Paul Ryan has been selected as Mitt Romney’s running mate in the upcoming election. Paul Davis Ryan is the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin’s 1st congressional district, serving since 1999. He is a member of the Republican Party, and has been ranked among the party’s most influential voices on economic policy. Wikipedia
Here is what Ryan had to say about USPS:
Photo credit: The Ed Schultz Show
Since 1971, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has been a self-supporting wholly governmental entity that was designed to cover its operating expenses with revenues generated through the sales of postage and related products. However, the sharp decline in first class mail since 2006 and the loss of the associated revenues coupled with high operating expenses has left the USPS in a difficult financial position. In the first three quarters of this year, the USPS has run a deficit of $5.7 billion and is not expected to be able to make the mandatory $5.5 billion Retiree Health Benefits Fund payment by November 18, 2011. With declining revenues and increased expenses, it is imperative that Congress take action to address and reform the structural issues threatening to bankrupt this important agency.
At this point in the 112th Congress, a variety of Committee hearings, have resulted in a number of bills designed to address the financial problems facing the USPS. Representative Darrell Issa, Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which is charged with oversight of the USPS, introduced H.R. 2309, Postal Reform Act of 2011, on June 23, 2011. The bill would create the Postal Service Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority, which would have a broad mandate to restructure the Postal Service and reduce costs in order to bring the institution back to fiscal solvency when the Postal Service goes into default to the Federal government. The Authority will be disbanded once the United States Postal Service (USPS) meets several benchmarks that ensure financial health.
The Postal Reform Act of 2011 also empanels a separate body, the Commission on Postal Reorganization (CPR), to review postal infrastructure and recommend closures and consolidations to Congress that will ultimately save the Postal at least $2 billion a year. If Congress does not reject the CPR’s recommendations, they become law. The legislation will also remove several legal hurdles that the USPS currently faces when it comes to reducing costs, including allowing financially unsustainable retail postal facilities to be closed.
H.R. 1351, the United States Postal Service Pension Obligation Recalculation and Restoration Act of 2011, was introduced by Representative Stephen Lynch on April 4, 2011. This bill would amend the method of calculating the amount of any Postal surplus or supplemental liability under the Civil Service Retirement System. Many supporters of this bill argue that the USPS has overpaid into the Civil Service Retirement Fund; however, this claim is based on a hypothetical formula for determining the share of retiree benefits that was never actually agreed to. The USPS claims that, if this formula had been used instead of the current formula which they agreed to in 1974, the US Treasury would owe $50-75 billion to the USPS due to overpayments made toward retiree benefits. Since this formula was never agreed to and the USPS has operated under a different formula since 1974, there was no overpayment made by the USPS.
The USPS is a proud institution that provides vital services and employs thousands of hard-working Americans. Any efforts to reform the USPS must ensure solvency for the agency and the benefits of its retirees, and must modernize its structure in order to adapt to 21st century communications practices.
I believe we already are the United Corporations of America. They own us and they write the laws. This is an Oligarchy.
Mr. Ed, you make a very good point. Especially what has happened in Europe.
Pretty soon this will be our Country: “The United Corporations of America!”
Redneck republicans represent the group that had it not been for unions would not have their enjoyable lifestyle. They are against tax increases for the throughbred republicans whose income exceeds $250,000 and their income is far less than corporate exectuvies, high paid professionals whose skills are in high demand. This group has tax loopholes in order to stay in 15% range. The redneck republicans will reap what they sow as they will still pay taxes at a higher rate than throughbred republicans.
Ryans plan is to reduce benefits for hardworking older people who need medicare at a just fair price. Throughbred wealthy Republicans have less concern as they have wealth to cover any circumstances and in most cases take advantage of a tax break at the same time.
It is extremely difficult to seperate the heat from the light in making decisions whom to support for Congress or the Presidency. That being said, the Democrats have been quite disappointing in many respects, chiefly, their failure to pass meaningful, effective reform with respect to the financial industry. That industry had a major role in the economic downturn which is still afflicting us. The Democrats have also failed to put forward realistic proposals for reform of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. President Obama’s position on 6 day mail delivery has been a disappointment. The attacks on his so called lack of patriotism, questionable citizenship, and socialist policies, however, are frankly laughable. The takeover of GM (the auto bailout) was limited in scope, has been a qualified success, and will return to total private ownership. It was iniated under a Republican Administration, reluctantly, but with full knowledge of the consequences for not doing so. Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation has been weak and is too complex. The Republicans, however, favor less regulation over this industry which is incredible given what has occurred. Suprisingly, there are major voices in the economic and academic community (conservative in fact) who think the banks should be broken up. These folks are pro-capitalist in every way but they can see how dysfunctional our banking system has become. Lastly, the Republicans are trying to turn (as they always do) the working middle class against the poor. Lower paid workers vs. government employees, etc. President Obama is proposing that the wealthy go back to tax rates which applied under President Clinton which are not at a rate any serious observer would consider confiscatory. I think that even under a Democratic administration there will eventually be moore pain for folks in the middle but there might be something called shared sacrifice. I sure hope so. Severe cuts in government spending especially for lower income citizens has worked out very poorly in Europe. Cutting spending during an economic downturn may be a necessary thing at the level of individuals but for a government it’s been proven time and again to be a disaster. If and when the economy begins a real recovery, politicians from both parties will have to finally arrive at a consensus focusing upon fiscal discipline that is so sorely lacking. Far, far from perfect, Obama for President and a Democratic Congress.
Come on Man…….Romney? What a bundle of personality. Ryan seems to talk from the Heart. I’m still voting for Obama.
God, you racist idiots are mental patients.
The choice is crystal clear. Either you want a “rich” republican that knows how to make alot of money or a carpetbagging, welfare, foodstamps, spending our money on the most worthless of our society, community organizer, that won’t even take care of his own brother that lives in worse poverty than anyone in the United States ever thought about socialist. Love him[God forbid], or hate him, do you really know who he is? No. most people don’t, neither do they care, as long as your union supports him, he’s okay with you. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”.
Ryan seems to be sincere. Also seems to be another Silver Spoon Fed Republican.
TO the Union Postal Worker : yes it is Congress that passes the laws, most of us know this. Please do not talk to the people here like they are slow. What the folks here are trying to say is, that the Pres has allot of input on all laws, whether you admit it or not. maybe you need to go back and take some civic classes in grade or high school. And the Pres’s agenda’s / policy’s are part of what steer our country. Again, no thought put into a post, I am outta here. I hope I have helped a few good people here, do as you want, it is still America. If you decide to vote for the GOP, do not, I repeat, DO Not ever complain that you got forced out of your job at 57, because you were retirement age, or say, that’s just how the ball bounces, when you lose your house, or your health care insurance, because of massive cuts to your salary or job. Now ! Put that in your pipe and smoke it !!! HHHOLMES…
I agree with you retired CSRS. Your right I will vote. I will vote for myself. I know what I will do, unlike the candidates that are running. I trust myself, lol.