soundoff (212 Responses)

1. Rolyat
   

   The USPS needs to be privatized. That's the solution. Release the Goverment from running it. They have enough problems with running the United States.

   September 15, 2011 at 2:36 pm | Report abuse |
   • Hooligan
     

     uh, no... public services should NOT be privatized....ever,

     And by the way my post office is shutting down as well and is NOT on this list and WAS privatized and they still ran it in to the ground and now also want to sell the historic building they are located in.

     September 15, 2011 at 3:00 pm | Report abuse |
   • Myopinionz1
     

     I agree. The release a plan to shave 3 billion off cost when they are losing 9 billion and borrowing 3 billion a year from the US Treasury (the tax payer) to still operate at a loss. Makes no sense.

     September 15, 2011 at 3:00 pm | Report abuse |
   • bud
     

     uh, no. the government doesn't run the Post Office.

     September 15, 2011 at 3:30 pm | Report abuse |
   • Greg
     

     No, privatization is a REALLY bad idea. ... we accept Visa Master Card and Discover, but not American Express. If you upgrade to our standard "Gold Package" we will limit the amount of junk mail you receive. The "Premium Platinum Package" will get you Saturday delivery 2 times a month unless it falls the week before or after a holiday. Oh we just raised our rates effective next month for ALL of our packages. We don't have to care we're the NEW POST OFFICE!

     September 15, 2011 at 3:50 pm | Report abuse |
2. Satch
   

   In my state the towns being considered are larger than the one I live in, which isn't being considered. We have a post office, but not get home delivery. Seems like shutting the small towns down would cut a lot of expense. Doesn't matter, if I drive to the PO or a "Village PO."
   USPS needs a CEO and staff that can think their way out of a paper bag. The current ones have too much baggage. They can't see past the deep rut they've carved.

   September 15, 2011 at 2:38 pm | Report abuse |
3. FLVoter
   

   I say good riddance. When I pay a premium to ship international express and it takes over a week for the package to go from Fort Lauderdale to Miami, it is time for them to close their doors. Some carriers and post office staff are decent enough, but many are rude and incompetent. I am all for the USPS to layoff all these union employees and close down the post offices. Let the local grocers and drugstores have a mini booth with store employees to do the job for a fraction of the cost. They are private sector, friendlier and more capable. The USPS has proved itself unable to compete, lacking basic customer service and can't balance their own books. A perfect example of how unions are destroying our America.

   September 15, 2011 at 2:41 pm | Report abuse |
   • leecherius
     

     Unoins destroying america...ROFL....We wouldn't have ever become a world economic power without them..

     September 15, 2011 at 3:09 pm | Report abuse |
   • Myopinionz1
     

     @lee.... there was a time when Unions served a true purpose to prevent abuse of our workers. BUT, now they have become greedy, and expect to have more than the normal. non-unionized worker... to a point where they have so negatively impacted US companies... they are moving business outside the US. Let's pay a union worker 35% more than a non-union worker for the same job, because....??? Why??? Low skilled labor positions being paid $27 an hour, when I can do it for $9 in mexico. Guess what, I would pay an American $10 to do it, and still make a profit... but you are greedy and are killing America.

     September 15, 2011 at 3:13 pm | Report abuse |
   • bud
     

     be careful what you wish for. the prices to mail things will be much, much higher. @myopinion I would hazard a guess and say you don't know that much about the unions in the Post Office so I wouldn't assume they are at fault.

     September 15, 2011 at 3:37 pm | Report abuse |
   • IL
     

     The Union has nothing to do with this. In 2006 (with record mail volume), GWB signed into law an order requiring the USPS to fund its retiree health benefits 75 years out by making an enormous payment every year. The USPS is the ONLY employer, public or private, that is required to fund the health care of retirees that won't even be born for another 40 years. This payment is the cause of 100% of the crisis the USPS faces. Without it, the USPS would be meeting its obligations right now, as it has already cut thousands of jobs AND increased its productivity. Those union employees work very hard and are not at ALL at fault.

