Today I was at my local post office. No problem with the local folks. My mail is delivered each day just fine. I was there to leave a "no delivery" notice as my wife and I would be gone for an extended time.
As I waited in line (again no problem) to hand my information to one of five clerks who were working I began to take note of my surrounds. Hum...let's see. I began to ask myself "am I at the post office or in a retail store?"
Hanging on the wall, and for sale, I noticed stationary, wrapping paper, stuffed animals (little bears were cute), a large assortment of cards. You know the kind you buy at a card shop. Greeting cards. Had some for graduation, get well, anniversary, congratulations and on. Also, noticed they had watches for sale. Yes, wrist watches. I got a great idea for them regarding watches. How about a "postal man watch." You could have the hands of the watch like the legs and feet of a walking mailman. Boy, I bet those things would fly out the place.They had CD's, music cd's for sale. How about Sinatra's greatest hit. All this stuff right there ready for me to make a purchase.
Now folks I am not kidding you. Wallets. You want a wallet? How about gift cards. Surely one would think this is the ideal place to come and get your gift cards. You got a birthday, graduation, wedding coming up, come on down to the post office and get your gift cards. Gift cards for say E-bay, Red Lobster, Subway. How about Pro Bass store. Yes, they got'em. I quit counting after I counted forty such business. Oh, I-Tunes gift cards. Bring the kids on down and buy them there.
Last year the post service lost 5.6 billion dollars. No that is not a typo. It is a "B." Previous years the loss has been as high as 15.9 billion. Can someone explain to me--logically--why the United States Postal Service is in the retail business?
I have often stopped at Subway and grabbed a sandwich, I don't think they are selling stamps along with their ham and cheese. Maybe when one goes to buy the latest fishing gear at Pro Bass they should ask for a book of Elvis stamps.
Now I am not picking on the postal service. Three of my closes relatives work there everyday. But I think they would also agree with me, why? Why is the government, the postal service in the retail business.
Now get this. The latest. I have been told the postal service is about to introduce a new and added feature to their services. Patrons (nice word for those who get mail) can sign up and the postal service will now send you a daily email. That email will show the mail you are going to receive that day and the time of delivery. Boy have I waited a lifetime for that.
Wonder how much that service will now cost the taxpayers. Wonder how long that took government programmers to figure that one out? Wonder how many seminars that took to plan that program.
I doubt that ole' Ben Franklin had all this in mind when the post office began.
Is there any wonder why folks have such low confidence and often wonder what their government is doing.
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May 26, 2017
Keep on,
Larry Adamson