6 ms·

So because email is better, we should abandon the USPS? That's a ridiculous argument. Email accounts practically at the whim of big corporations. You know, the

So because email is better, we should abandon the USPS? That's a ridiculous argument. Email accounts practically at the whim of big corporations. You know, the ones who ban people from their entire Google account because they posted emojis in a chat?[0] Yeah, that'll be good. The private sector may be more efficient than the government, but that's because of bureaucracy imposed by the politicians themselves. Tell me, how long does it take UPS or FedEx to ship a package across the US? At least 5 business days for the cheapest. USPS gets it there in 3. Here's some more facts you may not know (that show why the USPS is good): * The USPS, unlike UPS and FedEx, have a legal mandate to attempt to deliver every letter and parcel if it's in the US. * Your mail sent through USPS is protected from searches without a warrant by law. You can't say the same about UPS and FedEx. * I can send a small letter through USPS for $.55. How much does a private courier charge? [0]: https://twitter.com/markiplier/status/1193015864364126208 https://twitter.com/markiplier/status/1193015864364126208

tdhoot 7y ago
> * The USPS, unlike UPS and FedEx, have a legal mandate to attempt to deliver every letter and parcel if it's in the US. Fedex and UPS are common carriers and also cannot refuse a package without good grounds. USPS can also refuse a package on good grounds, for example if you try to mail prohibited substances.
- colejohnson66 7y ago
  I meant, attempt as in finding the address. UPS and FedEx can just return a parcel because it’s too hard to reach.
  - bobbydroptables 7y ago
    USPS regularly fails to deliver important mail to me. Like it straight up doesn't show up. Never accounted for or mentioned. Almost all of these important mailings would be handled faster, safer, more reliably and more eco friendly online.
    - kube-system 7y ago
      While every carrier makes mistakes, the difference is that the USPS is legally required to deliver to you. When you don't get your USPS mail, it is a mistake, and they're required to do something about it. When some people don't get their UPS/FedEx/etc, if you call up to complain, the answer is "Oh yeah, we don't service your address. Have a nice day." Functioning governments really really need a way to physically deliver items to a person in a way that cannot be replaced by private carriers or email systems. This isn't about you getting your Amazon packages or your power bill. This is about the operational stability of basic government services. There are places in the US where UPS and FedEx do not deliver, and people live there -- people who the US government is legally required to correspond with. They cannot fulfill those obligations without the USPS.
      - bobbydroptables 7y ago
        You're thinking like a lawyer. I'm thinking like a problem solver. The legal requirement (which by the way is not an absolute requirement) to deliver my mail is useless if my mail isn't actually delivered. And I mean literally useless. Let that sink in. I don't care (at all, not even a little bit) what their obligation is on paper if they can't actually do the thing we need them to do. >When some people don't get their UPS/FedEx/etc, if you call up to complain, the answer is "Oh yeah, we don't service your address. Have a nice day." And if you call USPS, they're just going to jump straight to "it's lost. have a nice day." I don't see how that is better. Anyway, USPS absolutely does not deliver to every address. This is a myth that won't die for some reason. >Functioning governments really really need a way to physically deliver items to a person in a way that cannot be replaced by private carriers or email systems. Can you source this claim? What does my government need to mail me that can't be done by email? >This isn't about you getting your Amazon packages or your power bill. I don't use Amazon or get my power bill by snail mail. Not sure why you're bringing these up. They're irrelevant. >This is about the operational stability of basic government services. We might need a reliable parcel deliverer (ie, something other that USPS). >There are places in the US where UPS and FedEx do not deliver, and people live there And there are places where USPS doesn't deliver. At my house, on a regular basis for example, they don't deliver important parcels. Also many communities around the country and outside of the country. Email fixes basically all of this. >-- people who the US government is legally required to correspond with. Who they should be able to correspond with by email in most cases. In other cases they could contract with a more reliable carrier or have a pared down service for those remote area. In still more cases, the USPS doesn't service certain areas at all. >They cannot fulfill those obligations without the USPS. Nor can they fulfill them solely with USPS. We need to acknowledge that email is a faster, safer and more reliable source of communicating with most people. Its almost 2020.
bobbydroptables 7y ago
>Email accounts practically at the whim of big corporations As are mail boxes unless you own house outright or have a mom and pop landlord (which is really not much better). >The private sector may be more efficient than the government, but that's because of bureaucracy imposed by the politicians themselves. Wait what? No it's the opposite. There are ridiculous laws that attempt to protect the USPS monopoly. For example, only they can deliver to your mailbox. Only USPS is allowed to deliver letters. USPS does not pay state or federal taxes, etc. There is all kinda of bureaucracy in place to protect USPS and still the private carriers are better. >Tell me, how long does it take UPS or FedEx to ship a package across the US? At least 5 business days for the cheapest. USPS gets it there in 3. Yes it's easy to be cheaper when you don't pay any taxes. Except they're not actually cheaper except for most packages between 2 and 5 pounds. >* The USPS, unlike UPS and FedEx, have a legal mandate to attempt to deliver every letter and parcel if it's in the US. And yet they fail stunningly at delivering things. >* Your mail sent through USPS is protected from searches without a warrant by law. You can't say the same about UPS and FedEx. I agree it's absurd that the law grants these special powers to USPS. All carriers' customers should get this protection. >* I can send a small letter through USPS for $.55. How much does a private courier charge? Wait what? It's illegal for anyone else to deliver letters. You're making my case for me. Anyway, we need to stop sending letters. It's almost 2020.
- larvaetron 7y ago
  > It's illegal for anyone else to deliver letters. Tell that to FedEx[0]. [0]: http://www.fedex.com/gp_english/tools/package1.html http://www.fedex.com/gp_english/tools/package1.html
  - bobbydroptables 7y ago
    I don't make or enforce the rules, for better or worse. https://parcelindustry.com/article-4888-The-Mailbox-Monopoly-Conundrum.html https://parcelindustry.com/article-4888-The-Mailbox-Monopoly...
  - Alupis 7y ago
    FedEx might call these letters, but they can't and don't deliver then to your mailbox. Only USPS can open your mailbox and put things inside.

