Comments on: Please, Mr. Postman, raise my postage!
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- I hope someone who knows more about this than I do will also post but here is what I understand. The post office is being strangled by congress. In 2006 Denny Hastert pushed a bill that made the post office fund their retirement fund 75 years into the future and they had to get that done in the next 10 years. Absolutely unheard of. Ridiculous. They are also not allowed to raise their rates to help fund the retirement of people who are not even employed by the post office yet or even born yet. The post office would be operating in the black just as it is if they were less restricted by this 2006 legislation. I would gladly pay more for postage if it would help keep the post office operating until the 10 years were over but they can't use that increase for that purpose. Everyone should tell Mr. Stein to research his story better before he tells lies like he did today on the Sunday Morning show.
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- Stupid Idea. Old Ben must have too much money. Next time Ben just go for Next Day FEDX. Spend your $1.00's faster
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- Here we go again... Another of the 1% of the rich not thinking of those who don't have any money.. Oh yea.. lets raise postage to $1.00.. Spoken like another dumb ass rich person. Hey Ben.. Have you ever thought of how the 99% of other Americans actually live and try to survive? Idiot!!!
How about we revamp it and stop the government from running it. thats why its broken, and while we are at it.. How about we hire friendly workers who are also more productive instead of working like they are the walking dead. I think the Post Office is one of the places I most hate to go.. No such thing as good customer service. - Reply to this comment
- I too love using the US Post Office. However, your comments this morning about keeping the Post Office alive, and thriving, in 2011 by raising the basic postage stamps to $1.00 each upset me so much I had to send this email.
Think about a person making minimum wage (in some states/ federal minimum $7.25/ hour), trying to pay for basic necessities and bills for their families, then trying to even afford to mail Christmas cards to family and friends paying your proposed $1.00 per stamp? Did you think about anything like this before making your commentary? This is unrealistic, and again a greater divide between rich and poor within this country (one of the reason I believe so many people are protesting right now... ). Honestly, with my limited income, I was extrememly upset that I have to pay 44 cents for every stamp. I cannot afford to mail letters/ things through the Post Office as much as I would like to. The cost of postage has increase at an alarming rate (to me) as compared to salaries/ incomes.
Please think about this when making such comments. I guess this would be another perfect example of the other side of the economy vs. your individual situation/ cirmcumstances (or people you may know, compared to others who continue to suffer within this great divide between rich vs. poor).
*Note: maybe US Postal Employees should be willing to decrease their salaries (in some cases starting at $23.+ dollars/ hour) to help save their own jobs. Wish I was making that an hour... and in most cases it is probably higher than that (with salary increases throughout the years, and retirement benefits). Has anyone researched this??
Just some thoughts from an "average" person... (not looking forward to paying for Christmas postage... even though I love that time of year)... - Reply to this comment
- The post office should not be wasting money the way they do now. How much do you think it costs to send free shipping boxes and supplies out. Also they keep changing the stamps and that must cost lots.The electric bills are now being sent out with a charge of $.73 for payment and billing service charge. Add another $1.00 stamp and this would be $1.73 extra for me to send them my money to pay their bill. I love Ben Stein's comments but this time I think he's wrong.The increase would be fine for regular letters but not for paying bills..
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- Americans got spoiled with the low cost of postage, the postal service was too slow in raising the price of postage, while the unions were very active demanding higher pay and benefits for the postal employees. We suggested to the United States Postal Service to adopt a five day delivery week way back in the 70s but the unions were just too powerful against it. Now see what has happened and will happen more with the U.S.P.S.
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- Mr Ben Stin, You are the only one who is more then welling to pay $1.00 for a stamp. The rest of us just 44c is enough. Mr Stin, you well stand alone, all by yourself. You want to pay more, go ahead.The rest of us have more sense in our heads.
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- My father delivered the mail for 30 years. Mr. Stein you are badly informed and yet you get to spout your opinion to millions of people. The post office is in trouble because of what the republican congress passed before President Obama took office in an attempt to close the post office in favor of privatizing it. This information is well documented but purposefully dismissed in hopes of blaming this too on the president.
Shame on you and shame on CBS news - Reply to this comment
- I cannot believe that Ben Stein is so short-sighted to believe we should all welcome the opportunity to pay $1.00 for first class mail. What about people that are on fixed incomes or do not have access to computers to pay their bills online, should they pay more to pay their bills? What about the grandmother or grandfather who want to send birthday or Christmas cards to their grandchildren, should they be penalized? Unfortunately we are becoming a nation of haves and havenots and the haves don't care or realize how retired or fixed income people are suffering under current policies.
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- Ben,
I loved your segment but obviously you really didn't do much research! In 2006 congress made the USPO start paying retirement benefits 75 years in advance over the next 10 years! Otherwise the USPO is profitable. A couple of recent accountings estimate that they have already overpaid in the billions. No company or other government controlled agency is required to do this. Strangely it was the republican party that pushed this through which advocates less government intrution in business. No business would even consider investing in America if we required this of all businesses. If, as peviously reported, the USPO lays off 220,000 employees in this economy..I hope everyone of them march on Wsahington DC and go "POSTAL". - Reply to this comment
