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submitted 1 week ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

Summary

Donald Trump is considering privatizing the US Postal Service due to its financial losses, a move that could disrupt shipping and push hundreds of thousands of federal workers out of government.

Citing the USPS’s financial losses, Trump argued the agency should not rely on government subsidies.

While his specific privatization plans remain unclear, Trump previously clashed with the USPS during his first term, attempting to shift control of key functions like labor relations and rate-setting to the Treasury Department.

This move could significantly alter the structure and operations of the USPS if implemented.

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[-] dsilverz@thelemmy.club 1 points 4 days ago

It reminds me of how the right-wing politicians are trying to privatize Correios (the Brazilian Postal Service) here in Brazil. They alleged a similar thing: financial losses, inefficiency, and so on. While Correios doesn't offer a really wonderful service, it's really doubtable if a private company would improve it (spoiler: it won't).

[-] originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com 193 points 1 week ago

the conservative push to destroy this incredibly successful organization continues. its already been punished more than any other entity by requiring things no other business anywhere is required to.

starve the beast. theyve forced it to make financial considerations that now put it in pretend financial trouble so they can point at it as a failure.

if the USPS was allowed to run as any other business today it would be far more successful on paper than it already is, but conservatives just cant live with that.

[-] lewdian69@lemmy.world 101 points 1 week ago

Good thing the Democratic administration replaced DeJoy and passed some protections while they were in charge... oh. wait

[-] Freefall@lemmy.world 40 points 1 week ago

Can't replace him until a board of people fire him...and they didn't.

[-] electricyarn@lemmy.world 39 points 1 week ago

There were empty seats on the board that would have tipped the balance, sitting vacant for the entirety of Biden's term.

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[-] adarza@lemmy.ca 40 points 1 week ago

it shouldn't have to be 'profitable' in the first place.

[-] originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com 39 points 1 week ago

yep. no one ever complains about the profitability of our 'defense' system which seems to do more selling than defending.

[-] dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world 28 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It was never intended to be. That's why it has the word "service" right there in its name.

The USPS spent $89.5 billion in operations this year, which means that even if they didn't collect a single dime from anybody they could serve everyone in the country with every package and letter that they already did in the entirety of 2024 for about 4.475% of the Defense Department's expenditures in that same time frame -- which are just under two trillion dollars.

The Defense Department as a whole Hoovers up about 24% the Federal budget.

Therefore the fact that the conservatives have successfully bamboozled everyone into believing that the USPS should be run as a "business" in the first place is incredible. Would you support about 0.1 percent of your Federal taxes spent on granting you free Postal Service access forever? I probably would.

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[-] Th4tGuyII@fedia.io 159 points 1 week ago

For fuck's sake, it's not meant to make money, it's a public service - it's literally in the name!

I wish more countries governments would get their head out of their capitalistic arses and understand that the services they run aren't meant to be profitable - that's what taxes are meant to be for!

[-] rumba@lemmy.zip 46 points 1 week ago

You're going to have to get with the times. Everything has to make money or it's scrapped including us.

[-] CitricBase@lemmy.world 117 points 1 week ago

The postal service doesn't lose money, it costs money.

By this logic, the interstate highway system and the military both lose billions! Is Trump going to privatize them too?

[-] MyPornViewingAccount@lemmy.world 88 points 1 week ago

Thats not even a true statement.

The postal service makes money, but any surpless is automatically taken by Congress.

In the early 2000s the GOP passed a law requiring the postal service to upfront load the retirement funds of new employees, creating a massive debt burden.

Also, Congress has removed their ability to modernize equipment and fleets, forcing them to continue repairing aged equipment.

Not to mention, DeJoy, Trump's installment during his first term, has done everything he can to dismantle any modernization because he wants the Post Office sold at rock bottom prices so he can buy it, get this, because he owns competing companies.

