An Example Of Why Government Can't Be Run Like A Business: The Postal Service

[skews13.]

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.”

This is totally wrong. Businesses exist to make a profit for their shareholders. The preamble to the Constitution spells out the purpose of our government: to “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence [sic], promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” Not a word about profit; in fact, the federal government is the only US government legally capable of operating at a deficit.

Forbes magazine (which describes itself as a capitalist tool) explained this in 2012: Why Government Should Not Be Run Like A Business:

[T]o ask that the government be run like a business is tantamount to asking that the government turn a profit. The problem in a nutshell, is that not everything that is profitable is of social value and not everything of social value is profitable. [emphasis in original]

Case in point: The US Postal Service. The Constitution gives Congress the power (though not the obligation) to create a postal service: “The Congress shall have power . . . To establish post offices and post roads” (Art. I Section 8).

An Example of Why Gov't Can't Be Run Like a Business: The Postal Service

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.” This is totally wrong. Businesses exist to make a profit for their shareholders. The preamble...

www.dailykos.com

 

[Rich2018]

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.”

No, it's just an American thing

Trump is a US television created monster.

 

[aociswundumho]

Although Congress did not have to set up and maintain a postal system, once it did so, it was obligated to deliver the mail wherever people live, even if it loses money doing so.

How does losing taxpayer dollars benefit US taxpayers?

 

[SkyChief]

Compare USPS with private sector parcel delivery carriers such as UPS, Fed Ex, DHL, etc.

All of the private sector delivery carriers make profits and pay dividends to stockowners.

USPS runs on deficits because government cannot operate efficiently like the private sector businesses can. USPS doesn't need to be efficient. They rely on Taxpayers pick up the slack for their inefficiency, mismanagement and waste.

 

[tshade]

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.”

This is totally wrong. Businesses exist to make a profit for their shareholders. The preamble to the Constitution spells out the purpose of our government: to “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence [sic], promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” Not a word about profit; in fact, the federal government is the only US government legally capable of operating at a deficit.

Forbes magazine (which describes itself as a capitalist tool) explained this in 2012: Why Government Should Not Be Run Like A Business:


Case in point: The US Postal Service. The Constitution gives Congress the power (though not the obligation) to create a postal service: “The Congress shall have power . . . To establish post offices and post roads” (Art. I Section 8).

An Example of Why Gov't Can't Be Run Like a Business: The Postal Service

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.” This is totally wrong. Businesses exist to make a profit for their shareholders. The preamble...

www.dailykos.com

Government is a Public Good----not a business

 

[VySky]

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.”

This is totally wrong. Businesses exist to make a profit for their shareholders. The preamble to the Constitution spells out the purpose of our government: to “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence [sic], promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” Not a word about profit; in fact, the federal government is the only US government legally capable of operating at a deficit.

Forbes magazine (which describes itself as a capitalist tool) explained this in 2012: Why Government Should Not Be Run Like A Business:


Case in point: The US Postal Service. The Constitution gives Congress the power (though not the obligation) to create a postal service: “The Congress shall have power . . . To establish post offices and post roads” (Art. I Section 8).

An Example of Why Gov't Can't Be Run Like a Business: The Postal Service

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.” This is totally wrong. Businesses exist to make a profit for their shareholders. The preamble...

www.dailykos.com

You are correct.

My yearly Branch budget needed to balance or run slightly in the red.

However, the early to mid 2000's DoD implemented Lean Six Sigma practices in hopes of gaining the efficiencies that could be realized. Also, Project Management was implemented for the same reason.

Problem was, we weren't making buggy whips. We could write project charters, spec docs, acceptance testing requirements but there was no way to advance the clock when it comes to funding, developing, and deploying Government DoD projects.

Gaining efficiencies doesn't have to equate to profits. Overall, it should help reduce the cost to the warfighter.

 

[NatMorton]

No, you can't run government like a business, which is why government is almost always run worse than is a business, and why government solutions should be considered only as a last resort when private solutions will not work.

 

[MamboDervish]

Compare USPS with private sector parcel delivery carriers such as UPS, Fed Ex, DHL, etc.

All of the private sector delivery carriers make profits and pay dividends to stockowners.

