General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUSPS Board of Governors Appointed Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe(MORE)UPDATE
Last edited Sat Feb 25, 2012, 02:52 PM - Edit history (1)
Each Governor is appointed to a nine-year term or to the remainder of an unexpired term created by the death or resignation of a sitting Governor. Terms of the Governors are staggered to expire each year on December 8. A Governor whose term has expired may continue to sit on the Board for up to one year until a successor has been appointed. No more than five of the nine Governors may be of the same political party. On December 20, 2006, President George W. Bush signed the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, P.L. 109-435, which changed the terms of subsequently appointed Governors from nine to seven years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Board_of_Governors_of_the_United_States_Postal_Service
Appointments are made when vacancies occur or for the remainder of unexpired terms. Each governors term expires on December 8 of a given year. Governors may continue to serve following expiration of their term or until a successor is appointed but not for more than one year. No person may serve more than two terms as a governor.
The Board directs the exercise of the powers of the Postal Service, directs and controls its expenditures, reviews its practices, conducts long-range planning and sets policies on all postal matters. The Board takes up matters such as service standards, capital investments and facilities projects exceeding $25 million. It also approves officer compensation.
http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/leadership/board-governors.htm
Now for the really eye-opening part: Which President appointed most of the Governors?
Thurgood Marshall Jr. Chairman appointed by George W. Bush
Mickey D. Barnett, Vice-Chairman, appointed by George W. Bush
Louis J. Giuliano, Member, appointed by George W. Bush
James H. Bilbray, Member, appointed by George W. Bush
Ellen C. Williams, Member, appointed by George W. Bush
Dennis J. Toner, Member, appointed by Barack Obama
Patrick R. Donahoe, Postmaster General and CEO, appointed by Board Of Governors
Ronald A. Stroman, Deputy Postmaster General, appointed by Board Of Governors
James C. Miller III, Member, appointed by George W. Bush
Note: I'm not sure if James C. Miller III is still on the Board of Governors, Wiki list him, but USPS site
Members of the Board of Governors does not.
More on Patrick R. Donahoe here

http://www.thenation.com/blog/166103/post-office-not-broke
Now, however, we learn that the pre-funding requirements have taken so much money from the USPS thataccording to the postal services own inspector generalit has significantly exceeded the level of reserved money that the federal government or private corporations divert to meet future pension and retiree healthcare demands. Using ratepayer funds, it has built a war chest of over $326 billion to address its future liabilities, acknowledges Postal Service Inspector General David C. Williams.
USPS Area Mail Processing study decision 2/23/12
These changes are a necessary part of a larger comprehensive plan developed by the Postal Service to reduce operating costs by $20 billion by 2015 and return the organization to profitability.
The Postal Service is in the midst of a financial crisis due to the combined effects of the economic recession, increased use of electronic communications, and an obligation to prefund retiree health benefits. First-Class Mail volume has deteriorated, leading to significant revenue declines, and the obligation to prefund these retiree health benefits on an accelerated basis remains unresolved. To date, legislative proposals to address the financial crisis remain pending, leaving the Postal Service and the mailing industry it supports in an increasingly precarious position.
Since 2006, First-Class Mail volume has rapidly declined, leaving a mail mix that generates far less revenue than it costs to sustain postal operations. The dramatic decline in mail volume has resulted in an enormous amount of excess capacity within the network, creating significant opportunity for consolidation.
Previous USPS announcement on July 26, 2011 regarding Expanded Access Study
Today, more than 35 percent of the Postal Services retail revenue comes from expanded access locations such as grocery stores, drug stores, office supply stores, retail chains, self-service kiosks, ATMs and usps.com, open 24/7, said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. Our customers habits have made it clear that they no longer require a physical post office to conduct most of their postal business.
For communities currently without a postal retail office and for communities affected by these retail optimization efforts, the Postal Service introduced the Village Post Office as a potential replacement option. Village Post Offices would be operated by local businesses, such as pharmacies, grocery stores and other appropriate retailers, and would offer popular postal products and services such as stamps and flat-rate packaging.
By working with third-party retailers, were creating easier, more convenient access to our products and services when and where our customers want them, Donahoe said. The Village Post Office will offer another way for us to meet our customers needs.
Here: http://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2011/pr11_089.htm
On Edit: Thank you ProSense for your further research on this matter. I'm going to include this information here, because there seems to be a misconception that President Obama can just fire Patrick Donahoe if he wanted to.
House Dem calls for firing postmaster general; blames Obama, GOP Congress
Just one problem with that The President Cannot Fire The Postmaster General
Furthermore:
The legislation was a direct outcome of the U.S. postal strike of 1970.
The first paragraph of the Act reads:
The United States Postal Service shall be operated as a basic and fundamental service provided to the people by the Government of the United States, authorized by the Constitution, created by Act of Congress, and supported by the people. The Postal Service shall have as its basic function the obligation to provide postal services to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people. It shall provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in all areas and shall render postal services to all communities. The costs of establishing and maintaining the Postal Service shall not be apportioned to impair the overall value of such service to the people.
