Should we junk the mail and privatize the USPS? w/ Tad DeHaven

[adil5131]

Long live the USPS.

[jakeyw11]

Thom is entitled to his opinion but if an operation loses 7 billion dollars a year AND has a government mandated monopoly in providing first class mail is successful then what is a failure? I think Thom makes the classic mistake of looking at the benefits and ignoring the costs. Is the post office functional? yes. Does it cost more than users are willing to pay? yes. If users aren't willing to pay the full cost then why should non-users pick up the excess tab?

[doogleandalix]

@jakeyw11 The post office never lost money until 2006 - that is because of a mandate under George Bush that required a prepayment for future retireees' health benefits for the next 75 years to be paid in 10 yrs at a cost of $5 billion annually - up front ! No business could do this and survive. The agenda is to privatize - it costs 44 cents to mail a letter from NY to KS - I believe Fedex costs $20 for 2 day delivery .

[BrettDunbar]

YES PEOPLE LIBERALS ARE THIS STUPID!!!

THEY DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW ECONOMICS WORK YET WE LET THEM CONTROL US!!!

VOTE THESE RETARDED FASCIST CUNTS OUT OF OFFICE!!!

FREE THE PEOPLE!!

[danblocker]

Thom pretty much summed up my opinion at the end.

Yeah, the USPS may lose 7B a year, but isn't a consistent mail service worth that cost? No CEO comp, no for-profit ideology in the current USPS, how is privatizing mail gonna be a good idea? In what way?

This guys boohoo arguement of losing mail is bullshit BTW; no one loses half as much mail as this guy makes it seem.

[solvecoagule]

Yeah, I think the reason we even *hear* about lost mail is because of the staggering number of pieces in the sample.

[FlashVirus]

@danblocker

Privatizing the USPS altogether may be too extreme, but allowing the USPS to have legitimate competitors isn't an extreme idea at all. If the UPS & Fedex are as successful as they are, despite the fact they have to pay workers' pensions, taxes, property taxes, etc.. then it could very well mean the free market can handle the letter-delivery business. Obama said it himself haha.

[ankharris]

The private sector would charge us for the air we breath if they could find a way to. In one country where the water supply was privatized, they tried to charge people who had the local habit of collecting and using rainwater. For RAINWATER! What man has been getting for free since the dawn of time! These people are just legalized criminals.

[PeteBKay]

His first argument is "are you sure you want the pizza delivery guy delivering your mail"??? Are you serious?!???! bwaaa hahahahah!!

[nvmarv]

I have had ups lose tons of parcels and will never use them again!!!!

[nvmarv]

Because the Post Office is the best value out there...ups and fedex has surcharges for residential and for gas price increases...usps has a tracking system its called delivery conformation....duh...give me usps over ups or fedup anytime!!!!

[FlashVirus]

@nvmarv

USPS gets more benefits than UPS & FedEx, don't forget. They don't have to pay property taxes or pay workers' pensions. So because of government intervention, UPS/FedEx can't really compete against the Post Office. Its a shame.

[altavelocidad]

@FlashVirus The post office absolutely has to pay workers pensions and out of the three mailers being mentioned here is the only company that has to prepay this amount and has already overpaid 75 billion dollars. Learns your facts before speaking.

[gotveggieoil]

There was a time the the USPS was the only governmental agency that operated in the black. It did primarily because it had the least amount of regulation and essentially operated like a private enterprise.

Two things have caused the crippling of the USPS:

The internet and E-mail.

Added regulation and cross cannibalization of funds from other governmental agencies.

The mechanics of free enterprise work EVERY TIME they are tried.

[solvecoagule]

Question is, who do they work *for*? The idea that you improve the deal by adding an extra profit-taker is a wonderful free-marketeer fantasy, but does anyone remember hughes aircraft corp? The defense dept awarded them a lot of contracts because their pricing was better than the other aerospace companies. Then the competitors started crying like little babies because Hughes Aircraft was owned by the Hughes Foundation and, waaaahhh, didn't have to make a profit. Taxpayer value? Scroo'm.

[gotveggieoil]

Maybe you did not get my original intent...BOTH parties are ACTIVELY SCREWING THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER.

Look, government is the PROBLEM not the solution.

[solvecoagule]

If your original intent was to proclaim the Reagan doctrine that government, the formation in which you have at least a *theoretical* voice in, is worse than business/ownership/capital, in which you have not even that, then maybe that's what you should have said.

What you said was, "The mechanics of free enterprise work EVERY TIME..." I am saying that a profit-seeking co. is often not your friend, and only a fool thinks that cutting *in* another middleman is a money-saver.

[gotveggieoil]

Hey...My bad...We agree then. I have no friends in politicians...They (Dems and Reps) bothe are here to put the penis in ALL of us who are not in the ruling class.

