Kiss the Post Office as we know it goodbye

Yesterday DeJoy announced big cuts to 1st class mail delivery and instead of all hands on deck to stop him, a few Twit Yappers got on the Twit to yap about how bad it would be for the country and yet today he announced his done deal policies.

Here is the DONE DEAL. Could slow mail? Count on it.

Louis DeJoy’s New Postal Plan Could Mean Slower Mail, Fewer Office Hours

Facing an expected $160 billion in losses over the next decade, DeJoy and postal executives stressed the need to cut costs and modernize the agency’s operations as its workload increasingly shifts from handling letters to hauling more and more packages.

“This is about the long-term viability of the organization under the two missions that we have that are legislated, that is deliver to every house six days a week and be self-sustaining,” DeJoy said. He announced the plans at a webinar with other postal service officials.

DeJoy said the biggest change would be a relaxing of the current first-class letter delivery standard of one-to-three-days to a one-to-five-day benchmark. Postal leadership said the longer timeframe would apply only to mail going to the farthest reaches of its network and that 70% of first-class mail will still be delivered within a three-day standard.

The agency said it will subject potential changes to delivery standards, as well as several other parts of their plan, to a formal rulemaking process and advisory opinions from the independent Postal Regulatory Commission before they go into effect.

Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat who has been critical of DeJoy, cautioned that any reduction of delivery standards would have a big impact on customers.

“While I understand Postal Service leadership’s desire to set long-term goals, I am concerned that several of the initiatives in this plan will harm service for folks across the country who rely on the Postal Service for prescription drugs, financial documents, running their small businesses, and more,” said Peters.

The White House didn’t immediately return an email seeking comment.

DeJoy, a former supply-chain CEO who took over the Postal Service last June, has been mired in controversy since taking over the agency.

Biden knew that DeJoy was put in to destroy the last vestiges of the PO and had plenty of time to develop a plan ready on day 1 to stop it. But just like the border crisis it has been allowed to go into effect without nary a word. So folks there you have it. The post office will be privatized, gutted and rendered useless while UPS, FedEx, Amazon and other pop up gig working delivery services rise up out of the ether to gauge us.

BTW the PO is not in business to make money,, but to offer a service. It was congress who put that yoke on them. And there ain't a damn thing we can do about it.

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usefewersyllables's picture

continues. Nothing to see here, move along.

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Twice bitten, permanently shy.

@usefewersyllables Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

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Good riddance and thanks, voters, for restoring sanity.

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I cried when I wrote this song. Sue me if I play too long.

CB's picture

@fire with fire
as that is quite apparent even to those with diminished vision. But I have to vehemently dispute that it is phallocentric. It is quite obvious that mail (despite being homophonebic) is gynocentric in nature considering its enveloping nature (to one with a sagacious eye).

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mimi's picture

@CB
idiotic. Makes me happy to be a second class citizen.

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CB's picture

@mimi
Mann auf dem Markt: “Zwei Pfund Tomaten, bitte.”
Bauer: “Das heißt Kilo.”
Mann: “Seit wann denn nicht mehr Tomaten?”

Was sagt ein Krokodil, das einen Clown gefressen hat? – Schmeckt komisch!

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@CB

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

mimi's picture

@CB @CB
I need to behave.
Smile

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@CB .
.
Nevertheless I have to stick to my indictment of First Class mail being phalocentric because people write letters with pens, pencils or crayons. Those "tools" tell the whole story. I will concede that there may be other deplorable aspects of First Class Mail, but it is all about the ying-yang, let's face it.

.
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You made me laugh, btw. Thanks.

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I cried when I wrote this song. Sue me if I play too long.

CB's picture

@fire with fire

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@CB .

He had some decent political views for a country singer. And ahead of his time with transgender doctrine.

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I cried when I wrote this song. Sue me if I play too long.

snoopydawg's picture

Democrats can do no wrong:

Republicans have figured out that they cannot kill popular things like USPS, Social Security and Medicare outright, so they’ve adopted a strategy of draining money from those entities piece by piece.