USPS runs on deficits because government cannot operate efficiently like the private sector businesses can. USPS doesn't need to be efficient. They rely on Taxpayers pick up the slack for their inefficiency, mismanagement and waste.

Yeah .... just ask a "private sector parcel delivery carriers such as UPS, Fed Ex, DHL, etc." to deliver an envelope from Skowhagan Maine to Santa Ana California for .73¢ and see how efficiently they operate. There aren't enough ROTFALMAO emojis in the universe to cover the response you'd get from them.

 

[MamboDervish]

The prospect of running government like a business is beyond preposterous. Name me one business in the world that buys 65% of what it manufactures itself like the USA does. The entire premise is ignorant from the get go.

 

[rahl]

How does losing taxpayer dollars benefit US taxpayers?

By delivering mail. The free market doesn’t function everywhere for all things. That’s why govnt is needed.

 

[aociswundumho]

By delivering mail.

Not if you include the huge environmental costs caused by the post office.

 

[rahl]

Not if you include the huge environmental costs caused by the post office.

Why did you dishonestly edit out my post?

This is what I said…….By delivering mail. The free market doesn’t function everywhere for all things. That’s why govnt is needed.

 

[trouble13]

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.”

This is totally wrong. Businesses exist to make a profit for their shareholders. The preamble to the Constitution spells out the purpose of our government: to “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence [sic], promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” Not a word about profit; in fact, the federal government is the only US government legally capable of operating at a deficit.

Forbes magazine (which describes itself as a capitalist tool) explained this in 2012: Why Government Should Not Be Run Like A Business:


Case in point: The US Postal Service. The Constitution gives Congress the power (though not the obligation) to create a postal service: “The Congress shall have power . . . To establish post offices and post roads” (Art. I Section 8).

An Example of Why Gov't Can't Be Run Like a Business: The Postal Service

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.” This is totally wrong. Businesses exist to make a profit for their shareholders. The preamble...

www.dailykos.com

You fail to explain why it's wrong to operate like business. All you do is say it's wrong.

Also just because the gov is allowed to run a deficit does not mean it should. What is the plan when the money runs out?

Furthermore the gov does not need to turn a profit to run efficiently. Currently it does not. Why do we need an inefficient and wasteful gov? What sense does it make.

Let's talk about the PO since you brought it up. Why don't we phase it out by reducing deliveries to 3 days a week. That would cut out a bunch of expense and everyone would still have a mail service that the majority of people do not use. Why not streamline the service so its less of a drag on taxpayers pockets? A businessman brings that mentality.

Now let's talk about the track record of politicians and their spending habits. They only increase people's financial burden by spending more. They suck at budgeting and we have and we have a 244 year balance sheet to confirm it.

 

[dmpi]

This make no sense. The post office can easily be contracted out to the private sector who will in fact run it like a business. The only way the post offices survives is that's it's a monopoly.

 

[tshade]

This make no sense. The post office can easily be contracted out to the private sector who will in fact run it like a business. The only way the post offices survives is that's it's a monopoly.

Maybe-------------However, some things are for the public good (think public schools and National Parks) and should never be privatized

 

[RF667799]

Yeah .... just ask a "private sector parcel delivery carriers such as UPS, Fed Ex, DHL, etc." to deliver an envelope from Skowhagan Maine to Santa Ana California for .73¢ and see how efficiently they operate. There aren't enough ROTFALMAO emojis in the universe to cover the response you'd get from them.

Is that what the delivery costs, or is that what the user is required to pay?

 

[KingLeo]

Compare USPS with private sector parcel delivery carriers such as UPS, Fed Ex, DHL, etc.

All of the private sector delivery carriers make profits and pay dividends to stockowners.

USPS runs on deficits because government cannot operate efficiently like the private sector businesses can. USPS doesn't need to be efficient. They rely on Taxpayers pick up the slack for their inefficiency, mismanagement and waste.

For over a decade, the United States Postal Service has been plagued with the onerous burden of prefunding its retiree health care benefits as mandated by the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) of 2006 (a gift from Republicans and Bush to sabotage the USPS). The mandate requires the Postal Service to prefund its retiree health care benefits 75 years in advance, paying for retirement health care for individuals who haven’t been born yet, let alone enter the workforce.

