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  • Dropping of first class stamps prices, but ...

    From Victor Manta@21:1/5 to All on Tue Mar 29 15:58:07 2016
    The US Congress allowed to the USPS in 2014 to surcharge the first class
    stamps by 4.3 percent to collect $4.6 billion. This amount will be reached
    on April 10, 2016. After this date the price of mailing one ounce letter
    will drop from 49 cents to 47 cents. It is for the first time in nearly 97 years that the price of a stamp is set to go down.

    "Removing the surcharge and reducing our prices is an irrational outcome considering the Postal Service's precarious financial condition," said Postmaster General Megan Brennan in a prepared statement.

    She said nothing about the so-called "forever" stamps found in the hands of
    the USPS customers, that should somehow protect them against postal rate increases. But after the April 10 the customers will be able to buy these stamps cheaper than they paid for them. We see again and again that nothing
    is forever.

    Victor Manta, PWO

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  • From Sir F.A. Rien@21:1/5 to All on Wed Mar 30 09:01:23 2016
    The US Congress allowed to the USPS in 2014 to surcharge the first class >stamps by 4.3 percent to collect $4.6 billion. This amount will be reached >on April 10, 2016. After this date the price of mailing one ounce letter
    will drop from 49 cents to 47 cents. It is for the first time in nearly 97 >years that the price of a stamp is set to go down.
    Which really doesn't affect most individual postal users are they
    buy the 20 stamp 'panes. It also doean't affect business and volume
    users as they get discounted rates!

    Those who bought before the 'increase' still mailed at the 47¢ rate
    as the stamps are 'Forever'. I'm still using the first 'Forever'
    bought at 42¢ !!!

    "Removing the surcharge and reducing our prices is an irrational outcome >considering the Postal Service's precarious financial condition," said >Postmaster General Megan Brennan in a prepared statement.
    Well ... IF the service was quality, one wouldn't mind the charges.
    However when it takes three WEEKS after entry into the US for a
    -=tracked=- letter from the UK to be delivered ...
    However, when it takes 5 or six days for a US mailed letter from San
    Francisco to Seattle's 'rural delivery' ...
    However, when mail from San Francisco, intended for Seattle area is
    sent to New York City for 'processing' ...

    We see again and again that nothing
    is forever.
    Most individual users 'stocked up' before each rate change!

    Gardening Shakespeare ... Mulch ado about Nutting!

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  • From Victor Manta@21:1/5 to Sir F.A. Rien on Thu Mar 31 11:52:25 2016
    "Sir F.A. Rien" wrote in message news:lhtnfbtg7iml3ql78hhcatogt2qptgetnk@4ax.com...

    The US Congress allowed to the USPS in 2014 to surcharge the first class >>stamps by 4.3 percent to collect $4.6 billion.

    Those who bought before the 'increase' still mailed at the 47¢ rate
    as the stamps are 'Forever'.

    And those who bought at 49 cents will pay soon 49 cents instead of 47 cents, which is apparently the point you missed.

    "Removing the surcharge and reducing our prices is an irrational outcome >>considering the Postal Service's precarious financial condition," said >>Postmaster General Megan Brennan in a prepared statement.

    Well ... IF the service was quality, one wouldn't mind the charges.
    However when it takes three WEEKS after entry into the US for a
    -=tracked=- letter from the UK to be delivered ...

    This is another subject. Maybe you open a new thread on it, because it seems interesting.

    We see again and again that nothing is forever.
    Most individual users 'stocked up' before each rate change!

    Yep, and this time they will lose some money, continuing to pay for a fund
    that officially will be filled up very soon.

    Gardening Shakespeare ... Mulch ado about Nutting!

    Well, not "mulch" indeed, just $4.6 billion more from the pockets of USPS customers, money that obviously couldn't prevent the USPS abysmal financial fall (see above the Postmaster's statement).

    Victor Manta, PWO

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Philatelic Webmasters Organization: http://pwmo.org/
    Art on Stamps: http://artonstamps.org/
    Romania by Stamps: http://marci-postale.com/
    Communism on Stamps: http://reds-on.postalstamps.biz/
    Spanish North Africa: http://www.sna-on.postalstamps.biz/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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  • From Sir F.A. Rien@21:1/5 to All on Fri Apr 1 09:03:27 2016
    And those who bought at 49 cents will pay soon 49 cents instead of 47 cents, >which is apparently the point you missed.
    NO ... I did NOT miss that ripoff!