WOW check this out, thanks to suffragette.
Shock Doctrine at U.S. Postal Service: Is a Manufactured Crisis Behind Push Toward Privatization?
Discuss

hedgehog
(36,286 posts)SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)this really opened my eyes, and not in a good way.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)This is the busy invisible hand of the GOP in action. Thanks for digging it out of the shadows.
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)It was very educational for me, and it's all thanks to another thread on this site that prompted me to do some research. You're welcome
great white snark
(2,646 posts)Inquiring minds thank you SunsetDreams.
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)Postal Workers: The Last Union
The Postal Service, which is older than the Constitution itself, stands at a precipice. If this great institution, which provides one of the oldest, most reliable services in the country, is permitted to fall and Congress kills its great union, then truly no collective bargaining rights, no worker contract, no union will be safe within the United States.
...
Perhaps it was its booming history that first drew Congress' attention to the Postal Service in 2006 when it passed the Postal Accountability Enhancement Act (PAEA), which mandated that the Postal Service would have to fully fund retiree health benefits for future retirees. That's right. Congress was demanding universal health care coverage.
But it even went beyond that. Congress was mandating coverage for future human beings.
http://www.truth-out.org/last-union/1315492298
suffragette
(12,232 posts)privatizing public services.
A greedy 3-fer, if you will.
Great job of pulling the pertinent pieces together in your OP and this post.
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)thanks, I've done an update to the OP
suffragette
(12,232 posts)Again, great job pulling this together.
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)This is crazy, it's all becoming really clear now.
From your link:
The war on the USPS was a set up a long time ago.
suffragette
(12,232 posts)Some other key points from the Democracy Now article:
AMY GOODMAN: What about the role of unions? And do you think there is a role being played here, and the push for privatization?
CHUCK ZLATKIN: Well, the unions are an important factor, because part of the reason that it looks so good to privatize is, as they see this business and theyre saying, "Look at this, were paying close to 600,000 workers a living wage, benefits and retirement package. Well, if we could break the union and eliminate that, we could bring in people, at-will workers for an hourly wage with no benefits, and that money could go to, not the American people or costs in government, that would go to profits. This is another situation where working-class people and poor people are being asked to suffer and sacrifice to benefit the rich.
~~~
AMY GOODMAN: Very quickly, if the Post Office goes the route of privatization, will theprivate companies will be asking for subsidies to deal with, for example, rural areas in this country. And in the end, the U.S. taxpayers will continue to foot the bill, but this will be for private gain.
CHUCK ZLATKIN: Well, yeah, theyll either ask for subsidies, or theyll refuse to do it. Universal service will be doomed. Theyll pick and choose the profitable areas to service, and the rest of the people will have to fend for themselves. And I would just ask the people who are concerned about this to come out today to rally in every congressional district in the country. You can go to "Save Americas Postal Service," saveamericaspostalservice.org and find out the location near you. This is about saving an institution for the people who depend upon it.
The info about Donahoe's predecessor, John E.Potter, receiving a huge golden parachute at retirement is also very important, especially in contrast with the cuts the workers are facing and in contrast with the claims about lack of performance of the USPS, given that would have occurred under his leadership.
Add to that, it looks like the changes that were made that led to the enormous pay and retirement package for him (and likely any "CEO of the USPS coming after him) was part of the same onerous 2006 legislation that is crippling the USPS now. And that is a pattern similar to the outsized, unfair and ever increasing corporate differential between CEOs and workers that has been increasing for years now.
See the paragraph about Potter in the Democracy Now piece and then read this article - more at link:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/11/outgoing_postmaster_generals_g.html
Postmaster General John E. Potter could earn about $5.5 million in deferred compensation, retirement benefits and accrued annual leave for the rest of his life when he leaves the U.S. Postal Service next month, according to financial statements.
~~~
A 2006 postal reform law permitted the Postal Service to compensate top executives with more generous pay and benefits packages to help recruit talented outsiders.
But critics note that Potter and other postal executives are career insiders who have seen their salaries rise through the years despite the Postal Service's poor financial performance.
Postal unions also argue that workers are being unfairly asked to make financial concessions while top executives earn six-figure salaries and retirement payouts.
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)it sounds like to me they have already succeeded at privatizing the USPS, from everything I'm reading. That's a hefty "retirement" package for Potter. That's what companies do, the CEO gets paid enormous amounts of money, while the workers get the shaft.
Swede
(35,273 posts)nt
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Postmaster_General
I'm going to do an update on the OP, thank you!
ProSense
(116,464 posts)SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)Response to SunsetDreams (Original post)
Post removed
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)And these days it's a classic case of shock doctrine.
UPS and FedEx are also feeling the pressure from USPS package handling which is not a small part of the business either.
As is they also want the first class mail.
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)just added more fuel to the fire in more ways than one.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,012 posts)as a place to find well prepared, thoughtful postings.