 

[Noodlegawd]

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.”

This is totally wrong. Businesses exist to make a profit for their shareholders. The preamble to the Constitution spells out the purpose of our government: to “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence [sic], promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” Not a word about profit; in fact, the federal government is the only US government legally capable of operating at a deficit.

Forbes magazine (which describes itself as a capitalist tool) explained this in 2012: Why Government Should Not Be Run Like A Business:


Case in point: The US Postal Service. The Constitution gives Congress the power (though not the obligation) to create a postal service: “The Congress shall have power . . . To establish post offices and post roads” (Art. I Section 8).

An Example of Why Gov't Can't Be Run Like a Business: The Postal Service

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.” This is totally wrong. Businesses exist to make a profit for their shareholders. The preamble...

www.dailykos.com

What does any of that have to do with running a business, or a government service, efficiently?

And what, specifically, are you getting at with regard to the Postal Service?

 

[skews13.]

for over a decade, the United States Postal Service has been plagued with the onerous burden of prefunding its retiree health care benefits as mandated by the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) of 2006 (a gift from Republicans and Bush to sabotage the USPS). The mandate requires the Postal Service to prefund its retiree health care benefits 75 years in advance, paying for retirement health care for individuals who haven’t been born yet, let alone enter the workforce.

Yep. Republicans will tell you how inefficient the government is. Then intentionally wreck it to prove their point.

That is...Until their Republican caused recessions like 2008 happen, and then the "private sector" comes running to be first in line for their government bailout, handout.

 

[gman]

Does everyone not realize that for years Congress kept the price of postage artificially low which impeded necessary improvements? When Congress finally woke up the PO was almost in its death knells. Receiving your mail after bill due dates, or 2 weeks later for other regular mail. Do you remember when you sent Christmas cards to just about everyone you knew? Artificial price controls back then caused the situation we’re in and still trying to dig out of. Just like so many other things congress has its paws into, they’re bound to screw it up for the future.

 

[trblmkr]

Compare USPS with private sector parcel delivery carriers such as UPS, Fed Ex, DHL, etc.

All of the private sector delivery carriers make profits and pay dividends to stockowners.

USPS runs on deficits because government cannot operate efficiently like the private sector businesses can. USPS doesn't need to be efficient. They rely on Taxpayers pick up the slack for their inefficiency, mismanagement and waste.

Those companies often use the USPS for "last mile" deliveries because they cannot serve many rural areas and maintain those profits. I also can't wait to see how they cope with making pick-ups and deliveries to every address in the nation, six days a week. Of course, they won't. The first thing that will happen is a reduction in service. Fewer days a week for deliveries. Forget about sale papers for the local stores. Mandatory use of local drop boxes for outgoing mail. Oh, and the price of a stamp will go up immediately and regularly.

 

[Rich2018]

No, you can't run government like a business, which is why government is almost always run worse than is a business, and why government solutions should be considered only as a last resort when private solutions will not work.

Trump thought he could
He was wrong and just settled for trying to make as much money out of being president as he could.

 

[aociswundumho]

The only way the post offices survives is that's it's a monopoly.

It has a monopoly and it still loses money.

 

[trblmkr]

It has a monopoly and it still loses money.

Could you address post #21?

 

[Fearandloathing]

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.”

This is totally wrong. Businesses exist to make a profit for their shareholders. The preamble to the Constitution spells out the purpose of our government: to “establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence [sic], promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” Not a word about profit; in fact, the federal government is the only US government legally capable of operating at a deficit.

Forbes magazine (which describes itself as a capitalist tool) explained this in 2012: Why Government Should Not Be Run Like A Business:


Case in point: The US Postal Service. The Constitution gives Congress the power (though not the obligation) to create a postal service: “The Congress shall have power . . . To establish post offices and post roads” (Art. I Section 8).

An Example of Why Gov't Can't Be Run Like a Business: The Postal Service

Every now and then, the country gets the insane idea of putting a businessman in the White House on the theory that “America should be run like a business.” This is totally wrong. Businesses exist to make a profit for their shareholders. The preamble...

www.dailykos.com

Show me ONE Nation that operates a mail system 'for profit."