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USPS loses millions each year on local delivery of mail from abroad (2014)

washingtonpost.com

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Re: USPS loses millions each year on local delivery of mail from abroad (2014)

#11

Post by apsec112 »

devoply wrote: post #10
vacri wrote: post #3

> The USPS inspector general’s office estimated that the USPS lost $79 million in fiscal year 2013 delivering this foreign treaty mail. $79M is governmental chickenfeed, given how much this service improves the quality of life of its citizens. For perspective, it's moderately less than the cost of one (1) F35.

honestly it easily adds a few billion to the aggregate pockets of consumers who don't have to go through middle men.

"but muh private profit? muh job creation? muh competition?"

Please don't comment like this on Hacker News. It lowers the quality of discussion for everyone.

Re: USPS loses millions each year on local delivery of mail from abroad (2014)

#12

Post by devoply »

apsec112 wrote: post #11
devoply wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

honestly it easily adds a few billion to the aggregate pockets of consumers who don't have to go through middle men.

"but muh private profit? muh job creation? muh competition?" Please don't comment like this on Hacker News. It lowers the quality of discussion for everyone.

noted.

Re: USPS loses millions each year on local delivery of mail from abroad (2014)

#13

Post by hkmurakami »

csydas wrote: post #5

> All of this is little comfort to McGrath, who chafes at the thought of the Postal Service helping Chinese merchants poach his customers. “All of us sellers are selling a lot of Chinese goods in America but at least we’re creating jobs, making money, and adding to the economy,” he said. “But when people buy direct from China that’s adding nothing to the American economy.” I understand the seller's frustration - thei…

Also the seller's claim that direct doesn't add anything to the economy is false. That surplus will be directed elsewhere, hopefully to something more productive than what has become an unnecessary intermediary.

Re: USPS loses millions each year on local delivery of mail from abroad (2014)

#14

Post by pizza234 »

jlebrech wrote: post #7

I often thought the postal service SHOULD be a public service but it's publicly funded at a loss then no.

This isn't an obvious conclusion; what if a public service yearly loses a certain amount of money, in order for the public to save twice as much? This is a reasonable interpretation of this case, which would make the isolated loss advantageous in the big picture. Of course, this is a separate concept from seller losing jobs.

Re: USPS loses millions each year on local delivery of mail from abroad (2014)

#16

Post by hfern »

apsec112 wrote: post #11
devoply wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

honestly it easily adds a few billion to the aggregate pockets of consumers who don't have to go through middle men.

"but muh private profit? muh job creation? muh competition?" Please don't comment like this on Hacker News. It lowers the quality of discussion for everyone.

> Don't comment like this on Hacker News.

Why not? I think he is correct -- the benefits to the average american are far more than $75m.

> "but muh private profit? muh job creation? muh competition?"

There is no need to be rude.

Re: USPS loses millions each year on local delivery of mail from abroad (2014)

#17

Post by jakob223 »

kita99 wrote: post #15

So the Postal Service are willing to operate at a loss just to ride the e-commerce boom and grow its Asia presence? Why? Am I missing something here?

They have to offer reduced price mail through this treaty, and they'd rather do the ePacket thing which is less of a loss.

Re: USPS loses millions each year on local delivery of mail from abroad (2014)

#18

Post by apsec112 »

hfern wrote: post #16
apsec112 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"but muh private profit? muh job creation? muh competition?" Please don't comment like this on Hacker News. It lowers the quality of discussion for everyone.

> Don't comment like this on Hacker News. Why not? I think he is correct -- the benefits to the average american are far more than $75m. > "but muh private profit? muh job creation? muh competition?" There is no need to be rude.

"muh private profit" etc. is the comment I was replying to

Re: USPS loses millions each year on local delivery of mail from abroad (2014)

#19

Post by icebraining »

apsec112 wrote: post #18
hfern wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Don't comment like this on Hacker News. Why not? I think he is correct -- the benefits to the average american are far more than $75m. > "but muh private profit? muh job creation? muh competition?" There is no need to be rude.

"muh private profit" etc. is the comment I was replying to

Just to make it clearer for people reading now, the (now flagged) post was edited after the reply.

Re: USPS loses millions each year on local delivery of mail from abroad (2014)

#20

Post by Brotkrumen »

jlebrech wrote: post #7

I often thought the postal service SHOULD be a public service but it's publicly funded at a loss then no.

Think of it this way: every one of the 350 million americans chip in 0.22$ a year to get their iPhone cable for 1.80$ instead of 40$.

Still sound bad?

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