A free enterprise system can not exist along side a monetary currency system. Barter is the only Fair way to exchange goods and services, but the Oligarchs have no power then. What fun would that be for the power mad around the globe?

[HarveyRex23]

When right wingers and Libertarians talk about "privatization" & "deregulation". Watch out for your wallet & bank account.

[gotveggieoil]

When liberals talk about new governmental programs and government sponsored services...Watch out for your freedom.

[captcrais101]

"watch out for your freedom" you mean like the liberties that were lost when both versions of the patriot act were passed and the military commissions act? It was the policies of the Bush admoinstration that took away our freedoms. WHat makes me even more angry is that democrats voted for these unconstitutional bills.

[gotveggieoil]

Exactly! The Democrats do not have a monopoly on Constitutional rape. Bush and his cronies are no better that these douche bags working with Obama...Hell the oligarchy put both of them in office.

[captcrais101]

your grammar is off. That should be than not that.

[FlashVirus]

@HarveyRex23

Yes, we'll have to pay for services we want directly, and reward the companies that are best for the consumers. Rather than the government pointing a gun to our head and demanding we fork over money.

[HarveyRex23]

@FlashVirus You're a fuckin idiot. You know that? Yeah, when I receive my mail from the United States Postal Service. Uncle Sam is really forcing me to get my mail via gun point. I'm assuming you're one of those half wit, paranoid right wing Libertarians who masturbates all day while watching Nascar. And at the same time, you're receiving government money. As far as privatization goes. Yeah, let's give free reign to all these for profit private companies. So they can price gouge us.

[FlashVirus]

@HarveyRex23

Haha, You go ahead and try to open a business that competes against the Post Office and see what happens. Look up Lysander Spooner. Oh despite the myth, the Post Office is subsidized. Not to mention they don't have pay property taxes or pay workers' pensions. Geez, and those evil corporations like UPS & Fedex STILL manage to survive. And no I'm not a Libertarian and I'm not even saying "END THE USPS." Just allow competition, whats the big deal?

[HarveyRex23]

@FlashVirus No one's forcing you into doing anything. If you want to drive your vehicle off a cliff w/ you in it. No one's stopping you. If you want your stuff delivered via UPS, Fed Ex, DHL, etc. By all means, go on ahead. Get your stuff delivered via UPS. No one's saying you can't.

[FlashVirus]

@HarveyRex23

UPS & FedEx deliver packages, not mail.

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 Wow you people know nothing about economics. It would cost LESS under a free market system. Which the USA currently isn't. Liberals are a joke.

[HarveyRex23]

@BrettDunbar Yeah asshole. When it comes to health care under your wonderful unregulated privatized free market Utopia. Health care is cheap. You're absolutely right. For Christ's sakes man. Do everyone on youtube a favor. Just stay in your mama's basement, and jerk off what's left in between your legs. And stop making an ass out of yourself on youtube. This would cost less under a free market system. Yeah, on a pig's ass.

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 Wow, all you did was yell and whine at me. Real convincing. It would be cheaper in a free market. This is a fact. Ther very fact we have to convince you fascist fucks that freedom is a good thing...is very sad....

[HarveyRex23]

@BrettDunbar Nothing I say would convince a half with Libertarian such as yourself of anything. Because you're too inept to believe that capitalism and democracy has one thing to do w/ another. Even though it has absolutely nothing to do w/ each other. As far as economics goes. I usually don't take it seriously. It's all a man made contrivance that can easily be manipulated. Monetary economics has nothing to do w/ science, the environment, or the natural order.

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 LOL ECONOMICS ISN'T A SCIENCE HAHAHAHHAHAHHAHA There it is people. Liberals don't know anything about how money works. No wonder they want to keep poor people down and fuck over society. You're an embarrassment. Democracy means that you have the right to take away my rights. This is why we have a republic. Capitalism brought the entire world out of poverty you ungrateful cunts. Go fuck yourselves.

[HarveyRex23]

@BrettDunbar As far as your narrow concept of what freedom and democracy is supposed to be goes. If you think you're free in this society because you can step out your door, walk your lazy fat ass to the grocery store, and choose between 26 brands of cereals. Then your view on freedom and democracy is very limited. Proving that guys like yourself can't think outside your own little free market Utopian box. You actually think choosing between 16 flavors of ice cream makes you free.

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 And you think limiting the number of cereals which raises prices is freedom.

Yes. This show's your intelligence LOL

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 Go live in china you ungrateful cunt. Seriously. I'd rather die than give you evil shitbags control.

[FlashVirus]

@HarveyRex23

All one has to do is look at laser eye surgery as an example of the free market. It has improved in quality and come down in price.

