Postage prices set to go down, and the USPS isn't happy

[yesphan]

Source: CNN

The price of mailing a letter will fall for the first time in nearly a century this Sunday.

And the U.S. Postal Service, which was ordered to cut the price by its regulator, is not happy about that.

USPS said the decline in the cost of a postage stamp, from 49 cents to 47 cents, will cost it $2 billion this year, and make it more difficult for it to compete and provide the service its customers demand.

Read more: http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/08/news/companies/stamp-price-decrease/

[revbones]

1. Just another strike to try to privatize it... nt

[ctsnowman]

8. Exactly!

[Jopin Klobe]

18. Another part of our country ...

... being made weaker so that it can be murdered in the bathtub ...

[tabasco]

21. And when it's privatized...

it'll cost two dollars to mail a letter!

[GoneFishin]

25. You have the right idea. But I think the price will be closer to a price to send a letter via Fedex

or UPS. Probably upwards of $5.

[philosslayer]

35. Who mails letters?

I mail about 5 total a year

[tabasco]

36. People who run businesses and old fashioned losers like me. n/t

[SoLeftIAmRight]

2. fuck the republicans

if we do not start fighting them - they will have it all

[SpankMe]

3. Fuck the Republicans - seconded.

They were instrumental (though not solely responsible) in getting all government funding eliminated for the USPS and requiring it to be self sustaining. The fuck, why? The postal service should be paid for mostly by the government as it is a very important public service. Congress cut all gov't funding, and then placed some pension requirements on the USPS that basically broke it.

Fuck the Republicans - thirded.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. So put a two-cent stamp on your envelope next to the one that's already there.

Last edited Fri Apr 8, 2016, 03:52 PM - Edit history (2)

It's like shopping at the Goodwill. They encourage you to round up.

How about a couple of these?

[SoLeftIAmRight]

6. Oblio

is that you?

[silvershadow]

4. When the Sanders Administration opens up banking to the post office, their woes will be over. nt

[MisterP]

9. AND get rid of that 75-year pension-financing mandate

[silvershadow]

12. Oh, yes, that is a given. Republican dirty tricks live on, years and years later. nt

[MisterP]

14. bipartisan dirty tricks in this case

[silvershadow]

15. True, but I think we were held hostage...can't remember now. So MUCH went on during the

Cheney mal-administration.

[madville]

38. Kennedy and Waxman

We're the leading Democratic sponsors on those USPS bills/amendments at the time, lots of Democrats voted for it.

[Travis_0004]

30. Yeah, Fuck funding pensions!!!!

[WhiteTara]

11. only if they aren't in a majority still.

We need the revolution to include more Democratic congress people in both houses.

[silvershadow]

13. They are coming quicker than anyone realizes. nt

[Andy823]

16. Can he do that

Without congress? As long as republicans control the House it will be Impossible to get things passed that needs both branches to vote on it.

[silvershadow]

17. He will have a Congress. nt

[onehandle]

7. Fucking insane. $1.47 would be a bargain.

Idiots.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

10. So put a one-dollar stamp on your envelope next to the one that's already there.

This should just about do it:

[Ilsa]

19. Let Republicans try to mail their propaganda

to Nowheresville Alaska through a private mail service.

[a kennedy]

20. Does anyone else love the idea that there could be local banks in the post office???

a Bernie Sanders idea......I love it. Never gonna happen but shoot, great idea. JMHO.

[bigworld]

24. The biggest bank in the world is the Japan Postal Bank

No loans, they just take savings. And they're profitable.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Post_Bank

[FrodosPet]

32. Can non-Japanese buy stock?

http://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/en/ir/stock/en_ir_stk_kihon.html

Securities Identification Code 7182
Listed Stock Exchange Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section
One unit of shares 100 shares
Number of shares issued (common stock) 4,500,000,000 shares (as of November 4, 2015)
Fiscal year From April 1 to March 31
Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders June
Record dates for determination of dividends March 31, and September 30 if interim dividends are declared
Public notice method Given by electronic public notice.
However, if electronic public notice cannot be provided due to accidents or other unavoidable circumstances, public notices shall be given in the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.
Transfer agent 1-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8233, Japan
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited
Handling office of Transfer agent
1-4-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8233, Japan
Stock Transfer Agency Business Dept., Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Limited

[roamer65]

37. OMG...a government run savings bank? That's socialist!

[madville]

39. I personally don't see the appeal

There are 10 banks and credit unions to every post office branch here. What would be the advantage to their potential depositors?

[bigworld]

22. The USPS could really make some more $$ by being open in the evenings

At least in some locations. My DC area post office is full morning through afternoon. I'm sure they'd do fantastic business if they'd just stay open past 4:30!

[Travis_0004]

27. Maybe

I would assume if people need to mail things, they will mail them out, so it may not cost much at all assuming they dont turn to UPS or fedex.

[SoapBox]

23. Fuck'n politicians...

They just keep jerking the USPS around.

[Travis_0004]

26. The 2 cent increase was designed to be temporary.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/postal-service-gets-approval-for-a-temporary-3-cent-increase-in-stamp-prices/2013/12/24/e5ca867a-6ce8-11e3-b405-7e360f7e9fd2_story.html

Its not like it should have caught the post office off guard.

[PoliticAverse]

28. Perhaps they just assumed that like most "temporary" things involving the Government they were...

permanent.

[Travis_0004]

29. I'm kind of glad to see in one situation its not.

Although I'm sure we will see an increase soon enough anyway.

[YOHABLO]

31. That's how Oligarchs do things .. they squeeze and squeeze till in doesn't exist.

[jamzrockz]

33. This would have been their chance to

save up for a rainy day that is unless it is affecting the bottom line. How is any supposed to run their business when you have regulators regulating the price you can charge?

[Dont call me Shirley]

34. I'll buy a bunch of 49 centers before they go down. Support the Post Office or we won't have one.