Colin McEnroe Show: The Post Office Blues

EMAIL FROM CAROLINE:

I live in Hamden, CT, and I often listen to your program with
great interest.
However, I would like to take issue with one of your speakers on
your program last week on the US Post Office.
You had a number of experts and officials speak, and then you
had a local resident of Westville, New Haven, describe in extremely
negative terms the Westville Post Office workers; he called the
atmosphere gloomy, the workers uncooperative and impatient, etc.; in
words, he gave a very negative impression.
I consider this very unfair. You should have had someone else
who gave an alternate point of view. I am almost 89, and I have lived
in Hamden for the last 25 years. I have experienced a very positive
attitude on the part of the PO workers in Hamden and in New Haven,
including the Westville Post Office. They have been on the whole
polite, affable, and cooperative, and I am immensely grateful that
they are there to give invaluable service.
Your solely negative presentation can be very harmful, and I
believe that you need to rectify the one-sided impression you gave. I
happen to appreciate PO service; I, and others, still write letters
(!) and feel that our Post Office system probably needs to be more
efficiently run, but, at the same time, recognized as a marvelous and
necessary service, with hard-working and pleasant workers.

EMAIL FROM PUA:

Enjoyed today's show, thanks folks! Gave me lots to think on.

Also good preparation for tonight's public hearing at 50 Brewery Street in New Haven, concerning the Amity Post Office on Whalley Ave. I have always had kind service at the Amity PO--folks seem a little too tired to be chipper & cheerful--and people standing in line are always nice to each other. Since this PO took over an old Boston Chicken building, the parking has been stress-free.

Today I asked about how to find the right door on the Brewery Street station; the staff pointed out a manager arriving & said to ask him. This manager mentioned a hearing last night for another PO, where only 20 people showed up. I asked if a decision would be based on these attendances; he said the number of letters to the management and to legislators was more important. Also a great reason to use stamps, eh?

(USPS: use it or lose it.)

Also, to whoever was managing the phone queue--it was interesting to listen to the show over my cell phone, I didn't mind being passed over & hope you didn't take offense that I hung up when I heard the sign-off. Had to return to work sometime.

EMAIL FROM BRIAN:

One of the most overlooked benefits to our country the Post Office provided that no liberal could have. With well over a third of its total employees minorities, the USPS has led more blacks and latinos to the middle class than any other employer. More minority home ownership and more college educations. Movement to the suburbs providing access to better education. Yes, I know Colin, I'm race baiting you. As I was accused of doing by a Tea Party fanatic.

Perhaps most hypocritical of the right wings attack on the Post Office. Is that we give historically a big preference to hiring VETs and even more preference to disabled VETs. There are litterally tens of thousands of disabled VETs able to lead a normal life and work hard. Also with the pride of actually earning their own way.

Its vitally important that when you speak on the show, that these are the Postal Workers you reference and not just the easy wise crack of Newman or Cliff Clavin.

EMAIL FROM BRIAN:

I really hope you get it right today. Certainly, the idea of dopey civil
servant provides a wonderfully comedic rich avenue for writers and
columnists. But the situation normally projected on TV or other satire
pieces is not our reality. 2006 was one of the most profitable years
ever in the Post Office. Record numbers of mail volumes, and amazingly
high customer confidence numbers. The Bush admin, in love with
privatization and union crushing passed along a voice vote bill asking
the USPS to prefund retirements and heathcare for the next 75 years, but
do it all in only 10 years. Colin, prefund a retirement for sperm and
eggs not fertilized yet. It was a slap in the face of a Government
Service that was actually functioning well, no real labor management
issues, was profitable and most of all never asked for a penny.

If you can wrap your head around the logic of that prefunding scheme.
You see this unstoppable inertia pressing against the Postal Service to
have the financial flexibility to adjust to a vastly changing commerce.

That Bush plan, were the planted seeds that the Tea Party puppets Darrel
Issa and Dennis Ross are currenty watering and hoping to harvest.
---
No other Government Agency is asked to Prefund retirements for employees not even alive yet. Why the Postal Service?

EMAIL FROM SHIRLEY:

Who are these people on your show? What century are they living in? I am 76 years old and I live in rural Granby. We haven't had the same postman in years and even now it is someone different several times a week. As for having a relationship with your postman? Ridiculous. Maybe when i was a little girl, that might have happened. But it sure doesn't happen here! And why would you want a relationship anyway???

EMAIL FROM ELIZABETH:

A small email of praise for one absolutely great, fabulous, friendly, cheerful, efficient post office in Connecticut: Yeah! Brookfield ! and thanks for the good work.

EMAIL FROM JACK:

Although I live in Durham (small town), I usually use one of the TWO post offices in Middlefield (smaller town) because it is closer and has a marginally better parking lot than Durham's post office. How small is Middlefield? About 4,200 people within 13.3 square miles. So, small. The post office I use is a mere 1.7 miles -- on the same road (Main Street / Route 157) from the other post office in Middlefield. This post office is very small, but it serves the fiercely independent Rockfall section of Middlefield. In a rational world, it would be closed and the handful of people who use it would drive, walk, or crawl to the other post office in town. But we don't live in a rational world...

EMAIL FROM BILL:

I shipped approximately $15,000 with the post office last year. They are faster and less expensive than UPS or FEDEX and as reliable. Many small businesses in America would be ruined if the Post Office were to close. Especially, rural areas where UPS does not want to pick up. Think of it as a subsidy to small business.

EMAIL FROM KARL:

On the whole "USPS has a monopoly on my mailbox" idea:

Has any corporation come out and said "We will deliver to every residence
and business address six (or five) days a week for 44 cents" with the
understanding that Congress will have a say on every proposed reduction
in service and increase in rates?

If so, wouldn't the Heritage Foundation, Hudson Institute, and other
right-wing think tanks have made this into a drumbeat on CNBC already?

If not, doesn't that just say that, like every higway department out
there, it's not something a private company wants to undertake, because
it's inherently unprofitable?

While we're on the subject, when are we going to start labelling calling
every increase of a government-mandate service, such as the DOT budget,
for exampe, a "bailout"?

EMAIL FROM TANYA:

The caller who said the PO is absolutely useless is like many today oblivious to othrs needs. There are still people who rely on the PO. Our task is to decide what stake we have in "universal communication" that includes those not affluent enough to buy other services. Not too encouraging an atmosphere for that.

EMAIL FROM JOAN:

One aspect that you are not discussing is the shipping. The post office has access to every address in the US and that is worth a lot. Perhaps they could monetize the shipping better. I heard that DHL is part of the German PO. Maybe the USPS should be looking at other successful models?