Which effing party is in total control right gd now? Which party has had those things on its cut radar for decades? Yeah, just republicans are bad. Elect more democrats if you want nirvana or some schit. Hint. It ain't the republicans so if dems want to actually save the PO they can. Oh can't get rid of DeJoy or make him do the right thing for we the people? Bull. No American could stand up to the pressure a president brings on them. Period. Obama played that silly game of his hands being tied because of the Mitch, but that was as BS as Biden being just as helpless. Gee imagine someone standing up to Trump who was the most powerful president in history and now we have the 2nd weakest one in line behind all other dem ones that pulled this crap on us. "My hands are tied."

Last time he was in front of congress he was an arrogant prikc who said this:

He was asked how long he would be there he said, “Indefinitely. Get used to it.”

I think he knows that he will finish the job because he is supposed to and neither party gives a damn about our needs. I am getting notices from my mortgage and other creditors saying that online service might interrupt my $$$$ getting to them and therefor go online to pay everything. Sure it's convenient, but what about all those without internet access or reliable access that can't? Or you get your meds by mail and oh well, sorry for those withdrawals from pain meds, blood sugar spikes that ended you in the hospital or depression symptoms get worse cuz you can't maintain a steady supply of the drug to your brain, or, or or..........

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Shahryar's picture

@snoopydawg

I started Demexiting in either late 2007 or early 2008 (forget the exact date) when Howard Dean came to Portland to speak to all the Party "elite". That means Oregon party leaders and Portland precinct captains. We actually are/were called precinct persons but it's the same thing. Anyway, despite holding majorities in Congress the Dems weren't getting anything done. As some might remember, dailyKos would have polls and in those days the site makeup was pretty decent. Roughly (as I recall) 11% said Pelosi was doing a good job and 9% said that about Harry Reid.

So after Dean's talk I asked him about that. Why weren't the Dems doing more? What could I tell my friends at dKos that would encourage them? And he replied "Tell them to elect more Democrats". Well! So I said "that's not going to cut it". My darling wife, who was watching this exchange, told me later that "Howard Dean tasered you with his eyeballs". That is, he didn't appreciate an actual give and take.

"Elect more Democrats". "Send more money". I wish people would look more closely at these parties. I believe, sort of, that if they had open minds and just looked!!! they'd see it's a con, a scam.

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snoopydawg's picture

@Shahryar

"Elect more Democrats". "Send more money".

Obama not only had a huge mandate at his disposal, he had large majorities in the house and senate, but Joe Lieberman stood in his way. During Clinton's reign of terror on the working class it was Ben Nelson standing in democrat's way. Dems will always find one person to play the bad guy until the GOP bad guy gets back in power.

How many weeks have dems been holding the filibuster over our heads now? 4? 5? Each week one more Dem comes forward to say that they are willing to look at filibuster reform. In other words, no getting rid of it. The new ploy is that people will have to talk for hours in person if they are filibustering and all other business comes to a screeching halt...lobotomy joke always fits here... and after all that they still need 60 votes for cloture. According to A. Marx that is what needs to go, not the filibuster. It is a way to keep people distracted while Biden's VP is busy doing his job because he is not able to.

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CB's picture

in using drones for delivery services. Maybe UPS is looking to outsource it's entire delivery system or will it became a private/public corporation in the future?

The Race For Drone Delivery Just Got A New Leader: 3 Key Differences That Will Define Who Wins
...
The X-Factor: All three major players in the drone delivery race in the US have real differentiators when it comes to technology. Wing, having been spun out of the Google X lab, can leverage close partnership to any of Google’s other products, including high resolution mapping, autonomous technologies, health-sensor data, and a plethora of other lesser unknown or in-development technologies that can act as catalysts for rapid change or application.

Amazon’s clear understanding and domination of e-commerce – from product development to consumer behaviour to delivery – may be just the thing that sets them apart. UPS’ global experience in supply-chain and logistics management, combined with trust from both consumers and government, may provide the wisdom and character needed to promote the societal acceptance needed.

