July 29, 2010 5:40 PM
Washington, DC—Today Congressman Chaffetz introduced HR 5919. This bill would grant USPS Postmaster General the authority to implement up to twelve “postal holidays” per year in order to reduce USPS operating costs. The Postmaster General would select days in which delivered mail volume is historically lower than normal. By reducing the number of delivery days, USPS will be able to achieve savings by reducing work hours.
“USPS is experiencing severe financial pressures due to competition from the Internet, reduced demand due to the recession, and large unfunded liabilities for retiree healthcare,” said Chaffetz. “While my bill will help to reform its dire financial situation, there is no silver bullet that will solve the Postal Service’s financial problems. Postal holidays are one of many steps needed to reform the Postal System. I am also supporting efforts to consolidate postal facilities by replicating the successful BRAC process that was used to close surplus military facilities.”
- In past three years, USPS has lost $12 billion and is expected to lose about $7 billion this year.
- At the end of FY 2009, USPS was $10 billion in debt and is expected to reach its maximum debt limit of $15 billion in 2011.
- USPS Postmaster General John Potter has stated that USPS could lose $238 billion over the next ten years unless significant reforms are implemented.
- The USPS retiree health benefit plan was $52 billion underfunded at the end of fiscal year 2009.
Soon, the powers in D.C. and the American people will realize that the USPS is a lurking dinosaur, that the need for its basic service of delivery of letter mail is on the wane. As the Federal government pursues its goal of broadband access for all to the Internet, it will soon follow that most households will have the ability to receive advertisements and bulk business mail over a stand-alone small tablet type receiver hooked up, along with their TV and video games, to the New Internet available to all. The USPS will be reduced to basic package delivery and overnight express and flat mail of legal or business matters. The horse-drawn carriage was replaced by a product of the industrial revolution, and the USPS will be reduced to a smaller version as a result of the New Internet. To fight the inevitable will be seen as a fight that will be lost.
Notice how everyone is talking up the $238B number. This is EXACTLY how propaganda works! Tell a lie long enough and it becomes the truth. Potter was LYING when he unveiled the BIG number and he knew it was a lie!!! He should be fired immediately by the President and face Congress for perjury. Also, where is the APWU and the NALC to publicly refute his bogus number!