Privatization means massive loss in crucial public services and living-wage jobs for Black families: ColorOfChange.org launches petition, issues statement from Executive Director Rashad Robinson
“House Republicans are jumping at the chance to put the U.S. Postal Service on the chopping block. But the post office isn’t broke. Thanks to its exceptional operational efficiency, the USPS has managed to turn a profit on postal sales in the worst economy since the Great Depression — and It hasn’t taken a dime of taxpayer money since 1971.
“This is a crisis manufactured by Congress and the media. The post office is one of America’s most widely-used and trusted institutions. Its potential privatization poses a great threat to the hundreds of millions who rely on its services and the more than half-million largely Black and female workers whose living-wage jobs are at risk.
“Congress created the service’s financial crisis, and they could end it today. A Bush-era requirement that the Postal Service pre-fund its retiree health benefits 75 years into the future — a burden imposed on no other government agency or private employer — has been digging the otherwise profitable USPS deeper and deeper into the red.
“Instead of working to fix the problem, Republicans in the House are taking advantage of the post office’s financial vulnerability to try to shut it down. They’re cheering the recent announcement by Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe threatening to end Saturday mail delivery to cut costs, because it would result in dramatic workforce reductions and mail delays that make it easier to justify dismantling the entire postal system.
“The public sector is under relentless right-wing attack — and Black working women are bearing the brunt. When the country is still experiencing nearly 8% unemployment — and Black unemployment has climbed back up to 14% — any deliberate effort to put even more of us out of work is indefensible.
“The United States Postal Service is a critical service for Black and low-income communities, and it must be protected. The end of Saturday mail delivery would create delays for Veterans’ and Social Security checks, putting people who are already struggling to make it to the end of the month at even greater risk. And a full 46% of Black Americans, who lack access to high-speed Internet in their homes, rely on the post office for basic communication with the outside world.”
With more than 850,000 members, ColorOfChange.org is the nation’s largest online civil rights organization
Tell Congress: Stop bankrupting the USPS
I don’t think I have to explain who took this provision in this bill and used it as a tool to crush the post office! (hint–Issa) This bill was meant to give the USPS flexibilty to adapt to falling revenue of 1st class mail. it also was meant to give that same flexibilty to the changing products and economy. That’s what was believed to be the purpose of this bill. But there was no discussion on it and it was rushed through both the House and Senate in 2 days. There is also no record of the vote. The bill has no mention of the pre-funding that has crippled the USPS. As you can read, the Republican led Commission and Congress pushed it through AFTER the bill became law. Imagine if Fedex or UPS had this done to them. They would be downsizing the same way the postal service is. Chances are, being private companies, they would have gone bankrupt!
“8909a. Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund.”.
(b) Review.–
(1) In general.–
(A) Request for review.–Any regulation established under
section 8909a(d)(5) of title 5, United States Code (as added by
subsection (a)), shall, upon request of the United States
Postal Service, be subject to a review by the Postal Regulatory
Commission under this paragraph.
(B) Report.–Upon receiving a request under subparagraph
(A), the Commission shall promptly procure the services of an
actuary, who shall hold membership in the American Academy of
Actuaries and shall be qualified in the evaluation of
healthcare insurance obligations, to conduct a review in
accordance with generally accepted actuarial practices and
principles and to provide a report to the Commission containing
the results of the review. The Commission, upon determining
that the report satisfies the requirements of this paragraph,
shall approve the report, with any comments it may choose to
make, and submit it with any such comments to the Postal
Service, the Office of Personnel Management, and Congress.
(2) Reconsideration.–Upon receiving the report under paragraph
(1), the Office of Personnel Management shall reconsider its
determination or redetermination in light of such report, and shall
make any appropriate adjustments. The Office shall submit a report
containing the results of its reconsideration to the Commission,
the Postal Service, and Congress.
notconvinced…this article presented no facts, just general accusations custom made for nitwits like you and mezzanotte, and mezzanotte, you are not smart enough to have ever been a conservative…which makes you the lying idiot you appear to be.
You two clowns need to put your bongs down and move out of your mommy’s basement!
