Re: When pigs fly first class (postage)

["Glenn T. Livezey, Ph.D." <livezeyg@boystown.org>]

Subject: Re: Government competition
>>Steve Cohen wrote:
>>Any privatization
>>scheme runs up against this requirement.  Typical schemes of privatization
>>would usually involve "cherry picking" the profitable segments of the business
>>and letting the others go, or leaving the losers to the government which makes
>>their situation even worse.
>"Eric M. Bennett" <ericb@pobox.com replied
>Not at all.  Why not allow multiple businesses to deliver all types of mail
>to every address in the US, as long as each business charges the same
>amount to all its customers regardless of location?  Maybe Fed Ex could
>deliver letters to everybody for only 30 cents.
to which Glenn Livezey adds
Uh huh. That's why the private carriers decided to charge 15-20times as much for their
minimal service option, right? If FEDEX or any other such entity could get under a
buck for any mail service you know they would have already introduced it and marketed
the hell out of it. I do have a possible solution, but it requires a questionanswered
first. What is the 'profit margin' for bulk/junk mail? If the charge is low or even
subsidized now, then change the law to allow raising the price for "junk mail"
sufficiently to invite private competition, and legislate that option for businesses.
You KNOW that would only have good effects on the country as a whole, and my mail box
in particular. Think of the savings in medical benefits to postal carriers with
legitimate back problems. Think of the savings in medical costs for high blood
pressure in the population at large. If one individual could claim credit for this one
legislative accomplishment, you would know the name of our next president - if they
wanted the job.

--
Glenn T. Livezey, Ph.D.
Livezeyg@boystown.org AND glivezey@home.com