USPS Fate Hangs By a Thread

The fate of the United States Postal Service, hangs by a thread, and without a quick move from Congress, they won't make it till winter.  Postmaster general Patrick R. Donahoe said, declining mail volume and the growing expense of prefunding retiree health benefits, if left unchecked, will hit $10 billion dollar deficit.  

The Postal service is requesting Congress to intervene, and restructure their existing regulations.  They have asked to break union contracts and lay off workers, and to loosen the requirements of prefunded retiree's health costs.  Proposals for cost cutting measures include eliminating Saturday delivery, closing up to 3,700 post offices, laying off 120,000 workers, pulling workers out of expensive pension plans.

Obama's administration, gave the USPS, an extension on their required pre-funded health payment, that was due at the end of September.  The administration said that a plan would be decided upon in the upcoming months.  US office of Personnel Management Director John Berry, said the White House would release a detailed plan as part of a package in the upcoming months.  Mr. Donahoe claims that even with the extension, the service would only make it until next summer at the continued rate of decline.

In another strange management of money scenario, the USPS, has a $6.9 billion holding tank of money in which they overpaid into their Federal Employees Retirement Service, and an estimated $50 to $75 billion to the Civil Service Retirement System.  Carefully treading on delicate waters, the directors are asking Congress for not a bailout of government money, but to be allowed access to their own money, and a cease on the prepaid health care costs; which they are required by Congress to prefund 75 years in advance.  

Since 2006, mail volume has declined by 22%.  More people are paying their bills electronically, reading catalogs online and emailing versus traditional mail.  This decline, along with the prefunded health cost, has left a page full of red.  

The fact is, the USPS makes up 7% of the United States gross domestic product, and employees millions of workers. To allow the fall of this establishment, could greatly threaten our very delicate economy.  Fears of political gridlock over their looming fate have Republicans and Democrats going throat to throat.  At campaigning and reelection time, candidates and lawmakers have tough decisions to make.  Within their districts, these candidates may face angry constituents over post office closures.   Even the smallest of changes in ending Saturday delivery, has stirred debate with the newspaper and magazine industry.  Allowing the post office to fail would hurt many, mostly senior citizens, who typically don't use new age technology.

Some members of Congress are calling on Americans to help save the USPS by rekindling the love of letter writing.  This lost art, has sadly been replaced with impersonal texts and emails.  There is something about receiving a letter, that sparks a chord of happiness from within my being.  The USPS is indeed a national treasure.  To see the end of a service that defines America, would be a great loss to everyone.  

In an effort to utilize our great United States Postal Service, I ask "Would the post office closure affect your life…and how?"- write me a stamped letter at

The Prophetstown Echo

P.O Box 7

Prophetstown, IL

61277

Labor Day

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.  It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country~United States Department of Labor

This past Monday marked a national holiday, and a salute to the hard working labor force of our great nation.  While you may have not given this late summer holiday much thought in the past, our current economic situation has 13.9 million people sitting idle and wanting to "labor".  Like a fine oiled machine, America runs on hard work and perseverance.  

Our strong country can stand back with pride at the awe striking accomplishments by our labor force.  American Ford Motor workers, scientist and laborers, worked tirelessly to bring us the awesomeness of the first Ford Mustang in 1964; In 1952, a man named Dr. Jonas Salk invented, and gave away without patenting, his polio cure.  With the labor of nurses and volunteers, our country defeated a crippling disease;  Chicago native Bruce Graham, designed the building, while 1,500 men worked on the construction of one of the tallest buildings we know as Sears Tower-Willis Tower;  The very organization and implementation of our air space through aviation and airports, takes manpower and intelligence I cannot even fathom;  The  dangerous everyday toil of a oil rig worker, is deserving of every hard dollar they cash every week;  The waitress that does her fair share of schmoozing for an extra piece of the american pie from day to day; The clerk who takes your five in exchange for soda….everyone is part of this fined tuned collaboration, we pridefully call The United States of America. 

 America has a air of exceptionalism that hangs around us, but it's well deserved when you see the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, catch a White Sox game in their newly remodeled stadium, or drive your Harley down a newly paved road…the great sweat of American workers is what keeps us running.  Let's get America back laboring. Happy holiday.