     September 15, 2011 at 3:53 pm | Report abuse |
   • IL
     

     And it is MY opinion, Myopinionz, that it is low paying jobs that are killing America. An economy can't thrive when nobody can afford to purchase anything. Unions don't think they deserve "more", they think we ALL deserve more. This financial issue is not about the union, but the union has already made plenty of sacrifices. These employees negotiated their salaries with their employer. You don't pay it, so what does it have to do with you? They will suffer plenty in all of this, even if they worked their butts off for 20 years. Some will lose jobs, homes, file for bankruptcy, file for unemployment benefits when they lose their jobs. Hope that puts a smile on your face, greedy corporate dude that wants to produce everything with the cheapest labor costs imaginable, even if it is often immoral and illegal.

     September 15, 2011 at 4:02 pm | Report abuse |
4. Ritesh Nair
   

   Many ways USPS can make a turn around
   Change operating hours from "8:30AM – 5PM" to "2PM-10PM" or "3PM – 11PM" –> more accessibility to office goers, who can go to post office after work hours, more likely they will not be in a hurry and hence may end up making more purchases at post office. Increases traffic, but at the same time reduces wait time since the traffic is more likely to be spread out.
   Change post office front end operating days from "Monday to Saturday half day" to "Tuesday to Sunday"; deliveries can still be made on Mondays to offices. Again increases traffic but spread out over time thus reducing wait.
   Increase items on sale: collectible stamps, collectible bags, promotions, etc.
   Have a floor manager: to interact with/greet people, guide them in the right direction, which makes a BIG difference.
   Use spaces at malls/cinemas/supermarket chains as major collection centers, or even better have postal booths manned by minimal staff at strategic locations.

   September 15, 2011 at 2:43 pm | Report abuse |
5. me
   

   The cities on the list are not post offices, only the processing plant.

   September 15, 2011 at 2:44 pm | Report abuse |
   • CRSouser
     

     Agreed, total failure by CNN to not list the acronyms behind the location to denote the type of facility. At face value and with the little description CNN put in this post it is implying some towns of over 50,000 people are not going to have a post office. Complete failure on CNNs part for not being more specific and providing low quality sensationalism reporting.

     September 15, 2011 at 3:23 pm | Report abuse |
   • Where's the common sense?
     

     Why would they close the processing plant in Bloomington, IN, the home of Indiana University? Why would they close any processing plant where there is a major university within a stone's throw of it? It's only going to slow down the mail for the locals and students... South Bend as well, and a large city's plant like Orlando? Why don't they close the Mom and Pop Post Offices that are small and are very low volume???

     September 15, 2011 at 3:24 pm | Report abuse |
   • Myopinionz1
     

     Because they need to shave over 12 billion a year off their cost to break even. Shutting down a $100K a year mom and pop isn't going to do it.

     September 15, 2011 at 3:29 pm | Report abuse |
   • IL
     

     The USPS Does NOT use taxpayer money, myopinionz. Please stop posting these untruths because they are giving a completely false impression. The usps has not borrowed a dime of taxpayer money in 30 years. Fact.

     September 15, 2011 at 4:06 pm | Report abuse |
6. Jeff Frank ( R - Ohio )
   

   When 90% of the mail is advertisments, and my neighbor 12 houses down the road, has my electric bill and throws it in the trash. Then and I have the neighbors across the streets' water bill, but it's illegal for me to simply pop it into his box, then I have to write delivered to wrong address and put my flag up. The local postmaster denies all of this. DO YOU HONESTLY THINK I WOULD MISS THEM, GOING POSTAL AND ALL?

   September 15, 2011 at 2:53 pm | Report abuse |
   • leecherius
     

     Incompetence reigns supreme...

     September 15, 2011 at 3:11 pm | Report abuse |
   • joanie
     

     go to usps.com and file a complaint and the postmaster in your community will have to respond. The majority of postal employees are hard workers, like all jobs you will have people that don't care.

     September 15, 2011 at 7:27 pm | Report abuse |
7. Myopinionz1
   

   The US Postal Service loses over 9 billion dollars a year. It then borrows money from the US Treasury to continue operations. (3 billion a year, 15 billion owed) Shaving 3 billion off operations is not going to fix this issue. It cannot operate under the restrictions of the government. Let it go private and good luck to the winner. If it is UPS, FedEx or USPS... great. I am not willing to fund loans to a losing company, with a greedy union and a management Team that can't adapt to a changing world.

