay for my fuel and upkeep of that vehicle out of my own pocket. I do not get paid holidays, medical, retirement benefits, or anything else.
If I don't work, I don't get paid!
What? the postmaster is getting another raise, guess it's time to jack those stamp prices again. Isn't it getting about time for us to throw the bums out? I mean all of them and replace them randomly selected folks from across the land.
The country's worst run company (the government) strikes again! Out with the old and in with the new. Vote out incumbents on both sides!
Can someone give me the addresses for sending my resume to the Postal Service and AIG? I can run a business to the ground as well as anyone and promise to do so for half the salary and one third the bonuses of those in charge now. What a savings I will be to the American public! No need to thank me, just want to do my civic duty.
On the reality side, I just finished getting new insurance for my wife and I from a different company. Canceled what we had with AIG today. Hope others are making statements with their check books as we do.
What I think is happening here is another example of Washington trying to save itself from progress. They pat themselves on the back for being "progressive" but….haven't they noticed over the past 10 years or so, fewer people are even using the post office? We email, we blog, we pay bills online, we get paperless statements from the bank and utilities, we use FedEx and UPS because they're faster and the service is better. Didn't they notice? Couldn't there have been some preparation? It's not like there's really any excuse for going, "crap! when did people start using the Internet for this stuff?!" Ya know?
I'm curious, and I'd like to know if anyone can answer this. The Post Office spokesperson said that none of the Postmaster General's pay comes from tax dollars. Where does the Post Office come up with $850,000 in one year to pay one guy? I mean, those commemorative stamps aren't selling THAT well, are they? How can it NOT be, at least in part, taxpayer money? I mean, this is a government institution, is it not?
Some of us still use the mail for paying bills, sending packages, even writing letters. Ever try to send a care package to the troops by email? I can't get into the wires! (Just being a wise *** with the last comment). The Postal Service, Amtrak & of course my personnal favorites Freddie and Fanny are semi private Corps. run by the Government, the same government that wants to run your health care. I would rather put a 10 year old behind the wheel of a car.
You said a mouthful!!! During the elections, when my coworkers would comment on some stupid new directive from higher up the chain, I would quietly say "Yeah,we should let the government run a few more things – like healthcare."
Thank you for sending things to our troops. I have many postal customers who send packages to our troops, and I always give them a specific thank you for their support of our military. I think we are still allowed to do that. I got scolded for saying "Merry Christmas" a few years ago. I countered by suggesting that a paid holiday for "Christmas Day" should be discontinued in the name of political correctness.
Well sad! So let's have the government do everything for us, right? Hows MediCare, social security, veterans benefits and anything else they touch doing, LOL?
I think you have to be a liberal to get paid more for failing, sorry.
<sarcasm>
No, it's OK for the postmaster to get a bonus. Government agencies can do no wrong.
</sarcasm>
Principle 5: . If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
I think this applies to outrage as well as standards. That being said, didn't Congress just vote to give themselves each an extra $93,000/year in discretionary spending on top of pay raises?
I used to wonder why it was that there were so many disgruntled employees at the Post Office…………… This explains it perfectly.
Why am I not surprised?!?
There is no difference between the post office and AIG. I do question the promises the President made regarding the stimulus package he just HAD to get passed that he said would create/save millions of jobs. Did that not include the post office? Or did the stimulus package not cover the post office?
This Government and This leader is only interested in the well being of Public employees, to heck with small business owners and people who work in the private sector. All that we are good for is to pay higher taxes to pay for the Pensions and bonuses of public employees.
the hippocrats strike again!!!
I LOVE it!!!
This is just disgraceful. I pay most of my bills online, as I am sure a lot of others do too, for this very reason. The price of a stamp is already outrageous and they are raising it even more. I guess to pay for the postmaster's hefty salary and bonuses.
Gee, I am so glad that he is getting a great big fat check when some of his own employees are being laid off. We need to fire Congress and the postmaster too, or better yet the postmaster and congress can work for a dollar. Why would he not take a pay cut so his employees could keep their job. This is just greed at its finest! DISGUSTING!
