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Do you really not understand the value to a democratic government of having a direct means of sending a message or physical item to every single member of the s

by CPLX 1y ago

Do you really not understand the value to a democratic government of having a direct means of sending a message or physical item to every single member of the society without having that be mediated by a private for profit company?

NoMoreNicksLeft 1y ago
> Do you really not understand the value to a democratic government of having a direct means of sending a message What does that have to do with the US Postal Service? I understand this problem perfectly, I've thought about it for many cumulative hours over the last 10 or 15 years. I follow the news stories. https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/outbox-vs-usps-how-the-post-office-killed-digital-mail/ https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/outbox-vs-usps-how-the-po... >When Evan and Will got called in to meet with the postmaster general, they were joined by the USPS’ general counsel and chief of digital strategy. But instead, Evan recounts that Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe “looked at us” and said “we have a misunderstanding. ‘You disrupt my service and we will never work with you.'” Further, “You mentioned making the service better for our customers; but the American citizens aren’t our customers—about 400 junk mailers are our customers. Your service hurts our ability to serve those customers.'”
- CPLX 1y ago
  The postal service, obviously, is capable of transmitting messages and packages. If you understand the problem perfectly what’s your solution for a system that accomplishes that in a way that’s not at the whim of some monopolistic corporate entity. Posting a link to an article describing how they successfully avoided an attempt by the sociopathic Silicon Valley mob to privatize the service isn’t exactly convincing. No I don’t want fucking Peter Thiel to have anything to do with delivering my mail to me, thanks.
  - NoMoreNicksLeft 1y ago
    > The postal service, obviously, is capable of transmitting messages and packages. So is the New York Philhmaronic Orchestra and the Cincinnati Zoo. That they are capable of these things is irrelevant. They don't do these things. Which, it turns out, is also pretty much true of the US Mail. >If you understand the problem perfectly what’s your solution for a system that accomplishes that Best I can tell, that doesn't happen to any great degree at the moment anyway. So why make a fuss that it would continue to not happen? >that’s not at the whim of some monopolistic corporate entity. How does that not describe the US Postal Service? >Posting a link to an article describing how they successfully avoided an attempt by the sociopathic Silicon Valley mob to privatize the service If that's what you take from the article, then nothing reasonable I would say could ever convince you. You're more concerned with maintaining this monster at all costs. I have no idea why. I don't even think I really care. >No I don’t want fucking Peter Thiel to have anything to do with delivering my mail to me, thanks. What mail? What actual, honest to go mail have you received in the last 36 months? The only mail I've received was an overdue notice (allegedly) for a credit card that after changing their billing information the auto-pay disconnected and they didn't send the notice to my email as they claimed they would with me having signed up for paperless billing. Maybe they did send that, who the fuck knows... buried in tends of pounds of direct mail advertisement. Why the fuck that the "save the Earth" crowd would want to pay out of their own pocket to landfill this garbage, over 100 pounds per household per year, I can't even begin to guess. You're irrational.
    - CPLX 1y ago
      The postal service can deliver anything from a letter up to a decent sized package to anywhere in the country in a couple days at a very reasonable cost. And unlike your nonsensical reference points of the zoo or an orchestra they do in fact do this millions of times a day. The ability to do that is a core function of government and a basic building block of society that was so fundamental it was written into the constitution. You seem to not need it or not like it. That’s fine and having that opinion is your right. But pretending not to understand the concept (and really dwelling on some story about obviously predatory people who have destroying our government so we can be ruled by corporations as their literal stated life goal) is what’s giving the lie to this conversation as not being in good faith.
      - NoMoreNicksLeft 1y ago
        >And unlike your nonsensical reference points of the zoo or an orchestra they do in fact do this millions of times a day. Facts not in evidence. It seems very improbable that they deliver "millions of letters per day". It's been many years since most bills or bill payments have been delivered that way (and notice that I'm not being stingy in defining what "letters" means). >The ability to do that is a core function of government In the 18th century, perhaps. Not in the 21st. Time to disband the pony express. >and a basic building block of society Nothing about our current society relies on this. Not even for nostalgic reasons. >that was so fundamental it was written into the constitution. So was the third amendment. >is what’s giving the lie to this conversation as not being in good faith. That's fine. You can pretend that it's not in good faith, but it just reminds me that there's no need for discourse with people like yourself, things need to be fixed despite you, without your consent, and ignoring your protests. The future may become unpleasant.
        CPLX 1y ago
        > So was the third amendment. Indeed. And if I find government troops in my living room with Peter Thiel somehow involved I will object to that as well.