Rec and bookmarked.
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)grantcart
(53,061 posts)girl gone mad
(20,634 posts)If he has any good sense, he will do so.
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)read the links in the OP.
girl gone mad
(20,634 posts)Here's more proof:
President Obama issued Executive Order (EO) 13527 on December 30, 2009, directing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to establish a National USPS Medical Countermeasure (MCM) dispensing model. Section 2 of this Executive Order requires the creation of a National USPS Model (hereafter referred to as the Postal Model) for the residential delivery of MCM following a biological attack. The Postal Model is an additional option that States or municipalities (cities or counties) may consider in enhancing their MCM distribution capability while supplementing existing distribution mechanisms. It also provides the framework for the formalization of the HHS/USPS Joint Program Enterprise.
Scenario: Outdoor aerosolized release of anthrax is the baseline for planning related to bio-attacks requiring the deployment of post exposure prophylaxis.
Goal: Provide preventive antibiotics to 100 percent of the potentially exposed population as quickly as possible, ideally within 48 hours of the decision to deploy such assets.
HHS Support: In support of State and local public health authorities, HHS will provide home Antibiotic Kits for the USPS volunteers and members of their households; medical screening for the antibiotics; and applicable personal protective equipment including the fit testing for N-95s. Additionally, based on the availability of funds, HHS will enter into cooperative agreements.
The USPS has the unique ability to deliver self administrable MCM within one day to every residence in a designated geographic area; the objective being, to initiate direct residential delivery of antibiotics as soon as possible and to complete delivery within 12 hours. This envisioned quick strike could do much to meet the immediate wide-area need for life-saving drugs while local authorities put into operation their plans for dealing with post-attack needs for disease prevention and emergency health care services during the ensuing weeks or months.
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)That Executive Order does not apply here, and I think you know it. The link provided in this part "President Obama issued Executive Order (EO) 13527 on December 30, 2009" at the link you provided shows what that Executive Order is all about.
grantcart
(53,061 posts)The Board of Governors of the U.S. Postal Service is comparable to a board of directors of a private corporation. The Board includes nine governors who are appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The nine governors select the postmaster general, who becomes a member of the Board, and those 10 select the deputy postmaster general, who also serves on the Board. The postmaster general serves at the pleasure of the governors for an indefinite term. The deputy postmaster general serves at the pleasure of the governors and the postmaster general.
In 1970, when the Board was established by the Postal Reorganization Act, the governors of the Postal Service were appointed for terms of nine years. The first nine appointments were for staggered terms of one to nine years. Subsequent appointments were made for the full nine years. On December 20, 2006, President George W. Bush signed the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, P.L. 109-435, which changed the terms of subsequently appointed governors from nine to seven years. The Act also added some professional qualifications for the governors. The governors are chosen to represent the public interest generally and cannot be representatives of special interests. Not more than five of the nine may belong to the same political party. They shall be chosen solely on the basis of their experience in the field of public service, law or accounting or on their demonstrated ability in managing organizations or corporations (in either the public or private sector) of substantial size, except that at least four of the governors shall be chosen solely on the basis of their demonstrated ability in managing organizations or corporations (in either the public or private sector) that employ at least 50,000 employees.
Appointments are made when vacancies occur or for the remainder of unexpired terms. Each governors term expires on December 8 of a given year. Governors may continue to serve following expiration of their term or until a successor is appointed but not for more than one year. No person may serve more than two terms as a governor.
The Board directs the exercise of the powers of the Postal Service, directs and controls its expenditures, reviews its practices, conducts long-range planning and sets policies on all postal matters. The Board takes up matters such as service standards, capital investments and facilities projects exceeding $25 million. It also approves officer compensation.
girl gone mad
(20,634 posts)All he has to do is declare it a matter of national security that these locations stay open in order to deliver medicine and supplies as stipulated by law.
But he probably has no interest in keeping the postal system healthy. Look at the public statements he's made about USPS in the past.
That comment provoked laughter from the audience.
"Its been public for some time that the Postal Services fiscal path is unsustainable," spokeswoman Jen Psaki said when asked about the president's generally dismissive remarks. "It has been struggling due to unprecedented reductions in mail volume, and the effect of the economic crisis has made things worse." Psaki was unaware of any previous public comments made by Obama about the Postal Service or its financial woes.
Typical neoliberal nonsense from Obama.
one_voice
(20,043 posts)that those locations stay open?
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)Surely you meant something else.
Do you have a link for that entire speech or text? Sometimes things, have a tendency to get taken out of context.
Tarheel_Dem
(31,443 posts)
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)New Yawker
(62 posts)and forced to resign en-masse - all except the BO appointee.
The Board of Governors should be fired by EO.
And replaced with BO sycophants and force USPS to reverse the stupid 75 year pension advance for 10 years.
Right now we have paid for 45 years in advance.
It's time to stop.
glinda
(14,807 posts)SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)Tarheel_Dem
(31,443 posts)