When a Business or agency is making cutbacks, and people are losing there jobs in great numbers it is obscene that anyone in the hierarchy of that business gets bonused. Talk about Washington Double Standards. Yikes!
Perhaps the Bonuses at AIG would not have made headlines if they had the right Washington connections.
You know, AIG obviously has plenty of "good" Washington connections. I think the real reason that AIG got raked over the coals is because they embarassed the Obama administration, plain and simple. We already know that the gov't knew about these bonuses, beacause they put language in the bailout that protected them (the bonuses). So, what I think happened here is that the public got a glimpse into the real back-room dealings of the bail-out and Obama's numbers are slipping, this was an embarassment to him and his staff (not that it happened – just that they got caught) so AIG gets worked over. My thoughts (some of them….they are many
Just another "chase your tail" stunt by the Goverment! How in the hell can they justify laying off workers and give the Postmaster more money? This is so asinine!! When is this tail chasing stupid B/S going to stop? They make no sense in anything they do!
These workers will now be out there like so many others looking for work and possibly depending on Gov. assistance to get by. The Postmaster should NOT get a raise or bonus and that money should be used to retain the employees!!
It's going to stop sooner than any of us really want it to. The Fed is buying long term bonds. I bet it's because China won't anymore. We've almost reached a critical mass here, folks.
Talk about chasing your tail…try this on for size. Commerical for "alternative" energy using solar power, "need a strip of 92 miles of desert for the solar array, From fox news today. "Sen. Dianne Feinstein said development of solar and wind facilities in California's Mojave Desert would violate the spirit of what conservationists had intended when they donated much of the land to the public " and how many billions does Dear Leader want to put into "alternative" energy. Yet we can't drill.
Oh my! And I thought I had heard it all.
I want one of these careers where you get a bonus regardless of the status of the company. My husband hasn't seen a bonus in a few years now, and his hours and pay have been cut. He does a great job, and his personnel reviews prove that, but no bonus simply because of how the company is doing and the general economy. We must be in the wrong industry.
It's smoke and mirrors. Whether AIG should get the bonuses is between them and GOD and their employers. We don't know, except what the media is saying. I can't judge AIG, but I can judge congress and Teleprompter, they put the amendment in, rushed the bill through, and Teleprompter signed. THEN the bonus was found weeks later, and the feeding frenzy started just like Hitler did in the 30's with the Jews. See:
http://ascream.blogtownhall.com/
In the meantime HR1388, The "Give Act" passes the house on its way to the senate and no one is covering it, why?
It establishes a civilian corps in the U.S. with the same budget as the military. See:
http://www.e3gazette.com/2009/03/hr-1388-is-arbei...
Why should we worry about this? The Constitution forbids the use of the Military in the U.S. and the one thing I do the military will not violate that, no matter who tells them to, but a civil "volcorps, resonsible to the President alone is a thought that "it can't happen here", but the Germans said that in the 30's
Thanks for your service, Marine! Seper Fi! If the government wasn't meddling in corporate America, they never would have known about it anyway!
I know what you mean. I didn't get a bonus this past year either, because we didn't make any money. My company may actually make a lot of moves and decisions that I disagree with. But at least in our contracts, we only get a bonus when our portion of the company makes money.
Please thank your husband for his dedication! Even without the bonus, he's in it to promote the success of the company, not just individuals in the company – the way it should be! Not divided, like the EFCA would promote. I just hope he doesn't have greedy execs hiding profits and mismanaging the business like all the others (AIG) you hear of!
He should apply for the Treasury. OOPPSSS, he probably paid his taxes. Forget it, LOL!
Saying that a leader or leaders will naturally rise is not the same as saying we the people do not need positive exposure. Reaching out to like or at least similar minded people in the media is a very good idea.
Thanks for the reply. That 2500 was a really conservative estimate! The irony was in the following e-mail about going green. Calculating that on a nationwide scale would have led to a very depressing result! Possibly 2 trillion. Maybe we are competing with the Administration, but we can only print paper – not money.