You may have heard about UPS and FedEx f***ing up during the Christmas rush. You may not have heard that the Postal Service did better than either of their competitors. You probably did not hear that they covered for UPS and FedEx, delivering thousands upon thousands of packages that the much-ballyhooed “overnight” delivery companies couldn’t handle. And the USPS accomplished this feat in spite of being put at a massive competitive disadvantage by Congress, back in 2006.
That disadvantage?They imposed a regulation so burdensome as to to destroy the agency: a 5.5-billion-dollar-a-year pension pre-payment requirement on the USPS that NONE of their competitors have to pay. Hell, no other agency or company in the USA has to pay it. And the Congress imposed this ridiculous tax upon the USPS after being bribed to do so by the likes of UPS. Bribed? Yes, bribed. Calling them “campaign contributions” is a nice fiction, but we are calling spades by their rightful names here.
For example: co-sponsor Susan Collins got $22,160.00 from UPS, just in 2006. Joe Lieberman is an even cheaper lay: $5,000.00 from FedEx in 2006. And then they passed the post-office-killing bill by a “voice vote”, which allows legislators to avoid going on the official record. Not just whores, but cowardly whores.
Of course, the House is on the take, too: let’s look at just one of the sponsors:
From 2001 through 2010 Shuster received $29,500 from Fed-Ex, $6,000 from Koch Industries PAC, and $36,500 from UPS. In the 2011-2012 election cycle, according to OpenSecrets.org, Fed-Ex has given Shuster $7,500. UPS has given $ 5,000.
All of these mutts want to privatize the postal service. And who would take over after privatization? Why, shucky darn, what a coinkeedink, it would be UPS and FedEx. We would pay more and get less, as our elected “representatives” laugh all the way to their Swiss bank accounts.
Realize this: UPS and FedEx suck so hard, they have to use the Postal Service to deliver a huge number of items every day. They pay a pittance for this service, and pocket the profits. And act like they deserve credit for the deliveries. Bull-f***ing-s***. The Post Office deserves credit for bailing out their incompetent and inefficient private competitors.
Bitching about the USPS is a time-honored tradition, and this writer does his share. But the private-sector alternatives cost more and stink worse. And the foulest stench of all comes from Capitol Hill, where those greedy motherf***ers are lining their pockets and trying to screw us even worse than we already have been.
Mr. Blunt and Cranky
Thanks to Cranky Readers for pointing out a typo: it’s 5.5 billion, not 55. B&C
bluntandcranky 
As if the postal unions and associations don’t make political donations………
Yes, but the USPS itself can not spend a dollar to lobby, a UPS and FedEx can and do…
I believe each and every employee of the USPS, both management and craft, is entitled to lobby, donate to, criticize, or campaign against any member of congress. Now how’s that again that the USPS is being out-bribed?
They can’t lobby. Check the laws. And we can tell who won the Bribe-A-Thon by the results. USPS lost.
Good point. UPS PAC gave Lie reman $5000 in 2006 and that’s called a bribe? The Rural Carrier PAC alone gave him $9000 in 2006, never mind what the other postal Unions gave him.
Yes, but then we at the USPS don’t turn around and drop off parcels at UPS or FedEx for them to deliver! What a sweetheart deal for them!
Indeed!
Prefunding is 5 point 5 billion, not 55 billion you cranky bastard.
Fixed. Thanks.
it says 5.5 . read more closely
I corrected it after his (and another) comment), and noted it in a postscript.
Your correct but all told we are talking about an overpayment of 75 billion dollars over the course of the years. And that’s no typo!!
Ouch!
Whether it’s prepaid or not, retirement health insurance eventually must still be funded. Or do you want Postal retirees to face the same cuts as those poor retired city employees in Detroit?
USPS is prepaying 75 years ahead – for people who haven’t even been born yet. A happy medium would be fine, this is ridiculous.
The $75 billion overpayment is to the CSRS retirement fund, and there is an estimated $13 billion that has been overpaid to the FERS retirement fund. Several separate audits, including one by the OIG and one commissioned by the Postal Regulatory Commission,are the source of these figures. This is in addition to the $5.5 billion we are charged with paying every year for the retirees healthcare. Although we have defaulted on the retirees payment in the last few years, it is estimated that there is already $43 billion we have paid into that fund which, if invested properly, should leave taxpayers worry-free about any possible bailout.
Guess Fed Ex and UPS should treat their employees like crap and work them 12 to 14 hours a day 6 days a week like the postal service does their letter carriers…..
Got proof?
go to any NALC office. They will be happy to provide documentation.
Yea, i work for p.o., worked every day, from day after thanksgiving to christmas eve. including sundays,. worked 60-71 hrs per week.
Funny, been a carrier for 35 years and have never worked “12-14” hours a day.
Thanks. That set of accusations sounded off to me.
Believe it freecountry it happened to all the subs in my office
I’m a 24 year city carrier of USPS and worked all days off for the last 2 months and as much as 11 hours a day. Yes, I choose to work in the dark – my customers are worth it.
I got news for you, they DO treat their employees like crap, too!
Typo: 5.5 billion per year, not 55 bil. Otherwise, self-serving in Congress should be a capital crime. https://bluntandcranky.wordpress.com/2013/12/27/congress-is-being-bribed-to-kill-the-postal-service-even-though-they-do-a-better-job-than-fedex-or-ups/#comment-form-load-service:Facebook
Thanks! Corrected.
yes mr cranky ,,,,the proof is on black and white …on postal records.and also union grievances ..working 10 hour days 6 days a week and overburden routes ………….now all the machines keep count of volume…. check with union representatives……………management will lie and not disclose that info
A web link or citation would be very helpful.
I can send you my paystub if you like those hours posted are true
If you are working 6 days a week,10 hours a day, then you are a fool. Bring the mail back when it is dark. Or is your wage worth getting shot or mugged?!?!
THE REGULAR RURAL CARRIERS IN THE TAMPA BAY REGION WERE SENT HOME IF THEY WOULD GO OVER THEIR EVALUATION FOR THE WEEK. BUT THE SUBS WORKED AT LEAST 60 HR WEEK. THE CLERKS IN THE STATION WORKED OVER 60 HR PER WEEK. THEY WOULD EVEN BRING REGULAR RURAL CARRIERS ON THEIR DAY OFF ( WHICH IS NOT CONCEDERED IN THE CHRISTMAS O.T.) SO ALL THE CRAFTS IN THE P.O. IN THE TPA. BAY AREA GOT ALL THE HRS. THEY WANTED EXCEPT REGULAR RURAL CARRIERS NOT ON O.D.L . (WHY BE ON O.D.L. WHEN YOU ARE WORKING 50 HR. WEEKS ALL YEAR LONG ANYWAY)
BIG DIFFERENCE FROM CITY AND RURAL
)
Well “proud to serve.” Then that is a decision you have made that compounds the problem. If you would take the mail back and not work in the dark the public pressure would make the USPS do something about it. And I’m sure that the carriers who have been shot or robbed ALL thought their customers were worth it! Wonder what the families think now……