Should the U.S. Postal system be scrapped?

[mark_hensley@sbcglobal.net]

The Postal system is losing money now and in the foreseeable future. Since UPS and Fedex are at the top of their game, would this take over make fiscal conservatives delighted to have smaller government. Let the private sector be in charge and then the public pays market prices for mail services? After-all bills can be paid on the internet, text messages, twitter, facebook, em-mail and wifi. What do you think?

[Obamavenger]

What would replace it and provide the same service?

[scrawnymint172]

Who will provide the same service? Please explain that to me.

[Tyler]

yes

[redfiat73]

How would you get a certified letter. Don't be silly

[Mujer Alta]

I've been around long enough to have seen the "the private sector can do it cheaper and more efficiently" myth go down in flames a whole bunch of times. The other big lie is "deregulation will lead to more competition and lower prices". I guess every generation has to hear them and believe them at least once.

I looked into my crystal ball and saw small, rural communities who've already lost bus, train and commuter airline service, loose their mail service. I see services now provided by the USPS disappear. I see customers with complaints getting the run-around. (UPS dropped two external drives I'd ordered onto my concrete walk. I know because I'd heard the truck stop, was on my way out and saw the delivery guy just drop them onto the walk in front of him. There was no number for me to call and complain. I know this because I called a bunch of UPS numbers for their nearest processing center and everyone told me there was no number for delivery complaints.) I see prices for everything going up and mail delivery days disappearing. Need I go on?

[massivemeat833]

As long as their is a purpose for something it should not be scrapped. We can encourage people to pay their bills on line but there are a whole level of people who don't even own computers let's not think we are all there is & ignore the whole picture here. The post office does a whole lot more than I think you are aware of so maybe learning about what they do will help bring more clarity to the question you have raised.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Postal_Service

[Walks Far Man]

No UPS and Fedex are high price package delivery people. The U.S Postal Service does so much more at a very reasonable price. Mr Franklin would cruse us if we did in the Postal Service. The Postal Service is has old has the U.S.. Let's keep it.

[relievedscene954]

I agree, along with Amtrak, Public Education, light rail trains, jails, NEA, Public Radio.

[Angela Q]

Mail for all Americans, irrespective of where they live, is a service that the government has decided is worth having so much that it provides it at a loss. No one can provide the service at a profit. There are locations that do not have high speed internet. There are also locations where people do not have electricity, landlines, or cable. America is not all big cities. Just as in times past there are a lot of places where people live that would just die if mail was cut off. ∠°)