Three behemoths of technology and delivery are asserting their place in the sky above our heads like never before. Who will win the race? Will it be the tech giant experts at Google with a grab bag of technologies set to support and accelerate their drone vision? Will it be UPS, the traditional supply-chain and logistics delivery company already trusted to handle other companies’ most important goods? Or will it be Amazon’s Prime Air, a combination of the two, with an existing customer base more familiar with technology and eager to receive packages ever faster?

Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, the drone delivery revolution has begun.

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snoopydawg's picture

@CB

automation is just getting its hooks an claws into businesses starting with fast food joints making you talk to the 'hand' to get your order and Kroger grocery is building a warehouse full of groceries that only robots will fill orders for. Now Amazon and its friends are going to clog our streets with bots and drones. Musk is filling our night skies with satellites without any say so from us. Well as long as people keep ordering from Bezos and friends they will think that they have permission.

Automation in some areas can be good for humanity. Robot assisted surgery for various ailments. Cars, planes, ect have had some type of automation and it could be used to create some place nice where we all can live in peace and harmony, but no. That would need to have a government financial system in place to give people a quality life, but that is not what is coming for us. Instead a future of dystopian proportions await us. Look at the recent bailouts with Us vs Them.

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snoopydawg's picture

@snoopydawg @snoopydawg

Already Amazon breaks worker laws daily by not giving them time for breaks including bathroom ones and has been increasing the pressure on workers while at least 3 administrations have let them take more power every chance they get.

Amazon to Delivery Drivers: Agree to Be Spied On Biometrically or You're Fired

Amazon delivery drivers across the U.S. who refuse to sign a so-called "consent" form enabling the powerful corporation's artificial intelligence-equipped cameras to monitor their every move and collect their biometric data will lose their jobs at week's end, according to new reporting by labor journalist Lauren Kaori Gurley.

But this goes far beyond tracking workers and making sure they are slaving at peak performance, but their equipment will help cops and IA put more surveillance devices on the roadways for them.

People willing buy the spy devices and install them in their houses and cops and whomever can look at the footage and see if they can find anyone and preferably a black person that looks like they have committed mayhem and need some attention.

n a move that was described by a leading digital rights advocate as "the largest expansion of corporate surveillance in human history," Amazon began last month to install AI-powered, four-lens cameras in its delivery vans, as Common Dreams reported. Progressive critics warned that in addition to violating workers' rights, the intrusive technology would allow Amazon to put "roaming eyes in every neighborhood, shopping center, and intersection in our communities."

Are they still a free company that can strip us of our rights because if we don't agree with their terms we don't have to work there. Or post stuff on their websites. Congress has hauled FB, Twit and Goggle in front of them and have demanded that they do more to address propaganda from the regular Joe's whilst leaving their f'ing Russia propaganda up for 5 years on top of all the propaganda about other countries. Nary a word on the infraction of our rights.

Simple solution:

It’s almost comical how evil Amazon is. This company needs to be nationalized and merged with the USPS under new management.

Smile

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snoopydawg's picture

@snoopydawg

If instead, Amazon microchipped its workers, it would have more accurate biometric data, which the workers would have ownership and control over. Win for both parties.

We would be happy to offer @Amazon our @Bichipdk microchipping services.

Don't forget that 3 big grocery chains fired their delivery workers and went with gig work for anyone lucky enough to get one, but what this does is puts all the bennies that corporations once paid for on to people's backs and they have to pay the whole ride now. California voters voted for this. Now Uber's connections are working inside the Biden WH with Harris' bil working directly for Uber and helped create prop 22. Both he and Uber have plans to take this countrywide and then worldwide. 94% of jobs created during Zero's tenure were party time or gig work according to gjohnsit. Biden might be able to top those numbers. The Camela certainly will.

Don't bother your pretty heads about it tho:

Earlier this month, Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter (pdf) raising concerns about the policy to Amazon's chief executive Jeff Bezos—the world's richest person who is currently waging a war against the ongoing unionization effort of Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama.

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@snoopydawg
Got a link to contribute to my union brothers and sisters?

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I've seen lots of changes. What doesn't change is people. Same old hairless apes.

