'Junk mail' is our bag

Stephen O'halloran, Boulder

Published July 30, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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July 30, 2008

4:40 a.m.

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Shadow writes:

Yes look at the whole picture here. The lousey service that a private enterprise as the post office gives, with support from the federal government.

The post office is not a government agency. By their own admission the loose 1 million pieces of mail a day. Don't bother to figure out packages or post cards take the letters. At .42 cents a letter times 1 million that is $420,000.00 dollars a day. Give them credit of only a six day work week. That is $2,520,000 dollars a week. Now over the coarse of one year, minus two weeks for vacation. That comes out to be $126,000,000 million dollars that the post office pockets per year.

They do not look for this lost mail. Its money in their pockets. With this they claim they need to raise rates, and that they are over worked. I have as of today yet to walk into a post office where there were at least two or three employees standing around doing nothing.

Hell, I cannot even get them to understand the differance between a 5 and a 6 onmmy mail. I keep getting the nieghbors. Not to mention mail for some family with the same numerical address but on a different street.

When it comes to the post office I would rather go with e-mail and faxes, use FedEx or UPS then the postal service.
July 30, 2008

6:26 a.m.

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LetsThink writes:

Shall we maintain jobs that have essentially no value for improving America??

That doesn't make sense.

Let's stop wasting our time and resources. We need to create jobs that have real value.

Put an end to 'junk' mail.
July 30, 2008

6:35 a.m.

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Hedz writes:

Isn't it a little early to be heartless???????
July 30, 2008

7:06 a.m.

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SheikYurBooty writes:

People do have a right to mail stuff, but they do not have a right to the subsidized rates on which junk mail depends. Make them pay the first class rate and then let them execise their "right" to mail to their heart's content.
July 30, 2008

8:12 a.m.

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sooperburd writes:

The USPS should have to compete with the other package carriers without any government subsidies. I would love to see the USPS go out of business.

When the telecommunications industry was computerized in the 1970's because the old operator system was obsolete, 70,000 telephone operators lost their jobs. Should we have kept the operator system because we didn't want to lose jobs?

The fact that people stand to lose their jobs is no reason to hang on to an outdated system.
July 30, 2008

8:50 a.m.

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greenleaf writes:

For those who dislike wasteful, junk mail, several options exist. Some are free, some cost a small amount of money and others require a little effort.

https://www.dmachoice.org/MPS/proto1.php this is a postal service sponsored service to eliminate unwanted advertising.

http://www.stopthejunkmail.com/index.... this is a low cost, logical service that I have used to eliminate catalogs and advertising that I don't want to receive.

Another strategy that usually works with banks and catalogs is to call their toll free numbers and ask to be taken off their mailing list. They are glad to do this because companies don't want to waste money and effort on people who have no interest or need for their goods and services. You are performing a service for them as well.

I have personally reduced my junk mail by over 75% in less than a year. Its painless, just do it for your sanity or because you hate the waste. Its worth it!
July 30, 2008

9:12 a.m.

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P_Denver writes:

"Your business has no 'right' to exist"
Peter Drucker, Business writer and speaker

Every private business has to earn their keep every day.

Rules change, and the business either adapts or perishes. My business plays under the same set of rules as the USPS. If congress enacts legislation that erodes our profit margin, or legislates one of our products out of existance (both have happened) we either learn new ways of meeting our customer's needs or we go under.

So far, we've learned new tricks.

If (when?) junk mail is regulated, the USPS will have to figure out how to add some other value-added enterprise to their mail bag.

Otherwise, they join the buggy-whip manufacturers of a bygone era.
July 30, 2008

11:08 a.m.

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anderson writes:

Shadow: "By their own admission the loose 1 million pieces of mail a day."

There isn't any bs you won't swallow, is there?
July 30, 2008

11:29 a.m.

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anderson writes:

P_Denver: I challenge your premise that every gov't enterprise has to be "profitable". Not that they shouldn't be efficient--they should--but the public and private sectors have different goals and purposes. The private sector is out there to make a profit for its owners. The public sector is out there to serve the public.

Thanks to greenleaf for the links. I'm saving them. If anyone knows a place or sight to stop offers from credit card cos. please post.
July 30, 2008

12:14 p.m.