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[-] PenguinMage@lemmy.world 85 points 1 week ago

Every thing the gop has done to the usps had hurt it more... but everytime I hear "it doesn't make money" well it did before the absolutely idiotic idea to make sure pensions were super funded forward. Ontop of that. Why the fuck does a government organization need to make money? I hate this whole "run a country like a business" bullshit so much. Money makes everything worse.

[-] Wogi@lemmy.world 29 points 1 week ago

USPS doesn't lose a dime. It's a service. It costs money to run.

You know, like a government office does.

[-] tb_@lemmy.world 23 points 1 week ago

Same for public transit.

A bit of compensation isn't a crazy idea, but it doesn't have to break even with the money it does bring in. It's not like we have a ton of toll roads either, it's not an issue to spend billions on another lane or two.

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[-] kittenzrulz123@lemmy.blahaj.zone 80 points 1 week ago

Its almost funny how cartoonishly evil the Republicans are. They literally are shutting down all public utilities, giving contracts to the rich, spending trillions in the name of "cutting spending", kicking out random people, and im pretty sure a Republican has openly decared friendship to be his greatest enemy (because "woke" or smth). If this was a simulation the developers are getting extremely lazy with this plotline, the villans are literally just evil.

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[-] Nougat@fedia.io 72 points 1 week ago

Citing the USPS’s financial losses, Trump argued the agency should not rely on government subsidies.

It already doesn't. USPS is entirely internally funded. What a fucking idiot.

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[-] laurelraven@lemmy.zip 66 points 1 week ago

Oh, the financial losses that can be directly linked back to Louis DeJoy's actions while in charge to actively sabotage the service, the same DeJoy that Trump appointed to sabotage the service?

They murdered it so they could sell it off, don't let them claim otherwise

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[-] Atrichum@lemmy.world 52 points 1 week ago

Fuck the fascists. We fought the British over less tyrannical shit than what Trump is promising.

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[-] djsoren19@yiffit.net 43 points 1 week ago

Wow, so wild that the agency you crippled with a nonsensical pension funding requirement is no longer running as efficiently as you demand! what a huge surprise, no one could have seen this coming!

Super cool that the Democrats didn't reverse that insane requirement btw.

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[-] skillissuer@discuss.tchncs.de 38 points 1 week ago

doesn't USPS have some special legal status? how are supposed to be things like court orders delivered if not by national mail carrier?

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 24 points 1 week ago

Who cares about the Constitution?

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[-] toast@retrolemmy.com 36 points 1 week ago

Given the country's current mood, is it really wise for the oligarchs to threaten the livelihoods of the very group that gave us the expression going postal?

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[-] Freefall@lemmy.world 36 points 1 week ago

It isn't a business, it is a service, it costs money that our taxes pay, so we don't have to pay shitty private companies. (And it still makes money) "Let's make the Mail just like ISPs" is a stupid take.

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[-] werefreeatlast@lemmy.world 23 points 1 week ago

United Tesla Shipping...UTS

United Tesla Institute... UTI

Shipping Tesla Institution...STI

So many possibilities!

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[-] yesman@lemmy.world 23 points 1 week ago

I'm not an accelerationist, but what's left to do now except bathe in the worm glow of our country burning down?

There is no arguing that America doesn't deserve all the bad things, and maybe a good old fashioned conflagration would straighten the survivors out for a generation or two.

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[-] DogPeePoo@lemm.ee 20 points 1 week ago

Quid pro Bezos

[-] Blackmist@feddit.uk 18 points 1 week ago

Yeah, good luck with that.

Sincerely,

The UK, where we already had that stupid fucking idea.

[-] MyOpinion@lemm.ee 17 points 1 week ago

Republicans wish to destroy any public service. That has always been their mission.

[-] Hatshepsut@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

The Postal Service is in the United States Constitution, Article I:

Section. 8.

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

Clause 7:

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

US Constitution text / archive.gov

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this post was submitted on 14 Dec 2024
471 points (98.6% liked)

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