   September 15, 2011 at 3:06 pm | Report abuse |
   • Josh
     

     I just looked into this and I believe you're mistaken. 3 Billion a year is borrowed from the US Postal service. That surplus of money that is borrowed from us is the mandatory pre-funding of retirement and healthcare. We are the only organization that is required to pre-fund retirement. We receive no tax dollars, but are told by congress what to do with the money that we do make.

     September 15, 2011 at 3:40 pm | Report abuse |
   • Myopinionz1
     

     You have no "surplus of money". The USPS loses 9 billion a year.... spends more to operate than it brings in revenue from postage. You are being required to pre-pay retirement becuase your union wrote in a no layoff clause, ehich means that even though there is no work for all the people... the tax payers might foot the bill due to the 15 billion in loans given by the US Treasury. Basically... you won;t resize your organization to adjust for the loss, but you want us to pay for your retirement with US Treasury loans.

     September 15, 2011 at 3:46 pm | Report abuse |
   • IL
     

     wow, mypoinionz. You are really uninformed. You don't pay USPS retirement costs, either. USPS employees do pay into medicare though, and most don't use it. In fact, USPS employees are one of the largest contributors. If anything, they pay more of your benefits than you will ever pay of theirs.

     September 15, 2011 at 4:12 pm | Report abuse |
8. Joe
   

   The USPS is a victim of technology. Sitting at my job for example I have not sent any regular mail at all this week. People expect email PDF's etc. The company as a result consoldated its own mail operations to one location, scans everything and sends copy to me to process. If the USPS goes I'll missing the daily mail but I'll get over it.

   September 15, 2011 at 3:09 pm | Report abuse |
9. Paul Miller
   

   FedEx and Kroger could, in combination, perform all of the USPS services at a savings, with little government involvment and no additional expense.

   September 15, 2011 at 3:10 pm | Report abuse |
   • WoW
     

     'at a savings' works until they corner the market...then it becomes another Netflix debacle. Imagine getting your mail at $10 bucks per letter.

     September 15, 2011 at 3:16 pm | Report abuse |
   • joanie
     

     the postal service delivers many packages for Fed Ex and UPS. both companies bring their packages to the Post Office, and the Post Office has 24 hours to deliver them.

     September 15, 2011 at 7:29 pm | Report abuse |
10. WoW
    

    I can't believe people want this to happen. I guess people can afford almost $4 a gallon for their gas guzzler SUV they can add paying some private company to deliver mail at your doorstep. I agree that the USPS needs some revamping, but it doesn't mean we need to privatize the service. Just another away for Joe-Corperation to take your hard earn money and stick it in their coffers. What a sad state we live in.

    September 15, 2011 at 3:13 pm | Report abuse |
11. No planning, no thinking
    

    Not all employees are bad, for sure. The structure is bad and taking the jobs for granted is one of the things that hurts USPS the most. No matter who finances their operations (stamp sales or tax money, and hopefully private money in the future), any business needs to stay on top of costs and expenses. AND CUSTOMER SERVICE TOO!
    Here is one real example at a USPS location in Downtown Los Angeles (and not only one time in the same location):
    it's about 12:15PM, line is growing non stop, turning around and finally going out the door. Only 2 of the 4 USPS desks have employees working. And they are dry and rude to the customers.
    All of a sudden one of the employees that was working closes her station, takes her purse and comes out to the hall, where the line is now about 40 people long. She directs people to turn the line the other way in order to not block the entrance to the facility. AND SHE WALKS OUT!!!!!! FOR God's sake, she takes her union-supported break at the busiest time in one of the busiest downtown locations in a major metropolis! Only one employee worked the facility for about 20 minutes when a third one came in to assist. And she was not in a rush to get moving.
    In a privately run company, these people would be out the door. And that is why Fedex is my #1 option. Not to mention that for most localities, Fedex ground is cheaper than the 'flat rate' from USPS.
    I am all for closing the BAD facilities.

