# What's with the hatred some have for the US Postal Service? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 13, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hatred-some-have-for-the-us-postal-service/631391 "2012-08-13T17:48:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![al27052](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@al27052](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al27052)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hatred-some-have-for-the-us-postal-service/631391/221 "2012-08-18T16:36:49Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Keep the personal commentary out of this forum, please. **al27052** , I belive you’ve been told about this rule several times recently. Two posts above, Debaser calls the rest of thugs. Did you notice that? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hatred-some-have-for-the-us-postal-service/631391/222 "2012-08-19T13:39:36Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > I’d argue that the existence of physical mail as an option encourages lack of modernization of other processes. Why bother setting up an online system for the IRS to accept forms when they can just have people mail them in? You’re one of those people confused about the fact that a fax machine can’t actually send documents somewhere, aren’t you? I mean, it logically follows from the fact that you clearly don’t understand the concept that it is not possible to e-mail a spare part, phone in a dose of medication, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hatred-some-have-for-the-us-postal-service/631391/223 "2012-08-19T13:44:14Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > There are two basic reasons: the ideologically-driven reason (teh gummint is TEH SUXX0R) and the greed-driven reason (each surviving pocket of middle-class pay and benefits makes it harder to drive one’s own labor costs to the bottom). > [@Debaser](#): > > So he was making 70,000 about twelve years ago when he retired? So, about $93,000 today adjusted for inflation? > > (I used the inflation calculator http://www.westegg.com/inflation/infl.cgi to get the inflation adjusted number.) > > **I have employees who work for me** who are required to have college degrees and do very specialized technical analysis for web design. They are hard to replace, and even in this economy we can’t find enough of them. **We pay them significantly less** than 93K. Ah, so you fall into the “greed-driven” category, then. Glad we could clear that up. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hatred-some-have-for-the-us-postal-service/631391/224 "2012-08-19T13:46:45Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > So does that apply all the way up to the CEO or just the selfish scumbags who do the actual work? > [@Debaser](#): > > I’ll surprise you by granting you that at the executive level government employees tend to be underpaid. Try again. (Hint: “CEO” does not generally refer to a government job title.) ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hatred-some-have-for-the-us-postal-service/631391/225 "2012-08-19T13:49:47Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > San Fran Bay Area, not entry level. 20 years experience. As I said, for my skills, my experience and my industry, and in this area, $140k is quite normal. > > In the message I was responding to, you didn’t say that you were talking about entry level employees. In fact, he clearly indicated the opposite with the reference to “very specialized technical analysis”. Hey, **Debaser** : When you’re ready to plant the goalposts in concrete, you might actually be able to start a meaningful discussion. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hatred-some-have-for-the-us-postal-service/631391/226 "2012-08-19T13:58:54Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > You’re one of those people confused about the fact that a fax machine can’t actually send documents somewhere, aren’t you? > > I mean, it logically follows from the fact that you clearly don’t understand the concept that it is not possible to e-mail a spare part, phone in a dose of medication, etc. 3D printers may change all that someday! ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hatred-some-have-for-the-us-postal-service/631391/227 "2012-08-25T22:03:52Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > Need to ship a package or important letter overnight? > Use FedEx/UPS. UPS doesn’t have the coverage USPS has. I see a lot of merchandise that is shipped UPS - and goes to a post office so the mailman can deliver it to the customer. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hatred-some-have-for-the-us-postal-service/631391/228 "2012-08-25T22:24:05Z")
90% of my neighbors do not pay their bills online, but mail a check. This will change over time, to be sure, but they would be seriously discombobulated if their mailbox was not attended to on a daily basis. Yes, I live in a retirement community. Why do you ask? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hatred-some-have-for-the-us-postal-service/631391/229 "2012-08-26T00:22:39Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Some people just don’t like the post office because they’ve had too many experiences with rude and/or unmotivated USPS personnel. I send a lot of stuff via U.S. Mail and have generally been satisfied by how it’s been handled (and you can’t beat the price), but I’ve also been struck by how unpleasant the counter staff can be. This! My complaint with the post office? That my letter carrier decided that letters from county treasurers should be sent back as undeliverable but I get the rest of my mail. Oh and it took then 6 months to figure out how to not put our mail in our neighbor’s box. As a whole, the post office is one of the best values out there. Send a letter first class via UPS or FedEx. How expensive is it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hatred-some-have-for-the-us-postal-service/631391.md?page=11)