by CPLX 1y ago

NoMoreNicksLeft 1y ago

> Do you really not understand the value to a democratic government of having a direct means of sending a message What does that have to do with the US Postal Service? I understand this problem perfectly, I've thought about it for many cumulative hours over the last 10 or 15 years. I follow the news stories. https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/outbox-vs-usps-how-the-post-office-killed-digital-mail/ https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/outbox-vs-usps-how-the-po... >When Evan and Will got called in to meet with the postmaster general, they were joined by the USPS’ general counsel and chief of digital strategy. But instead, Evan recounts that Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe “looked at us” and said “we have a misunderstanding. ‘You disrupt my service and we will never work with you.'” Further, “You mentioned making the service better for our customers; but the American citizens aren’t our customers—about 400 junk mailers are our customers. Your service hurts our ability to serve those customers.'”

CPLX 1y ago
The postal service, obviously, is capable of transmitting messages and packages. If you understand the problem perfectly what’s your solution for a system that accomplishes that in a way that’s not at the whim of some monopolistic corporate entity. Posting a link to an article describing how they successfully avoided an attempt by the sociopathic Silicon Valley mob to privatize the service isn’t exactly convincing. No I don’t want fucking Peter Thiel to have anything to do with delivering my mail to me, thanks.
- NoMoreNicksLeft 1y ago
  > The postal service, obviously, is capable of transmitting messages and packages. So is the New York Philhmaronic Orchestra and the Cincinnati Zoo. That they are capable of these things is irrelevant. They don't do these things. Which, it turns out, is also pretty much true of the US Mail. >If you understand the problem perfectly what’s your solution for a system that accomplishes that Best I can tell, that doesn't happen to any great degree at the moment anyway. So why make a fuss that it would continue to not happen? >that’s not at the whim of some monopolistic corporate entity. How does that not describe the US Postal Service? >Posting a link to an article describing how they successfully avoided an attempt by the sociopathic Silicon Valley mob to privatize the service If that's what you take from the article, then nothing reasonable I would say could ever convince you. You're more concerned with maintaining this monster at all costs. I have no idea why. I don't even think I really care. >No I don’t want fucking Peter Thiel to have anything to do with delivering my mail to me, thanks. What mail? What actual, honest to go mail have you received in the last 36 months? The only mail I've received was an overdue notice (allegedly) for a credit card that after changing their billing information the auto-pay disconnected and they didn't send the notice to my email as they claimed they would with me having signed up for paperless billing. Maybe they did send that, who the fuck knows... buried in tends of pounds of direct mail advertisement. Why the fuck that the "save the Earth" crowd would want to pay out of their own pocket to landfill this garbage, over 100 pounds per household per year, I can't even begin to guess. You're irrational.
  - CPLX 1y ago
    The postal service can deliver anything from a letter up to a decent sized package to anywhere in the country in a couple days at a very reasonable cost. And unlike your nonsensical reference points of the zoo or an orchestra they do in fact do this millions of times a day. The ability to do that is a core function of government and a basic building block of society that was so fundamental it was written into the constitution. You seem to not need it or not like it. That’s fine and having that opinion is your right. But pretending not to understand the concept (and really dwelling on some story about obviously predatory people who have destroying our government so we can be ruled by corporations as their literal stated life goal) is what’s giving the lie to this conversation as not being in good faith.
    - NoMoreNicksLeft 1y ago
      >And unlike your nonsensical reference points of the zoo or an orchestra they do in fact do this millions of times a day. Facts not in evidence. It seems very improbable that they deliver "millions of letters per day". It's been many years since most bills or bill payments have been delivered that way (and notice that I'm not being stingy in defining what "letters" means). >The ability to do that is a core function of government In the 18th century, perhaps. Not in the 21st. Time to disband the pony express. >and a basic building block of society Nothing about our current society relies on this. Not even for nostalgic reasons. >that was so fundamental it was written into the constitution. So was the third amendment. >is what’s giving the lie to this conversation as not being in good faith. That's fine. You can pretend that it's not in good faith, but it just reminds me that there's no need for discourse with people like yourself, things need to be fixed despite you, without your consent, and ignoring your protests. The future may become unpleasant.
      - CPLX 1y ago
        > So was the third amendment. Indeed. And if I find government troops in my living room with Peter Thiel somehow involved I will object to that as well.