You two agenda driven libturds haven’t bothered to refute the fact that democrats voted in mass for the PAEA, and that two of the sponsors of that bill were democrats, or that Obama’s first term director of OMB Peter Orzag has called for the privatization of the USPS. He now is a consultant for Citi Group, one of our biggest presort mail houses. Why don’t you two idiots connect those dots?
If privatization happens I can only hope that you clowns lose your jobs because you are obviously unskilled and stupid, and easily led. You two belong on public assistance.
ET, I don’t need to “bait” you to show everyone your ignorance! you’ve done a great job of it yourself! As a former conservative, I realize why the “grand ole party” is falling apart. Your lack of class is also obvious. They shouldn’t allow children like you on these blogs. They take away the importance of the article!
Ensufisenuf and ET, it is obvious that both of you are part of the problem. You stop addressing the issues brought forth by this organization and its commenters when faced with the reality of their position. Your defense is to accuse them of using the race card. Stop this ignorance, the facts are the facts.
Is this the same civil rights group that protested when that killer in calif. got barbq’d up in the mountains?
Mezzanotte, you are a liar and a race baiting moron. You obviously haven’t read or understand what you yourself posted.
The PAEA could not have passed without the democrats total support…you got that moron? The reason it was voice voted was so retards like you can spread the kind of crap you are spreading here.
Right on, Beanmaster! People also don’t know that the USPS overpaid the Treasury between 50 to 75 billion in it’s CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENT fund. The politicians will never return that money either!
ET, You are the ignorant SOB! I have 28 years in the P.O. and nothing compares to the attacks mainly caused by far right wackos! I never said I trust Democrats either, but the onus of this problem was caused by the conservatives after the USPS had their biggest profit year ever in 2006. Almost all the deficit is from that crippling bill. Read all the facts and you’d have known the many lobbyists behind this bill. I work with many fine minority people who give their all to the job. Yes, it’s tough to be fired here and there are many of all groups that should be gone, but that didn’t give Congress the right to cripple a thriving business that impacts millions of jobs in this country. If you need further explanation, try reading the many articles on the internet about this. I have! You should too before you start labeling people! Try looking in the mirror!
Beanmaster…
1) YES
2) Well, your assuming that money is really there in an account and not already spent…but OK!
3) YES
4) Definitely YES and start at 50% of current levels and tweak down from there!
The republican wing of the democrat party are only half the problem, the democrats are the other half. Perhaps “We the People” should be suing the current administration for not passing a constitutionally mandated budget, just in case you are one of those “low information voters” we haven’t had a budget in over 4 1/2 years. You can’t pick and choose which parts of the constitution you want to be “concerned” about.
can any one say U>S> constitiution one or more of the large postal unions will sue the U>S Goverment. we are over 400,000 strong. Republicans need to know the unoins are just waiting for the right time. This congress is suppose to create jobs if we lose saturday, we lose the equivelent of 35000 full time jobs up goes the unemployment rate , then the states have to pick up the burden unemployment checks the congress needs to do somthing right for once, 1. repeal prefunding 2.reaquire all over payments to treasury at least 11.5 Billion 3.have plan that would allow for mail to be on standard not off. 4.Cut top heavy managment and get a C.E.O. to run the company not some jack ass who has not a clue, an clothing line really W.T.F I could type all day every day of this mess enough for NOW!
Hey STEPHEN MEZZANOTTE…your absurd accusations of racism are a reflection of what you see in the mirror…so go f&@%k yourself loser.
Race baiters like you are the reason race relations in this country will never improve.
I agree with what is being said here, but get your facts right.
End of paper Social Security checks unnerving to some
Social Security » Feds will go to direct deposit on March 1, but holdouts will still get theirs in mail — for now.
You make the entire article look stupid when you make incorrect statements like this.
Hey Swingman, you are taking the article as truth…your first mistake!
How about Barack “5 Day Delivery” Obama and his former director of OMB Peter “Privatize the Post Office” Orzag? Both Democrats, why don’t you whine about that?
Political motivation is the engine of lies that drive this article…you allowed yourself to be duped!
To Mikey Trailer “Trash” a hole you don’t know what you’re talking about so shut the F**k up or go day dream somewhere else Moron.
