Here is a prime example:
The Most Ridiculous Caution Signs
Now Chistopher Prandoni, writing for Americans for Tax Reform, in his piece "US Postal Service Plagued with Union Inefficiency, Faces Saturday Cancellations" has an example of political rhetoric about the Postal Service that is almost as funny as those ridiculous signs because of the number of factual errors that it contains. I urge readers of this blog to read the text and try to find all of the errors of fact that undermine the writers argument and list them in comments to this post. Even though the authors argument is an anathema to many readers of this blog, I do not want comments on the substance of the argument which is consistent with the viewpoint of the organization's anti-government, anti-tax, anti-union views, just how badly it is presented. So for your reading pleasure here is the text of my nominee this week for failure in postal commentary.
With Post Office officials running around the Hill this week looking for ways to return USPS to solvency, Americans for Tax Reform sent out the following press release explaining the Post Office’s current condition, and why it, unfortunately, it is unlikely to change.
Facing projected losses of $238 billion over the next ten years, U.S. Postal Service (USPS) officials pushed to end Saturday delivery services during Congressional hearings this week. With more people switching to electronic mail, the USPS saw a 13 percent drop in volume last year, more than double any previous single year decline. Apart from cutting Saturday deliveries, the Postal Service is considering raising prices and amending delivery schedules.
As part of the Executive Branch and therefore protected from all private competition, the USPS is plagued with inefficiencies and unionization rates only a government agency could endure. The problems include:
Facing projected losses of $238 billion over the next ten years, U.S. Postal Service (USPS) officials pushed to end Saturday delivery services during Congressional hearings this week. With more people switching to electronic mail, the USPS saw a 13 percent drop in volume last year, more than double any previous single year decline. Apart from cutting Saturday deliveries, the Postal Service is considering raising prices and amending delivery schedules.
As part of the Executive Branch and therefore protected from all private competition, the USPS is plagued with inefficiencies and unionization rates only a government agency could endure. The problems include:
- USPS currently employs 800,000, only 516,000 of which actually deliver or process mail
- In order to stay afloat the USPS will cut 100 million work hours, or 57,000 positions, close 6 district offices, and implement a hiring freeze
- Even with the drastic cuts described the USPS will still be $1 billion in debt
- The average USPS worker earns $83,000 per year due to bloated union contracts
- The USPS is highly unionized with over 660,000 employee’s members of various unions
- Members of American Postal Workers Union, the largest postal union, can begin collecting retirement checks at age 55 if they worked there for 30 years
- The USPS wastes resources: There are about 400 major mail processing facilities, far more than the USPS needs given that it has 50% excess capacity for processing first-class mail alone
- People no longer find the USPS as useful: First Class mail volume (which is protected by legal monopoly) has declined 22% from 1998 to 2007
- Americans are weary of subsidizing the broke USPS with 50% saying they would rather cut services (only deliver mail five days a week) than bail them out
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4 comments:
people have no idea how the postal service works ! these polls mean nothing home mail is only 10 percent of the postal services income 90 percent is bulk mail and retail sale papers and catologs cut service is stupid move they only delvere 42 weeks a year - holidays aweek any way there will be more lost than gained!!!!!!!!!!
The sad part is the comments are listed as news. It should be captioned fiction. Not one item in that listing of facts is accurate. i just hope the people of San Diego take it as fiction.
For one, postal unions are as useless as kites in hurricanes. They offer no protection, and have little to do with negotiating salaries. They get what management wants them to have. The real enemy of the post office is politicians. Keep politics out of the post office, and they have a chance of suceeding.
this article is so full of holes it should be considered a work of fiction. first there are not 800,000 workers and of that 250,000dont touch the mail lol that comes out top about 4,000 workers per state just standing around.
secondly the average salary is nowhere near $83,000 more like $45,000 only the very top 3 or 4 percent make that much.
thirdly the taxpayer does not subsidize the postal service this idiot doesnt even know that
The big ones I noticed right away include:
"Even with the drastic cuts described the USPS will still be $1 billion in debt". Sadly, postal debt is hovering around $15 billion, not $1 billion
"The average USPS worker earns $83,000 per year due to bloated union contracts" My "bloated" salary pays me $52,000 per year (37% less than the quoted amount)
"...can begin collecting retirement checks at age 55 if they worked there for 30 years" The actual requirement is 50 years old with 20 years of service or any age with 25 years. Also, this is only under an OPM approved VERA. All other retirements must wait until they turn 56 to collect.
"...far more than the USPS needs given that it has 50% excess capacity for processing first-class mail alone" Good thing the USPS processes more than just first class!
"Americans are weary of subsidizing the broke USPS" No taxpayer dollars go to the USPS! USPS is funded by sales of stamps and services.
It just proves the saying that if you repeat something enough times people will believe that it is true! Good article!
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