Let me say this more clearly. The issue of USPS budget shortfalls is a fucking made up issue that was forced upon the USPS by congressional law purposely meant to 'starve the beast'. It has never in its history faced a budget shortfall due a lack of funding (which is not taxpayers money btw), and has been continually pumping out a surplus, while competing with oftentimes non-unionised tax dodging, labor busting companies like FedEx and UPS. 

On Wed, Sep 28, 2011 at 10:09 AM, Siddattha Gurung <gurus655@newschool.edu> wrote:

*while the fact that usage in the USPS has dropped is ture

On Wed, Sep 28, 2011 at 10:08 AM, Siddattha Gurung <gurus655@newschool.edu> wrote:

While the usage in postal services is true, its necessity and importance has not diminished. There are no other services in the US that can deliver a physical mail to any part of the US (many parts where internet access is still spotty) within 2~3 business days for just 49 cents. Not to mention providing flat rate services for transporting packages of any weight at a price of under 20$, again to any part of the US within a working week(this specific service is extremely popular with the 'small business' that most US politicians like to harp on about). FedEx and UPS both regularly use the infrastructure that USPS has created and ends up having the USPS transport many of its unclaimed mail. It also provides a physical link to your governmental records (from taxes to court summons) that arrive on time and available everywhere. 

The postal service is not a business, rather it is a public utility that is required for the seamless function of the government, and provided access to many who would be excluded from the internet due to cost or ease of access. 

Also, the postal service funds itself without any funding from the federal government. It is actually a miracle that an institution that provided universal access for such low costs managed to make a surplus for the past couple of years and the recent financial woes only comes from a law require the USPS to pre-fund its health care for 75 years in the future. 

Additionally on the labor front, it is an organization that hires approximately 8 million employees with a high degree of women and minority representation (approx 40%). This is the last bastion of middle class Americans with a union. 

I am dependent on the USPS for an insane amount of my daily needs, and most people would realize that too if they just paid attention. The internet will not keep a physical records of my taxes, bills, legal documents that i routinely need for a variety of inane reasons. The internet will not send me the DVD of a rare movie from Netflix that will never be online. The internet will not send my hand written mail to bum fuck nowhere for 49cents. The Internet will never transport my care package of sweet but stupid items to my long-distance girlfriend for under 20$ in 2~3 business days. 

On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 9:15 PM, jason ahmadi <jason.ahmadi@gmail.com> wrote:

hey all,

I am here in upstate NY recovering from a staph infection at my uncle's who is a PhD in electrical engineering and works at IBM and he could not understand why folks marched to the postal workers.  He told me that postal workers have 25% less usage in this modern age and therefore should face reflective cuts.  He also asked me when was the last time I sent someone mail and offered the same question to all of the occupiers who are so dependent on email, twitter and facebook for our communications.

I am usually pretty good and talking points, but I did not have a good response on why occupy wall street (can we please, please avoid activism speak of acronyms and OWS) supports the postal workers.  Can someone please give me an educated informed response on why we support the postal workers?  Keep in mind that we are talking to each other on this and not outreaching to media, but at sometime the media will ask the same questions and we should be ready.

Peace and Love,
Jason

p.s.
I think I will be back in the streets on Friday with no more nasty pustules on my face.