Summary
Donald Trump is considering privatizing the US Postal Service due to its financial losses, a move that could disrupt shipping and push hundreds of thousands of federal workers out of government.
Citing the USPS’s financial losses, Trump argued the agency should not rely on government subsidies.
While his specific privatization plans remain unclear, Trump previously clashed with the USPS during his first term, attempting to shift control of key functions like labor relations and rate-setting to the Treasury Department.
This move could significantly alter the structure and operations of the USPS if implemented.
The postal service doesn’t lose money, it costs money.
By this logic, the interstate highway system and the military both lose billions! Is Trump going to privatize them too?
Thats not even a true statement.
The postal service makes money, but any surpless is automatically taken by Congress.
In the early 2000s the GOP passed a law requiring the postal service to upfront load the retirement funds of new employees, creating a massive debt burden.
Also, Congress has removed their ability to modernize equipment and fleets, forcing them to continue repairing aged equipment.
Not to mention, DeJoy, Trump’s installment during his first term, has done everything he can to dismantle any modernization because he wants the Post Office sold at rock bottom prices so he can buy it, get this, because he owns competing companies.
Further reading: https://www.nalc.org/news/the-postal-record/2022/may-2022/document/Postal-reform.pdf
I skipped to the part about 2003 - if my reading comprehension is right, USPS was in the black. When congress noticed, they made financial magic by using the pension funding mandate to help hide how bad the federal deficit had ballooned during that administration? This is such political theater.
Yeah, I consulted chatgpt for sources on the history behind why that 75-year funding requirement was enacted. The other link it gave me was this: https://www.epi.org/press/news_from_epi_retiree_health_pre-funding_is_primary_cause_of_usps_shor/
Was there a better reason Pension Funding was even brought up as an issue worth legislating for? Was there some scare trend of businesses scamming people out of their pensions? Source?
Don’t forget National and State parks - public lands in general. WhY ArEn’T tHeY tUrNiNg a PRooooFiT??
Dont forget the fire department
And police!
You’re right, and that one isn’t even hyperbole. They earnestly want to turn the parks into oil fields and cut down the forests.
“Land of Many Abuses”
Don’t give him ideas. He probably would.
Don’t give it ideas.
Can’t spend money on sinfrastructure.
Get ready for more train derailments!
Every thing the gop has done to the usps had hurt it more… but everytime I hear “it doesn’t make money” well it did before the absolutely idiotic idea to make sure pensions were super funded forward. Ontop of that. Why the fuck does a government organization need to make money? I hate this whole “run a country like a business” bullshit so much. Money makes everything worse.
USPS doesn’t lose a dime. It’s a service. It costs money to run.
You know, like a government office does.
Same for public transit.
A bit of compensation isn’t a crazy idea, but it doesn’t have to break even with the money it does bring in. It’s not like we have a ton of toll roads either, it’s not an issue to spend billions on another lane or two.
Fuck the fascists. We fought the British over less tyrannical shit than what Trump is promising.
It isn’t a business, it is a service, it costs money that our taxes pay, so we don’t have to pay shitty private companies. (And it still makes money) “Let’s make the Mail just like ISPs” is a stupid take.
We should be making ISPs more like the mail.
United Tesla Shipping…UTS
United Tesla Institute… UTI
Shipping Tesla Institution…STI
So many possibilities!
Call me dumb… but what does UTS actually stand for?
Its just like the UPS but with a T. They could also have the all new USTS!.. The United States Tesla Shipping!
I’m not an accelerationist, but what’s left to do now except bathe in the worm glow of our country burning down?
There is no arguing that America doesn’t deserve all the bad things, and maybe a good old fashioned conflagration would straighten the survivors out for a generation or two.
Because a lot of mostly innocent people get hurt the most when it all collapses around us, and most likely you’ll also be hit by the effects of the collapse. It’s why it’s so important we work to fix the broken things and change what is wrong, and to be there for other people when things do break down rather than just wipe our hands and let the whole thing fall uncontrolled and unprepared.
Quid pro Bezos
Republicans wish to destroy any public service. That has always been their mission.
Does everything have to be a business to this guy? Some things are government services bcz they need to be done, and private businesses wouldn’t make money off it. Not everything needs to be an attempt at making money off people.
And how would you privatize an entity that’s in the Constitution? I wonder how that’d look…
Consitution? PFffffft!!
We need another mangione to put him out of our misery
The Postal Service is in the United States Constitution, Article I:
Section. 8.
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
Clause 7:
To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
My country did that long ago. Works worse every year… sometimes I have to wait for my Mail for a week. Used to be 24h.
Again?
I don’t think he will actually be able to pull this off. All federal agencies use USPS because they are govt employees, there are tons and tons of policies written about what has to be sent using USPS. Sure he probably could try to do this, but I imagine he will get a fair bit of pushback internally