@CB

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"Without the right to offend, freedom of speech does not exist." Taslima Nasrin

CB's picture

@Fishtroller 02
They'll figure out a way. BTW, I liked my mailwoman AND the milkman. (Yes, I'm old enough to have experienced milk delivered 3-2 times a week right to the door.)

China has had a headstart:

China’s first national standard for express delivery drone service will be effective from January 1, 2021

The Specification for Express Delivery Service by Unmanned Aircraft (the “Standard”) issued by the State Post Bureau of PRC will be effective from January 1st, 2021. The Standard was jointly formulated by industry-leading players including EHang (Nasdaq: EH), JD.com (Nasdaq: JD), and ZTO Express (NYSE: ZTO). As China’s first industry standard for express delivery service by unmanned aircrafts, the implementation of the Standard is of great significance for improving the last-mile delivery service, ensuring the safety of operations, as well as promoting the development of intelligent aerial logistics of urban air mobility (“UAM”) industry.

DHL launches new drone delivery route in China

DHL became the first international logistics provider to launch an autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) drone delivery service in China on May 16. The company debuted an exclusive, eight kilometer (five mile) drone delivery route for a customer based in Guangzhou. The trip, which previously took 40 minutes one-way by car or truck, now takes eight minutes while producing a fraction of the overall carbon footprint.

DHL is partnering with chinese drone company EHang for the flights, using the company's latest Falcon series AAV which can carry parcels weighing up to five kilograms (roughly 11 pounds). The drone comes equipped with vertical take-off and landing capabilities and includes AI and smart sensing technologies to help it autonomously navigate a variety of environments.

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snoopydawg's picture

@CB

it doesn’t look as bad because if it displaces people in China they can probably get another job or will be taken care of till they do. Here drones threaten jobs that probably cannot be replaced. Not easily or for the same wages.

Same with Russia’s military weapons. I see them as good because just maybe they will deter our country from doing something stupid. Biden bros laughed at Trump’s space force and said it was a waste of money, but they didn’t bother laughing when Obama put $1 trillion into nuclear weapons. Oh no Mr. tan suit got a pass for it. Now Biden’s bullying nuclear powers which is really bad and I’m not seeing anyone covering it. Nor his war in Syria. Hey troops aren’t coming home from Afghanistan. Trump got crap for breaking the Iran deal. Will Biden for breaking the Afghanistan one? Nope.

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CB's picture

@snoopydawg
- engineering, manufacturing, selling and operating. They are also not replacing delivery people because there were none there to start with. The internet has opened up opportunities for people to buy and sell goods from their homes in rural China. The excellent train/highway system allows these goods to then be shipped all over the country with quick delivery times.

Drones have become ubiquitous in China.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2YPG8PO9JU&t=166s]

I have a drone that will return to base and land on demand or follow me as I walk. It's got a 4K camera that I can control and watch on my phone as I walk along. I haven't had it out this year - still too cool. Wish I was younger....

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snoopydawg's picture

@CB

People in China don’t have to feel threatened by technology because they use it to make their lives better.

How cool about your drone. I want to buy one but I have no idea where to start. Care to help? Tell me about yours.

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CB's picture

@snoopydawg
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI8ix18WL58]

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snoopydawg's picture

@CB

You should come to the Friday night photography and post your photos. Please? I’d love to see some.

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ggersh's picture

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I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

lotlizard's picture

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2021/03/one-billion-dark-money-2020-ele...

I grew up in a time where the Post Office was really the only affordable connection to North America for ordinary folks in Hawai‘i — those were the days . . .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Special_Delivery_%28postal_service%29

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snoopydawg's picture

On Eve of Equal Pay Day, Report Reveals Subminimum Wage 'Keeps Incomes Low and Harassment High'

Well duh.,,

One Fair Wage found that over 70% of women in the restaurant industry have been sexually harassed while working at least once.

Ahead of the United States marking Equal Pay Day, advocates sent a letter to top federal policymakers and One Fair Wage released a new report detailing how the subminimum wage perpetuates gender-based income inequality and contributes to high levels of sexual harassment in the nation's restaurant industry.