tdhoot 7y ago

> * The USPS, unlike UPS and FedEx, have a legal mandate to attempt to deliver every letter and parcel if it's in the US. Fedex and UPS are common carriers and also cannot refuse a package without good grounds. USPS can also refuse a package on good grounds, for example if you try to mail prohibited substances.

colejohnson66 7y ago
I meant, attempt as in finding the address. UPS and FedEx can just return a parcel because it’s too hard to reach.
- bobbydroptables 7y ago
  USPS regularly fails to deliver important mail to me. Like it straight up doesn't show up. Never accounted for or mentioned. Almost all of these important mailings would be handled faster, safer, more reliably and more eco friendly online.
  - kube-system 7y ago
    While every carrier makes mistakes, the difference is that the USPS is legally required to deliver to you. When you don't get your USPS mail, it is a mistake, and they're required to do something about it. When some people don't get their UPS/FedEx/etc, if you call up to complain, the answer is "Oh yeah, we don't service your address. Have a nice day." Functioning governments really really need a way to physically deliver items to a person in a way that cannot be replaced by private carriers or email systems. This isn't about you getting your Amazon packages or your power bill. This is about the operational stability of basic government services. There are places in the US where UPS and FedEx do not deliver, and people live there -- people who the US government is legally required to correspond with. They cannot fulfill those obligations without the USPS.
    - bobbydroptables 7y ago
      You're thinking like a lawyer. I'm thinking like a problem solver. The legal requirement (which by the way is not an absolute requirement) to deliver my mail is useless if my mail isn't actually delivered. And I mean literally useless. Let that sink in. I don't care (at all, not even a little bit) what their obligation is on paper if they can't actually do the thing we need them to do. >When some people don't get their UPS/FedEx/etc, if you call up to complain, the answer is "Oh yeah, we don't service your address. Have a nice day." And if you call USPS, they're just going to jump straight to "it's lost. have a nice day." I don't see how that is better. Anyway, USPS absolutely does not deliver to every address. This is a myth that won't die for some reason. >Functioning governments really really need a way to physically deliver items to a person in a way that cannot be replaced by private carriers or email systems. Can you source this claim? What does my government need to mail me that can't be done by email? >This isn't about you getting your Amazon packages or your power bill. I don't use Amazon or get my power bill by snail mail. Not sure why you're bringing these up. They're irrelevant. >This is about the operational stability of basic government services. We might need a reliable parcel deliverer (ie, something other that USPS). >There are places in the US where UPS and FedEx do not deliver, and people live there And there are places where USPS doesn't deliver. At my house, on a regular basis for example, they don't deliver important parcels. Also many communities around the country and outside of the country. Email fixes basically all of this. >-- people who the US government is legally required to correspond with. Who they should be able to correspond with by email in most cases. In other cases they could contract with a more reliable carrier or have a pared down service for those remote area. In still more cases, the USPS doesn't service certain areas at all. >They cannot fulfill those obligations without the USPS. Nor can they fulfill them solely with USPS. We need to acknowledge that email is a faster, safer and more reliable source of communicating with most people. Its almost 2020.

bobbydroptables 7y ago

>Email accounts practically at the whim of big corporations As are mail boxes unless you own house outright or have a mom and pop landlord (which is really not much better). >The private sector may be more efficient than the government, but that's because of bureaucracy imposed by the politicians themselves. Wait what? No it's the opposite. There are ridiculous laws that attempt to protect the USPS monopoly. For example, only they can deliver to your mailbox. Only USPS is allowed to deliver letters. USPS does not pay state or federal taxes, etc. There is all kinda of bureaucracy in place to protect USPS and still the private carriers are better. >Tell me, how long does it take UPS or FedEx to ship a package across the US? At least 5 business days for the cheapest. USPS gets it there in 3. Yes it's easy to be cheaper when you don't pay any taxes. Except they're not actually cheaper except for most packages between 2 and 5 pounds. >* The USPS, unlike UPS and FedEx, have a legal mandate to attempt to deliver every letter and parcel if it's in the US. And yet they fail stunningly at delivering things. >* Your mail sent through USPS is protected from searches without a warrant by law. You can't say the same about UPS and FedEx. I agree it's absurd that the law grants these special powers to USPS. All carriers' customers should get this protection. >* I can send a small letter through USPS for $.55. How much does a private courier charge? Wait what? It's illegal for anyone else to deliver letters. You're making my case for me. Anyway, we need to stop sending letters. It's almost 2020.

larvaetron 7y ago
> It's illegal for anyone else to deliver letters. Tell that to FedEx[0]. [0]: http://www.fedex.com/gp_english/tools/package1.html http://www.fedex.com/gp_english/tools/package1.html
- bobbydroptables 7y ago
  I don't make or enforce the rules, for better or worse. https://parcelindustry.com/article-4888-The-Mailbox-Monopoly-Conundrum.html https://parcelindustry.com/article-4888-The-Mailbox-Monopoly...
- Alupis 7y ago
  FedEx might call these letters, but they can't and don't deliver then to your mailbox. Only USPS can open your mailbox and put things inside.