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 HAHAHHA you ACTUALLY think the united states has a free market in health care and say you know enough about economics. Go back to school you uneducated retard.

[HarveyRex23]

@BrettDunbar O.K. sweetie, how would you characterize America's health care system today, prior to the passage of the health care reform bill earlier this year? Because it certainly isn't a government run universal health care system. All you blabbered to me about was that things would run cheap if it were under a free market system. You haven't given me one thing in which anything would be cheap under a free market.

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 Look at pet care medicine vs people care medicide. Look how cheap computers are now. You're an idiot.

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 There is ooooooooooooooooooo much regulation and bullshit that causes prices to rise dramatically in america. It's all liberals/progressives fault that medicine is so expensive. Now they want to fuck ever more people over. They know nothing about science or economics. It's a joke to them. It's the equivilant of having creationists or crazy religious people run your schools. Fuck them.

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 Liberals are fucking children.

[HarveyRex23]

@BrettDunbar Uneducated retard? Jesus, is that the best response you can come up with? Oh yeah, I forgot. You're just another shit for brains Libertarian who thinks Ron Paul is the fuckin Messiah. I shouldn't be surprised at all by your 7 year old response. No offense to 7 year old children, of course.

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 Typical liberal, attack me and not what I say.

This is why you are an uneducated retard.

You don't understand the science of economics whatsoever.

You are a creationist. Please go jerk off to VenomfangX or something.

[HarveyRex23]

@BrettDunbar I hate to burst your bubble. But economics is NOT a science. Economics is a man made contrivance in which it has absolutely nothing to do with science, the environment, or nature in general. BTW, I would really be hard pressed to buy into the whole non sense of creationism, let alone the whole fantasy of Christianity. Considering the fact that I'm an Atheist. And a BLEEDING HEART LIBERAL who loves to engage in what you call. "Typical Liberal attacks."

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 *facepalm* Hey everyone look how dumb this guy is.

Economics is a social science.

And liberals have NO idea how it works. That's why they take away peoples rights and put them into poverty.

FUCK YOU FASCIST CUNT!!!

[HarveyRex23]

@BrettDunbar One last thing, before I digress. Monetary Economics is as much a science as Scientology & "Creationism". It's all man made and phony.

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 HAHAHAHHAHA YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE WORD SCIENCE MEANS LET ALONE ECONOMICS

enDOTwikipediaDOTorgSLASHwikiS­LASHEconomics

Look it up dumbass.

You're a fucking creationists and an idiot. Deal with it you fascist cunt.

I just owned you.

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 Uneducated people that think HARD SCIENCE is phony shouldn't be allowed to run our country. Liberals are creationists and religious fundamentalists.

THIS IS WHY WE HAVE POVERTY

DIE YOU EVIL CUNTRAG SOCIALISTS

[BrettDunbar]

@HarveyRex23 You fuck yourself your fascist scumbag.

[manicmetropolis]

I agree with thom on this one

[manicmetropolis]

is there enough money left to do that?

[manicmetropolis]

not everyone has access to a computer like thom said

[rauron9]

Usually the really cheap PC's have trouble running an operating system, let alone applications on top of that. I'm against the idea. You're assuming that everyone can afford and internet connection, electricity, and most of all a residence.

[slapme7times]

xp runs fine on anything.

I'm talking about paying for everyone to have high speed internet instead of having us pay tax dollars for a postal service.

how the fuck is the postal service going to guarantee you a residence or electricity?

[slapme7times]

you can't even recieve a fucking letter without a residence. what the fuck kind of comment is this?

[rauron9]

That was my point, try to keep on the same page.

[rauron9]

I'm not agreeing with you. If you can't receive a letter, than then you can't receive an e-mail either. A lot of people still don't have computers, and the internet is fairly expensive. You also need electricity, which some people don't have (as hard as it maybe for your small imagination). There is no reason to take away the option of the postal service, some people actually like to get letters in the mail. Stop trying to push this, everyone has already told you why your idea sucks.

[PeterOrszagCallMe]

Maybe if you'd get away from your computer screen occasionally you would see reasons. "Government forced postal services"--that's so idiotic. Who's forcing anything? You don't want to get mail?

[PeterOrszagCallMe]

Maybe so you could order some books that teach you to type a sentence without the word "fuck in" it.

[rivetgunner]

Digital divide (Wikipedia)

tinyurl (dot) com (slash) 3cx33v

"The term digital divide refers to the gap between people with effective access to digital and information technology and those with very limited or no access at all." "Digital divide is a common subject in US politics and various government policies."

[rivetgunner]

Now now, calm your horses down. Close your eyes. Relax. Slowly count to ten. Breath in, breath out. Got yourself comfy?

Replay the video & read the article.

[LouieArrighi]

million dollar loss? so what will the price of shipping be if it's for profit?