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Conservativeslayer writes:

So all you righties that hate the post office, answer this. If we elminated the post office, how much would it cost to mail an letter? The post office charges 42 cents, how much would private enterprise charge? I'm guessing more then 42 cents. It amazes me how stupid you guys are. How you've been totally brainwashed to love corporations and hate government. Like a previous poster said, government serves a different purpose then business. Government is designed to serve the "common good", not make money. You listen to right-wing hate radio and they consistently get you to vote against your economic interests. So vote to abolish the post office. See how much more it will cost you to rely on private enterprise, to do what the post office did for less cost to you. Morons get what they deserve.
July 30, 2008

12:30 p.m.

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titancain writes:

Just throw it away. It's that simple.
July 30, 2008

12:59 p.m.

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P_Denver writes:

anderson,

The USPS is not a government agency, per se. My sister-in-law is a letter carrier, and told me they receive no funding from the government.

Now, if she is mistaken or (more likely) I heard her wrong, please let me know and I will reassess my statement.

But, if the USPS is indeed a private enterprise, my opinion stands.

USPS personnel: are you indeed direct government employees?

Thanks.
July 30, 2008

1:49 p.m.

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greenleaf writes:

Anderson, et al,
My last link has stopped working for some reason, so I reposted in hopes that it works this time. If not, just google "stopthejunkmail".
http://www.stopthejunkmail.com/index.cfm
July 30, 2008

3:28 p.m.

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P_Denver writes:

W:

Thank you for the background.

So, in your opinion, is the USPS a useful enterprise for continuation of the governmental subsidies?

Or, should it be left to stand on its own in a free-market format?
July 30, 2008

4:35 p.m.

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MrPeabody writes:

Anderson - contact the credit reporting agencies and tell them you want to opt out from credit card offers. You'll probably need to do this in writing. It works great! Every once in a while one slips through but I'm no longer deluged daily.
July 30, 2008

6:03 p.m.

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anderson writes:

Thank you for the suggestion, Mr. Peabody. I'll have to see if I can find an address.
July 30, 2008

6:08 p.m.

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anderson writes:

It sounds like the postal service is in some quasi-status. However, they probably have a government mandate to do certain things, like deliver mail to everyone. If it were privatised, it's reasonable to believe that some people would be shut out, forced to pay, or otherwise face diminished service. So to answer your question P-Denver, I'm all for the USPS and what they do.
July 30, 2008

7:41 p.m.

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Shadow writes:

So Anderson you think it is BS? Call the post office, ask them they freely admit to the loss of mail. They do not hide this fact. Then if the math is too complicated for you ask someone else to do it. The USPS rakes in a hell of a lot of money.
July 30, 2008

8:57 p.m.

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anderson writes:

Yes, I do think it's bs, shadow. Bs on its face. I wouldn't have said so otherwise.
July 30, 2008

10:03 p.m.

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P_Denver writes:

Thanks to all.

The issue began with: should "junk mail" being banned?

I am against it. It's easy enough to throw into a paper-recycle bin. No biggie.
July 31, 2008

1:38 p.m.

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tyeryark writes:

I have read and reread these comments and agree that junk mail is only junk in the context of the person receiving it. I do look through my junk mail and then decided what to do with it. Per the comment about lost mail that is not what the original thought was about. but I have also had mail lost. It was checked into and if not found in georgia was usually destroyed by machinery. Was I upset? Absolutely but with USPS concerned primarily with automation, duh these machines are developed and placed at the hands of private contractors and they can only performed what is programmed into them. They do not have a human touch so what can you expect. I have had letters totally destroyed by a letter sorting machine. I now personally use priority mail or express mail as it is treated better and the machinery doesn't seem to screw it up as much. Card companies and Mortgage companies now charge as much as express mail to take payments and don't provide me with verification I can count on. In the case of express mail if it isn't there on time I get my money back. As far as email goes you never know who is trying to steal your identity so I no longer trust that. As far as a do not mail list well in my opinion the do not call list didn't work so why bother. Also there are many people in private industries who rely on junk mail for employment. With the country going the way it currently is why would any of you want someone to be out of work. are you prepared to pay more out of your paycheck to help support those who are out of work. I'm not, I would rather see more people employed.
August 1, 2008

3:57 p.m.

