Senators blast House leaders over Postal Service default

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

By Emily Stephenson
Wed Aug 1, 2012 4:05pm EDT

(Reuters) - Hours before the Postal Service's expected first-ever default on an obligation, senators blasted the Republican-led House of Representatives for not advancing legislation to overhaul the cash-strapped service before a month-long recess.

The mail agency, which relies on the sale of stamps and other products rather than taxpayer dollars, confirmed this week that it could not make a $5.5 billion payment for future retiree health benefits that is due by midnight on Wednesday.

Lawmakers have said for more than a year that they would overhaul the struggling agency and help it avoid a default.

The Senate passed a bipartisan bill in April. But the House plans to leave at the end of this week until after the September 3 Labor Day holiday without voting on postal legislation.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/01/us-usa-postal-default-idUSBRE8701HO20120801

[SoapBox]

1. It's simply hard to believe that the Thug, Bully and Bagger Party is THIS stoopid.

Amazing.

Can you just imagine if the USPS really started shutting down?

It would be National and worldwide chaos.

And for the idiots that say that they don't ever need the USPS...for example, because they pay their
bills via bill pay at their bank? Uhhhh....the bank uses the USPS to MAIL checks to people/businesses
that are not set up for electronic funds transfers! Duh! And I hope you don't ever plan on getting
a birthday card from grandma again...

[HockeyMom]

2. Can they email your Passport too?

Or your Voter ID card, your bank mortgage booklet, etc., etc.

[n2doc]

6. No worries

They can just use UPS/FEDEX to send them

At $20 per item.....and at least a 1 week delay.

want it faster? Sure can do! That will be $35/item, please.

[Ilsa]

8. And that's if FedEx even delivers to Dumbfuck, Texas. nt

[MrSlayer]

4. Why? Look at the people that elect them.

Far from falling of the cliff or whatever, there will probably be even more of them in congress next year. There are way more stupid people out there than smart ones.

Idiocracy, we're nearly there.

[cstanleytech]

5. Its not stupid its tactics. Without the US mail it makes it easier for the feds to track back things

like who blew the whistle on something where as today if someone uses a simple letter through the us mail its not so easy to trace.

[dtom67]

3. the War on Americans continues....

basic GOP union-busting: bankrupt the company the Union works for and nullify their contract.

Increased unemployment, destroyed economy, utter chaos; just collateral damage.

As long as Americans ( Who are not wealthy ) become poorer and the Rich get their taxes eliminated, the GOP is just doing what its owners want them to do.



Tar and Feathers, Anyone?

[former9thward]

7. There are no consequences for a default.

From the link: Defaulting on the payment, which goes into a fund for retiree benefits years from now, will not disrupt mail delivery, prevent USPS employees and suppliers from being paid or stop benefits for current retirees, the Postal Service said.

[elbloggoZY27]

9. Postal Service and SSA

These two Federal Programs suffer from Political Warfare and need to be separated from the control of Congress and make them true Independent Agencies. The populace in the whole benefits by both services (Postal & SSA). In short they deliver there services to their customers.

This Congress especially has completely failed and I blame the GOP 100%.

It's like our War on Drugs which is a huge failure except for the prisons who become overcrowded.

Depoliticize SSA and the Postal Service.

[Panasonic]

10. The USPS is independent from Congress control.

It's the pension that The House of Morons are ignoring and trying to stall and delay.

Well, The House of Morons are due for a major cleanup, in other words, the Smarter Ones will be taking over the House next January after the voters get tired of The House of Morons failing to do its due diligence.

[Samantha]

11. the USPS has an extremely large number of unionized employees

Privatization of this organization could come in mighty handily during election years....

Sam

[SunSeeker]

12. The USPS shouldn't be making this Republikkkan-created dumb-ass poison pill payment anyway.

What plagues USPS is the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (yes, another of Dubya's legacies), which requires the USPS to pre-pay the health care benefits of not only current USPS employees, but all employees who will retire in the next 75 years — including those not yet born!

No other agency or corporation is required to do this, and it is doubtful that any could survive if forced to meet a similar requirement. The law is a poison pill designed to drive the Post Office into bankruptcy.

Despite the growth of email, we still need the Post Office. We need to get rid of that ridiculous law and stop closing post offices and cutting services.

[sarcasmo]

13. Crushing Unions, the Billionaires, I mean Republicans ultimate goal.