Postmaster General Pat Donahoe may be having his difficulties with Congress, but he can take solace in one fact: Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle still use the mail.
Among the correspondence Donahoe received this week: A Wednesday letter from 43 senators pressing him to extend the U.S. Postal Service’s self-imposed freeze on post office and processing plant closings. That moratorium is currently set to expire May 15; the group of mostly Democratic senators wants the Postal Service to hold off on any closures until Congress approves a comprehensive fix for the mail carrier’s problems.
“We are deeply concerned that the closing of these postal facilities prior to postal reform legislation being enacted would be devastating to communities around the country,” they wrote.
A spokeswoman for the lead signer, Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., confirmed that the letter was sent both by email and regular mail.
The next day brought tidings from three Republican senators who want the downsizing to begin pronto. Despite last week’s Senate passage of a postal bill, “we believe it is very unlikely that both the House and Senate will come to agreement on legislation that reforms the postal system any time soon,” the three wrote, “and strongly encourage you to move forward with the cost-saving changes you have previously outlined.”
That letter went out by email, regular mail and fax, according to an aide to Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who was the lead in that case.
So remember, folks: Whatever your message, all it takes is a stamp.
4 Comments
The Corkscrew might be able to rally the moron community, but not anyone with 1/2 a brain.
Unemployment down to 8% from 10.5%
Housing markets are recovering
Dow is up to 13,000 from 7,500 at the depths of the 2008 crash
bin Laden is dead
Combat Ops in Iraq are over
Auto industry was saved
Gas prices down 60 cents a gal. in the past month
Wall Street paid back the $850 BILLION Bush TARP to avoid being regulated
Yep, we’re better off than we were 4 years ago, unless you are a complete moron who refuses to accept reality.
Members of congress could care less because they never pay for a stamp….. They get free mail service. Just look at the correspondence they send out. Instead of a stamp on it, their letters have their name printed on it. Way to go congress…. you get it for free so why should you care if the postal service goes under….. You had better think again!
Touche’ Pat Donahue Touche”
Congress has Franking Rights. Simply put, free mailing of their propaganda. All members of Congress should have their budgets tapped for any mail sent. Not one member of Congress knows what is happening to the Postal Service beyond what USPS is telling them, There is no over-site. Dont the elected idiots get it ? USPS has too many local offices in cities — you have to cut back on their offices too close together— that wont stop deliveries but will reduce office staff. Next do a honest and fair route review. Look at the amount of OT. Get OMB or some agency to do an honest assessment of USPS budget, assets and liabilities. Folks the OIG wont cut it.
Demand all Upper Management jobs be put on the line by requiring letter of resignations based on accountability. Reduce the VPs along with PMG Donahoe salaries by 50% based on performance to turn USPS around. Do not allow any buyouts – do RIFs that will reduce the complement. You cant force the older-sters out but sure in the hell can move them to other localities. BTW look at what USPS is outsourcing and how effective that is. All this wont matter as USPS can and will increase the complement in 2 years