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phil74501 writes:

First let me state that I am a USPS employee. I have several comments to make. The USPS is totally financially self supporting. We get no tax money whatsoever. Now the USPS will, and has, borrowed money from the US government, but is required to, and has paid back every dime that it has borrowed.

One of the reasons that the cost of postage has increased lately is because of a new Congressional mandate that the USPS totally fund its pension obligations. Unlike the rest of the Federal retirement pensions, which are not pre-funded, the USPS has to set that money aside before their employees retire. Much like a private company does. None of the rest of the US governmental agencies is required to do this.

Unlike our competitors, UPS, Fedex and so on, the USPS is required to provide universal service to every person in this country. UPS only delivers to places that it considers profitable. In fact the USPS delivers parcels for UPS, Fedex, DHL, and others, in places that those companies will not deliver to. From Key West too the Alaskan outback we are required by law to provide you with the same service as someone living inside the Denver city limits. Which is something that our competitors will not do.

I don't care for most "junk mail" anymore than the rest of you do. But consider that in most European countries they have privatized their mail delivery services. They have almost no "junk mail" in Europe. But those privatized, read for profit, mail services in Europe charge twice the postage as is paid in the US. For example a first class stamp in Germany is 85 cents. The reason that is not that high here is because of junk mail. Junk mail subsidizes your cost of mailing something.

One more thing, the USPS is in a gray area of governmental agencies. We were best described once as a government owned utility.
August 3, 2008

9:06 a.m.

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bobthemailman writes:

Thankyou "phil74501"!

If people only knew how much the average postal worker puts up with. So many things we have no control over. So many things we don't agree with. We all were tested and tried. We didn't just get our jobs handed to us. They have tried to "Privatize" in select areas. And it has failed. The sanctity of the mail was gone! The postal service has always changed with the times. Sometimes not for the best. We are all only human. We do make mistakes. If a piece of mail was miss delivered, just place in your box and we will take care of it. We are under staffed and are made to carry and sort mail from other routes along with our own, each day.

Carriers do not choose the type of mail we deliver. Drop a letter in a box in D.C. for 42 cents, and we will get it to Alaska....still not a bad deal. Sure email is wonderful, but isn't a card,note or letter much more personal? We should all be concerned about people having jobs in this great nation of ours. Not getting rid of even more. "Ahhhh the power of the Pen!"

Nor rain nor snow, nor gloom of night....
August 30, 2008

5:19 a.m.

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imdoug writes:

Despite what the writer says above ("people have the right to mail you something as long as it isn't dangerous or lewd"); I completely disagree.

As long as direct mail continues unabated, I (and other consumers) have no choice but to receive it. And that's the issue; we're never asked if we'd like to receive these advertisements, it comes to our mailbox whether we want it to or not. And don't misunderstand me; I don't dislike any particular company, but I do take issue with a company that uses direct mail as a means of advertising, believing THEY can decide want I want or need.

Direct mail is a huge problem in the United States. From a source known as Forest Ethics: "American mailboxes are inundated with junk mail. More than 100,000,000,000 pieces of junk mail are delivered each year—that’s more than 800 pieces per household. In fact, junk mail in the United States accounts for one-third of all the mail delivered in the world. Even though 44% of that mail goes to the landfill unopened, we still spend 8 months of our lives dealing with it all. But junk mail does more than invade our homes and waste our time; it also destroys our environment."

In dealing with telemarketing, consumers finally got relief with the Do Not Call legislation. Unfortunately, many businesses today still consider direct mail "marketing", and don't consider the negative impact of what many consumers consider "junk mail". However, this is leading to a ground swell of support for a Do Not Mail list, and such legislation is pending in at least 12 states. I understand some people like junk mail; let them continue to ask for it. I (and many others) want the option to be junk mail free.

The United States Supreme Court has also commented about unsolicited mail: "Every man's mail today is made up overwhelmingly of material he did not seek, from persons he does not know. And all too often it is matter he finds offensive." I couldn't agree more...

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Home › Opinion › Letters to the Editor

'Junk mail' is our bag

Stephen O'halloran, Boulder

Published July 30, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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