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ORIGINAL: AnimusRex

Well...this canard about how the USPS has terrible service is just that, a myth. The truth is, Consumer Reports compared USPS to FedEx and UPS and found that USPS overall gave the same service, at lower cost;

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/money/shopping/shopping-tips/fedex-vs-ups-vs-the-postal-service/overview/package-delivery-services-ov.htm?Extkey=SY95PI0&CMP=KNC-CROVMYSSP&HBX_OU=51&PK=yssp

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[in a head to head test shipment] Every package reached its destination the next day. But overnight shipping prices to the same place differed by as much as 281 percent. The Postal Service was the least expensive by far for local and long-distance deliveries. For letter-size envelopes, such as the ones it gave us for sending the books, it charges a flat rate of $16.50. (Flat rates for slower delivery are lower.)

The other shippers base prices on weight and distance traveled. UPS charged $62.87 to send our book next-day to Oregon and $29.55 to Manhattan. FedEx charged $54.57 and $27.48, respectively.

We also checked prices to send a 5-pound package from New York to California regular next-day, two-day, and slower ground. The Postal Service won again in the first two categories and more or less tied in the third (see 3 Shippers, 3 Time Frames). And unlike the other carriers, the Postal Service doesn’t add a fuel surcharge, which is adjusted monthly by the other carriers

Ronald Reagan made a lot of good common sense when he suggested that we run government like a business- in this case, it appears the solution is for USPS to just increase its rates to charge a price competitive with FedEx and UPS.

So yes, there will be Saturday health care, its just we will have to (gasp) pay (taxes) for the cost of providing it.
As Ronaldus Magnus also said, "We must pay in taxes for the services we receive. There is no free lunch."

A wise man, indeed.

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ORIGINAL: tazzygirl
The caps wont be necessary.

There is a huge difference you are overlooking.

The USPS has a decrease in usage, one of its main problems.

The health care doesn't, in fact, its underutilized until its an emergent case which drives up the cost. Catching problems in the beginnings... preventative care... is where the savings will be.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

One thing about this, though...

The USPS is expected to offer the same, reliable coverage everywhere--including rural middle-of-nowhere, at a low, affordable cost, with its own Post Office. No business would expect to do that without specific regulations and/or subsidies.

The Postmaster here and I get to talking about these things sometimes for a bit. It's either gonna have to run at a loss, or the service will have to change. Frankly, I think higher rates would be quite reasonable, perhaps with separate bulk business rates. Cutting back to five day service is also reasonable. If not Saturday, then maybe, say, cut Wednesday. The main objection I've heard is seniors wanting that SS check if it's due Sat., and direct deposit would solve that.

On the other hand, higher rates might further check volume (e.g., more people paying bills online). Who knows.

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ORIGINAL: servantforuse

I agree rex, but congress keeps them doing all of the things that lose money. They don't care if the postal service loses 4 billion dollars. That's the problem.

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ORIGINAL: AnimusRex

NeedToUseYou-
So actually, you and me and Consumer Reports all agree-
No, we don't agree.

that depending on what you ship
Yes and the article chose an item that is close to the outer edge that USPS competes at all on price. They should price a 2 5 10 20 30 50 pound item, that doesn't fit in a flat rate box.
, how often
They don't mention how often once.
, to where,
the three delivery services can be competitive,
Only for small packages as in smaller than a flat rate box, and beyond that they(USPS), becomes highly uncompetive, once you apply the discount from UPS, or FEDEX for anyone shipping more than a few a week. As in most businesses that ship stuff.
one edging the others out. However, USPS is almost always cheaper, which means they are not charging enough.
LOL, you must work for them. IF USPS charged anymore they would only lose more package business. We can talk all we want, but when I go to ship, and the program that checks the rates spits them out, it becomes a fact, that USPS, is not competive most of the time, once you exceed small package size, which is most packages.

And like others have pointed out, the private ones don't have to deliver where they don't want to, and not on Saturday.
They do deliver on Saturday for express type services, and in 1000's of packages, I've only had like two problems with delivery in 4 years. It's true UPS doesn't deliver to PO Boxes (obvious), and they don't do Military Deliveries. The one time USPS is a huge saver is Puerto Rico (flat rate only), hawaii (flat rate only), pretty much us holdings.

 So if USPS could deliver 5 days a week like the private ones,
Go for it, I would be glad to not have to ship Saturdays..
and eliminate unprofitable addresses,
Ultra rare occurence...
and raise rates to equal the others...
They already charge more for the vast majority of packages, maybe not a tiny paper back, I don't ship books. See the article is shit because it chose a small package item and seems to project that case holds true, when in fact once you get larger than that the view drastically favors UPS the bigger the item gets, and they excluded shipping discounts.
then yes, they probably would make a profit.
Doubtful....

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ORIGINAL: Llyren

The USPS really isn't part of the government anymore.  They have for the most part farmed it out to hired contractors.

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ORIGINAL: housesub4you

when in fact the US gov does a lot of things very well. 

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ORIGINAL: mnottertail

US military.

bye.

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ORIGINAL: servantforuse

Maybe they wouldn't have to show a profit, but why can't they at least run that outfit and break even. The taxpayers are on the hook for the 4 billion.

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ORIGINAL: kttqnp

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ORIGINAL: servantforuse

Maybe they wouldn't have to show a profit, but why can't they at least run that outfit and break even. The taxpayers are on the hook for the 4 billion.

Taxpayers are not on the hook for anything. The Postal Service does not operate with tax dollars. They have their own budget. So far, the only help from Congress has been to allow them to forgo certain obligations to pre-fund retiree health benefits.