    September 15, 2011 at 3:16 pm | Report abuse |
    • IL
      

      Breaks are a matter of state law. They have nothing to do with the Union. Management decides break times.

      September 15, 2011 at 4:17 pm | Report abuse |
12. Zato
    

    Maybe if the government hadn't forced the USPS to pay retirement benefits 75 years in advance in a span of 10 years (yikes!) they wouldn't be 9 billion in the hole. Yes, people that haven't been born yet have a retirement package already paid for. Three busiest years were 2005-2007 and that's when this ridiculous legislation was passed by congressman who received campaign funding from USP and Fed-Ex. Bill HR-1351 is going through congress in an attempt to prevent this default – it will audit the retirement fund to see how much has been over-paid so that the USPS can apply that money to their debt. Ask yourself this, is there any company out there that carries mail or packages to every single household in the United States – a .44 cent letter? You want to privatize the USPS so that they can cut benefits and hire cheap labor so a CEO can put an addition on to his/her mansion? http://www.truth-out.org/last-union/1315492298

    September 15, 2011 at 3:18 pm | Report abuse |
13. chester629
    

    From a consumer standpoint (myself) who sends things somewhat regularly, I always use UPS or FedEx. Prices are the same if not a little cheaper, hours are business friendly so I can go after work, and the biggest factor for me, UPS/FedEx are NOT snotty and rude. Everytime I've been to a USPS PO and needed help with anything, they made me feel like I was interupting their day. Like their crosswords can't wait? When I went in to open a PO Box for my business...yeah, you would have thought I was asking for a kidney. All in all, they are not customer friendly IN ANY WAY = consumers will not use you! Business model 101.

    September 15, 2011 at 3:25 pm | Report abuse |
14. Josh
    

    to Myopinionz, whwre are you getting you facts about the USPS borrowing from the Treasury?? I would like to look into this further. I work for the Post Office and have never heard of this. Thanks

    September 15, 2011 at 3:28 pm | Report abuse |
    • Myopinionz1
      

      http://www.henrywaxman.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Postal_Reform.pdf

      September 15, 2011 at 3:39 pm | Report abuse |
15. KC
    

    Why do you want USPS to be privatized? You have an option to use UPS or Fedex if you want already. See how much you need to pay for them and see how much you could have paid at USPS. Your mail will cost you $3 to send instead of 44cents now. You can forget about receiving any kind of mail if you live in the area where those companies deem to be not profitable. Some services are not really for privatization, such as USPS. Consider yourself paying quarter for every mile or 10 you drive every day everywhere because roads are all privatized and owned by some company for profit. They need to be better managed. Maybe they can deliver 5 days/week instead of 6. They could reduce the number of offices to reduce cost. But privatization of USPS or even without it? You never realize the necessity of it until you lose it.

    September 15, 2011 at 3:28 pm | Report abuse |
    • Myopinionz1
      

      Because it loses 9+ billion a year, then borrows up to 15 billion from the Treasury (the tax payer) to keep operating. It's union has a contract that prevents layoffs... so we just keep footing the bill. I'm not willing to pay 10 billion a year in my taxes for a greedy union, a poorly run company, and for-life retirement so you can get the latest Val-Pack coupons in your mail for .44

      September 15, 2011 at 3:42 pm | Report abuse |
    • KC
      

      Myopinionz1, do you really get nothing else other than Val-Pack in your mail box? I think you get more than that. I get all sorts of necessary mails, I send lots of commercial parcels through USPS. Besides, you can blame UPS and Fedex and corrupted politicians who passed the retirement-package-75-years-in-advance-bill. Do you think that makes sense? Retirement package 75 years in advance? There's 5.5 billion / year right there. Also, you don't pay 10 billion a year in your tax. You don't make 10 billion / year, you don't pay 10 billion in taxes. Get your facts straight. Also, you are an idiot if you think privatizing it will solve all the problems. As soon as USPS goes, UPS and Fedex will jack up the prices. Sometimes, I think people never took Economics 101 or anything related to Business Operations in college to think privatizing everything is the answer to all problems..

      September 15, 2011 at 10:07 pm | Report abuse |