Weak minded colored people reciting the rant of the colored boy in the White House. They mumble “Republicans” and Obie still blames Bush. Talk coming from this group, the naacp, and Obie makes people wonder if 35% of coloreds are stupid or 95%.
Jackie, surely you have not talked to any FedEx or UPS drivers lately…….find out how many UPS drivers actually make 30 years so they can get their pension from the Union…..all they get from UPS is some type of 401K plan………most drivers are let go before they reach 30 years because they can no longer “make their times”………sound like something you hear daily if you are a letter carrier……..at least in the USPS it is much harder to fire a carrier…not so in UPS………..happy employees at UPS and FedEx…….they get harassed just the same as at USPS, and they don’t have much recourse when they get asked to “leave”..
USPS won’t earn profit if still running by the government, it is wise to private it, employee still have jobs working more efficiently in a privated post office, why you guys are afraid of the post office privatization? Look at UPS and FedEx, aren’t they the private company and earn more money, their employees are happy working there with better benefit compare to the USPS.
I cant understand why republicans want to shut down the p.o. They are surely dipping into our unfairly prefunded pension . They dont have a financial obligation to the p.o., and why do they have such a fixation on slamming an organization that they have nothing to do with. Not to mention the 600000+ people they want to put out of work and the millions of people they will putbout of work in the mailing industry. Its shamful that this is how our country runs.
they could also put city routes on an evaluated pay system..i would love that
they r suppose to make carriers an offer for early out..lets see if that clears the way for new regulars..i would like to stay open on saturdays if they get rid of all walking routes..cant have both ..they r both very costly
When you are a Congressman making $174,000 plus a year getting free Health Care, and getting the USA more in debt why would they care.
this is all a bunch of shit..all ss checks have to be direct deposit starting may and so will most all other checks…people there is no mail to keep going the way we r…saturday has to close…all routes will be curbside…yes et they r liars
Kenny, while I may agree with you that the PAEA is wrong I have a huge problem laying it entirely at the feet of the Republican Party, personally I can’t stand either party.
There are no monies in an account some where, this government is living pay check to pay check, they are spending all monies from all revenue pools every 30 day’s.
ET, it doesn’t matter whether it was Rebublicans or Democrats that passed the PAEA back in 2006. What matters is that it is unfair and wrong. It is the equivalent of mandating a married couple to set aside (within a ten year timeframe) enough money to pay for their not yet born great grandchild’s college education. Would be doable if you were Bill Gates or Warren Buffet, but not for your average American. Such is the case with the Postal Service and it’s crushing mandate courtesy of the PAEA. While the USPS may have borrowed $15 billion from the US Treasury, they have also forked over more than $42 billion in these ridiculous pre-payments to the same US Treasury.
This article plays well to the weak minded while trying to abdicate any responsibility of the Democrat party in their role in the PAEA.
The liars that wrote this article conviently ignore the fact that the PO has statutory authority to borrow monies from the treasury every fiscal year, and has for quit some time by issuing a letter of debt.
Just pay attention to any legislation that gets passed and look up the votes by party…unless they do it like the PAEA and voice vote it. Both parties are bad enough without some so called “civil rights” group trying to paint one party better than the other. Where is their criticism of Democrat Diane Fienstiens husband who has first rights in selling off and reselling Postal assets?
Why is it always about the blacks. Do you not think that some of us at the PO are white and veterans! There are also some democrats trying to cut our jobs.
What could you possibly expect from the exclusive rich white man’s club? Besides a few token minorities that they use to try to collect undecided voters with, the Republicans are about profits for the rich. Their try at religion and faith is as laughable as it is unbelievable. They exemplify the Ebenezer Scrooge personna before he was visited by the 3 spirits. Pious hypocrites of privilege who look down on the downtrodden and less fortunate. Their “reward” will come on Judgement Day!
i can only agree with this assessment . it is a carefully orchestrated plot to privatize the postal service. a multi-billion dollar business like the u.sp.s. is a huge windfall for republicans like Issa and Roth. if Donahue is successful, watch where he lands and follow the money trail.