I cringed at the loaded and inflammatory language, but I was most concerned that there was no effort to hear my side of the story. Only my critics were quoted. No mention was made of my accomplishments over 16 years as a commissioner. I was appointed commissioner by two presidents, a Republican and a Democrat, and I was designated chair by a third. There was no coverage of what I did right to have such an enduring record. Any fair-minded journalist would have considered this.
The blog excerpt didn’t objectively evaluate the numbers. Any difference in spending between my predecessor and me over three years was minimal, probably less than the effect of inflation. And while Sens. Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) asked for detailed travel records in 2012, my travels since have so been limited and focused on the commission’s strategic goals that Coburn’s Wastebook did not even mention them in 2014.
Some people object to any travel, but my efforts on behalf of an improved U.S. Postal Service are a matter of public record and are a reasonable success. My idea for the Forever Stamp came from foreign posts. My diligent and persistent representation of the commission’s concerns about international rate setting and costs finally resulted, in 2012, in a new Universal Postal Union system that will save the Postal Service tens of millions of dollars, a tidy return on the modest travel expenses.
It also was a disservice to readers to present a sensationalistic, simplistic view of the meaning of my replacement. There are substantial policy issues at play that could affect the future of the Postal Service. My replacement is a signal to Coburn, who had been holding up postal-related appointments, that his policies would be supported, enabling swift confirmation of two commissioners and five members of the Postal Service Board of Governors
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I won’t be judge and jury in this case. It’s too easy to be critical with the mountain of abuses and much more wasted money than what Ms. Goldway is accused of doing with tax money. Not that it’s right to take taxpayer money to Rio, but as is everything in Washington, it’s all pots calling kettles black.
Why no outrage at the USPS’ insistence to close plants and reduce standards starting next month? Plenty of us are posting our concerns here because we don’t want our Postal Service to fail, no matter how much we grump. After all, most of us are long term employees with decades under our belts, 30 for me, and it’s only natural to bitch when you’re tired and tired of watching idiots with a lot less experience than you call the shots and screw everything up.
No business in its right mind would ever reduce its service standards and expect to survive. Some do have to close stores here and there, but the USPS isn’t a “business” as such because it’s designed as a service. Universal service is guaranteed by law, and steps should be taken to keep standards where they are. Managers must be removed who can’t perform their duties, answerable to a completely independent outside entity that is not on the postal pad and has overall authority over every inch of the Service, and works with and not against the unions in assuring contracts are followed and cutting down on the myriads of huge settlements that get paid out as management over and over again violate their labor agreements.
But the picture isn’t totally bleak. The worst Postmaster General in the history of mail service, Patrick Donahoe is retiring under a cloud of suspicion and disgrace after the hacking debacle. How many other organizations put their back up systems on the SAME HARD DRIVE? And management hates to be called stupid?
Plus, extremist idiot Tom Coburn will be out, and Darryl Issa will not be the chairman that oversees postal issues any more. Whether replacements will be more of the same remains to be seen, but people who need to go, need to go.
I’m looking forward to seeing if Donahoe is indicted for the cyber attacks and refusing to release the information for 11 months. He and the former security chief both should be arrested. Good riddance to all you assholes.
Congress has voted to keep 6 day delivery. What good does that do when the consolidations and the delivery standard change cause the mail to be delivered 3 or 4 days later everyday of the week including Saturday???
Y’all need to figure it out, dem or rep all are the same. The difference is the dems tell y’all lies you like to hear in order to get your money and votes then stick it to you. Dem or rep ~~ both the same but the dems take advantage of the gullible, those that cannot think for themselves. Obie thanks you for your money and your votes but he has no more use for you so look for nothing from him. If you don’t feel like a used condom you should.
And Republicans don’t take advantage of the gullible? What do you think FOX News and Limbaugh are here for? Pandering is the word you’re looking for, and you are in the dark yourself for refusing to acknowledge the GOP does the same thing to you. Parties always tell potential voters what they think said voter wants to hear, and it surprises me to think you don’t believe your side of the aisle doesn’t do the same thing.
just one line, leave overnight standards in place.
I’m so glad Goldway put coburn on blast. The way GOP operatives dragged her name thru the mud is a crying shame.
The GOP has been trying for years to bankrupt USPS . If usps goes down their cronies at ups and FedEx can get a larger share of the $65 billion mail business.
The GOP is padding wall street cronies via cromnibus spending bill. Now gop have clear passage to finally put a nail in USPS coffin.
Thank you Miss Goldway . for your Service for Postal Eployees.. good luck with your future!!
Didn’t think the bozos in LA Elephant plaza think of forever stamps. Obama backed that cromnious bill too, he’s the newest member of the GOP