[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Because it pays the bills (not all of the bills, but a lot).

The real question is does the post office handle junk mail at a profit or a loss?

Than the rest of us pay for the cost of its disposal and dumped in a landfill.

[Mken53]

How much of that mail is junk mail?

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Mken53

How much of that mail is junk mail?

We moved here about 4 months ago and at first only got stuff we kind of wanted like bills. All of the junk mail we used to get did not get forwarded so life was great.

Over time the junk mail people found us and today about 75% of our mail gets tossed without opening.

Remarkably how many companies who would send us junk mail in Va somehow found our new address here.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by Schaumburger

I will agree that much of my mail also ends up in the recycling container. USPS should charge more to deliver junk mail. As far as paying for health care benefits, is it necessary for the USPS to prepay 75 years in the future...how about USPS prepaying 20 to 30 years in the future as a compromise?

USPS should charge more for everything...it is crazy that we pay so little for the service. What we don't get to see is their financials because our politicians have them so convoluted getting to cost plus profit is almost impossible.

[nn0wheremann]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I would propose that people should have the option to cancel their Post Office account and remove their mailbox, but your father could keep his account. If a letter or junk mail is sent to someone who has cancelled their account, the mail would be returned, and the sender would need to use UPS, FedEx, or another private delivery service. But, the current system requires every person to have a USPS account, and if the IRS, a bank, or a lawyer sends you a letter, the courts will rule that you have received the letter. Also, you cannot stop junk mail from being deposited into you mailbox until it overflows.

Anyone can refuse mail. When we were selling our house in Illinois I removed the mailbox. No problems with that. There are some functions of government that are inherently governmental. Fire protection, police protection, regulation of interstate commerce, and postal service are among these. Internet service is privatized, and thirty some years on, it still is either not available or is prohibitively expensive in half of the country. That would have been a good function for the ubiquitous postal service.

[Investment Painting Contractors]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

We moved here about 4 months ago and at first only got stuff we kind of wanted like bills. All of the junk mail we used to get did not get forwarded so life was great.

Over time the junk mail people found us and today about 75% of our mail gets tossed without opening.

Remarkably how many companies who would send us junk mail in Va somehow found our new address here.

The US Postal Service sells your name. Before everyone says I'm Wrong I have been getting Junk Mail, Hearing Aid Ads Medicare Offers Etc. in my dead aunt and uncles names. 2 years ago I handled their Estate and started getting this CRAP right after I put a change of address card in to the USPS to handle their affairs. They lived over 25 years in Gainesville, never here. Len

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

The real question is does the post office handle junk mail at a profit or a loss?

Than the rest of us pay for the cost of its disposal and dumped in a landfill.

There is no profit at the USPS.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Investment Painting Contractors

The US Postal Service sells your name. Before everyone says I'm Wrong I have been getting Junk Mail, Hearing Aid Ads Medicare Offers Etc. in my dead aunt and uncles names. 2 years ago I handled their Estate and started getting this CRAP right after I put a change of address card in to the USPS to handle their affairs. They lived over 25 years in Gainesville, never here. Len

Interesting. Our son moved out of our home 25 years ago to go to school and never came back home. All the time we lived in Va he would get mail from time to time.

Since we moved to Florida he gets some mail here. Could be the postal service does sell our info.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by nn0wheremann

Anyone can refuse mail. When we were selling our house in Illinois I removed the mailbox. No problems with that. There are some functions of government that are inherently governmental. Fire protection, police protection, regulation of interstate commerce, and postal service are among these. Internet service is privatized, and thirty some years on, it still is either not available or is prohibitively expensive in half of the country. That would have been a good function for the ubiquitous postal service.

You cannot refuse junk mail, and you cannot remove your mailbox in The Villages. If you try send it back using "return to sender", it will probably just show up again in your mailbox, especially if it is not in an envelope. If you live in a house where you have a separate mailbox on your property, you could remove it, but you will still accumulate mail at the Post Office. The problem is that, if you get a jury summons, a letter from the IRS, or any other official notice, the legal system will hold you responsible for having received the letter.

[bpascani]

I still prefer my paper bills, statements, etc, but, YES, I do tire of all of th junk mail

[hifred123]

Privatization of business or leaving it public (govt) should be considered carefully. NEITHER one is automatically better than the other. Self interests seem always to get in the way of evaluation.

Harvard Business Review
Does Privatization Serve the Public Interest?
by John B. Goodman and Gary W. Loveman
From the November-December 1991 Issue

[davem4616]

Originally Posted by hifred123

Privatization of business or leaving it public (govt) should be considered carefully. NEITHER one is automatically better than the other. Self interests seem always to get in the way of evaluation.

Harvard Business Review
Does Privatization Serve the Public Interest?
by John B. Goodman and Gary W. Loveman
From the November-December 1991 Issue

I agree neither is automatically better than the other. IMHO the government shouldn't be running anything...just provide oversight

[JGVillages]

Originally Posted by Cheapbas

I have a small business and the usps is the fastest, cheapest reliable way to get purchases to consumers. To me their services are invaluable.

Comparable ground services by the 2 major Delivery co’s are slow and far more money.

It costs 2.86 to 3.09 to get an item to the buyer, affords some sellers to offer free shipping.

It’s one of the best deals going. Presuming many of you are purchasing online nowadays you can get your items delivered cheaper and preserves your disposable income.

I would prefer they fix it and not eliminate.

Just a thought but possibly because they are the cheapest is the reason they are not profitable. A business that sells for less than their cost won’t be a business long.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by JGVillages

Just a thought but possibly because they are the cheapest is the reason they are not profitable. A business that sells for less than their cost won’t be a business long.

Bingo. You are correct on both counts.

[ficoguy]

out of all that mail maybe 1 percent is meaningful...unless you like lunch and dinner invites for cremation, funerals, annuities as essential.....