"Destitution among these workers can be traced in large part to the subminimum wage for tipped workers, still an unthinkable $2.13 an hour at the federal level."

Just put robots in dresses in their place. Problem solved. But then who will people harass if the robot doesn't talk back and just takes their guff? Minimum wage for restaurant workers is still only $2.13/hour and the field is filled with mostly women. Minority and single ones at that. Tips were created by a racist system after the Civil War some people had gone to Europe and saw that rich people tipped their waitstaff if they did a great job and they thought that would work in the US of A quite nicely. They decided that all blacks should only get tips for their jobs and only if a white person thought they did a good one. Or even if they did they still not have received any. I linked this about a month ago, but if any interest I will look for it. Kinda an eye opener.

This is all related with what is happening with not only the PO but in many other industries. The asset stripping will continued until morale improves.

A good read in full.

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My new insurance provider for meds is trying to force people into mail order or to one particular big pharma chain.

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snoopydawg's picture

@MrWebster

This is why Walgreens has such crappy service on the phone. You have to wait and wait for someone to answer and that’s if you don’t get cut off while on hold.

And for cripes sake don’t do Covid testing in the same drive through as people picking up prescriptions. I’ve waited for 45 with 3 cars in front. And most people don’t turn off their engines. Yuck.

Close things down after buying out the little ones 1st and destroy neighborhood pharmacies in poor neighborhoods and force them into buying through the mail. As always this plan has been long thought out and with lots of companies and government involvement. Gawd damn them.

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So, my credit card bill for Jan/Feb came in the mail. Payment Due date March 13. It arrived at my mail box March 18. On march 19, I received a bill for the past month adding a late charge and penalties for the payment being past due on the 13th. I spent 2 hours on the phone, finally got someone to talk to me, had the bills paid by phone, had the past due stricken from my record, the late charge and interest stricken, but from here on out, I need to just do it all online to prevent this from happening again.
People seem to think there are UPS and FEDEX and so forth everywhere. Well, they are 40 miles from my rural town.
Old folks who can't drive are so screwed. I might be in that boat sooner rather than later.
What a shitty country this is.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

snoopydawg's picture

@on the cusp

Old folks are screwed!

As I said in the EBs people who suddenly stop taking their meds can go through some horrible problems. Most drugs warn against stopping them suddenly. I did just that once and surprised I survived it. It was either that or my job. Horrifying 2 weeks till they passed. Diabetics, heart patients etc can end up in hospitals driving up the medical industrial complex profits. Or they just die. It’s criminal what is being done to us and I can’t believe everyone can’t see it.

But then there’s that chance of us being blown up by either Russia or China with Biden trying to prove that he’s tuffer than Trump. The article on consortium news is excellent.

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snoopydawg's picture

@on the cusp

about their bills and many have and they got them before DeJoy made his move today. It’s another damn conspiracy between corporations and government. What’s that called?

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@snoopydawg I know about meds and meds lapses and resulting death. I am not in that boat. yet. I am in a profession in part dependent on mail, and bills and credit scores and so forth, are extremely important, although not life-threatening.
Good grief, what next?

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

snoopydawg's picture

@on the cusp

Bitching and moaning about them. They have no business deciding what loan rates we get. I talked to someone about my credit today and she mentioned that I had been late on my mortgage payment. I told her you try to live on ssi for 8 years and see how you do. It’s criminal that government pays disabled people such heinous poverty income. Need medical care but you can’t afford it and want to get on Medicaid? Tuff and good luck with that because 1st you have to down spend your assets below its limit and hope to gawd that you don’t die before you do. This is barbaric and beyond words. That’s not a safety net. It’s a couple ropes over a chasm that they throw for you and hope to gawd you catch one as you’re falling. Barbaric!

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@on the cusp

but months ago when the mail-in ballot fiasco was happening.
We both got charged late fees and interest. I tried but couldn't
get the penalties waived. Capital One must be giving a kick-back
to DeJoyless.

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