    Well ... IF the service was quality, one wouldn't mind the charges.
    However when it takes three WEEKS after entry into the US for a
    -=tracked=- letter from the UK to be delivered ...
    This is another subject. Maybe you open a new thread on it, because it seems >interesting.
    Whatever ... the USPS 'service' has been a rate of deline faster
    than their rates go up. Perhaps as the rate has 'dropped', we might
    get better service? [when Pigs FLY!]

    Most individual users 'stocked up' before each rate change!
    Yep, and this time they will lose some money, continuing to pay for a fund >that officially will be filled up very soon.
    That's why I [and others] do NOT STOCK UP until the fortnight before
    an announced rate INCREASE!

    Gardening Shakespeare ... Mulch ado about Nutting!
    Well, not "mulch" indeed, just $4.6 billion more from the pockets of USPS >customers, money that obviously couldn't prevent the USPS abysmal financial >fall (see above the Postmaster's statement).
    Said 'fail' all due to congress and their idiotic squabbling and
    idea that the PO should be a PAYING commercial concern!

    Hell, IF even CONGRESS, The Presidunce and other bireaucracies
    would PAY FOR THEIR MAIL, then the PO -=would=- be on a sound
    footing.

    The Pollies think that the PO is still a gummint operation, until it
    comes to funding, then they lay it off onto the small users!

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  • From Victor Manta@21:1/5 to All on Sun Apr 3 17:20:51 2016
    "Sir F.A. Rien" wrote in message news:fk6tfb5es3sn0uenc2aj3o0ao2htfncb3i@4ax.com...

    <<
    Said 'fail' all due to congress and their idiotic squabbling and
    idea that the PO should be a PAYING commercial concern!

    Hell, IF even CONGRESS, The Presidunce and other bireaucracies
    would PAY FOR THEIR MAIL, then the PO -=would=- be on a sound
    footing.

    The Pollies think that the PO is still a gummint operation, until it
    comes to funding, then they lay it off onto the small users!


    Robert Shapiro — former Treasury undersecretary and chairman of the economic consultancy Sonecon — points out in a new analysis, American taxpayers subsidize the USPS at a rate that surpasses the costs associated with any Congressional mandate. He estimates that, all told (! - VM), the subsidies
    and legal monopolies that Congress bestows upon the post office is worth $18 billion annually.

    http://fortune.com/2015/03/27/us-postal-service/

    Victor Manta, PWO

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Philatelic Webmasters Organization: http://pwmo.org/
    Art on Stamps: http://artonstamps.org/
    Romania by Stamps: http://marci-postale.com/
    Communism on Stamps: http://reds-on.postalstamps.biz/
    Spanish North Africa: http://www.sna-on.postalstamps.biz/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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  • From Sir F.A. Rien@21:1/5 to All on Mon Apr 4 07:43:44 2016
    Robert Shapiro — former Treasury undersecretary and chairman of the economic >consultancy Sonecon — points out in a new analysis, American taxpayers >subsidize the USPS at a rate that surpasses the costs associated with any >Congressional mandate. He estimates that, all told (! - VM), the subsidies >and legal monopolies that Congress bestows upon the post office is worth $18 >billion annually.
    The key wording here is "subsidies and legal monopolies". One can
    make any amount viable concerning the 'value' of restricting
    competition!

    I see that the lye burial press is making the most of his
    'estimates' and never will check real world facts - that would
    require WORK [not to mention usage of the little grey cells!]!

    The USPS has not directly received taxpayer-dollars since the early
    1980s with the exception of subsidies for costs associated with the
    disabled, overseas voters and the FREE mailing privileges granted
    themselves by the gummint pollies and agencies. the latter has never
    been reimbursed at 'fair market' costs!

    Whatever ... the USPS is one of the few government agencies
    explicitly authorized by the United States Constitution. As such it
    is NOT a 'profit' centre, but one of the mandated services of the
    government.

    Remember government should exist to do for the people that which
    they CAN NOT do for themselves.

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