I live in a small rural town of about 7,000 population. If I want to mail a birthday card to a friend across town, the card enters the post office three blocks from me and then gets sent to a large city in another state about two and a half hours drive from my town. Then after a day or so there it comes back to my town and gets processed for delivery the day after it arrives. It can take three or four days to go across town.

Sometimes it is cheaper and more efficient to get in my car and drive it over to the friend's house to deliver in person. No one ever said the government works logically or efficiently. Look at Congress.

The USPS continues to be caught in the vortex created by technological advances. The emails and ads you get on your PC used to come by envelope or flyer. Retailers, sellers, etc., have all weighed the value of communications, and the USPS just isn't competitive, nor as effective as they once were when they were the only game in town.

Not only is the advertising end hyper-competitive, but the usually reliable telephone, utility and bank business, is also shrinking. People get their utility bills and credit card statements electronically, and they remit those payments the same way. A shrinking commercial business has no substitute now, or in the future.

For packages, they used to own the parcel business, even competing with the old Railway Express. Then UPS, FEDEX, DHL, etc., came along; USPS had to compete, or lose out entirely. USPS couldn't just adapt to the private model, they had to compete with their own union rules, and an unsympathetic Federal government. As an example, I've bought a lot of camera equipment from Japanese sellers. While their post office is a model of efficiency, the same can't be said of the USPS, once the package arrives in the USA. However, neither is as competitive as FEDEX. Packages through FEDEX are received in 3-4 days.

The USPS problems are large, complex, and not likely to end favorably for them. The current W***n v***s crisis did them no favors.

I won't go into a listing of all the ills of the USPS without also giving praise and pointing to blame. Every country has a national postal service. Our USPS is caught between politicians who want to abolish it so private companies can take over this potentially lucrative business and the people who want delivery of their checks, medicine, etc. as well as packages in a timely fashion.

I use the USPS for my business. UPS leaves packages at the door, garage door or on the floor of an apartment building - no place for something valuable! Can't use them. FedEx earned a reputation for the speed and quality of service, but at a price. My customers are expecting 'free shipping'. I"m happy to compete in a "level playing field" where all the players have an equal chance. Some would call this "the American Dream" of, for example starting your small business and earning a living. I can't compete with deep discounts given to a walmart, amazon or overseas small sellers who can ship something for $0.99 selling price with "free shipping" (from China!!!). This must change! For the benefit of all Americans.

Everything is 'broken' now, or is actively being broken (without being political) - water pollution, air pollution, 5+ million C***d cases and rising, stealing from Medicare/Social Security trust fund to give some relief to the unemployed while also trying to eliminate healthcare coverage for pre-existing health conditions (like C****-**!!!). We need the USPS 'fixed'. They should not be giving our money to third party companies for printing postage labels at home or a small business. They should not give massive discounts for volume shippers while smaller American businesses must pay 'retail' prices for basic services. They deserve to either be supported by the Federal Government as a vital part of our country's infrastructure OR be set completely free from the government to run their business as a business without the congressional 'fiddling' with anything to do with the business of the USPS.

Until then, the USPS is slowing down, overtime is being eliminated, more things are getting 'lost' in the mail, the Delivery Signature service is being forgotten, workers are demoralized and retail customers and small businesses are paying for the large shippers and small international sellers.

I don't generally complain about the post office because I usually get good service. I get a daily email telling me what I'll be receiving every day. Yesterday, they said I was getting a package which I was expecting. It never arrived. I went to the PO in the afternoon. "Nope! No package for you."

I just got the delivery notice for today, and the package isn't mentioned. When I checked the tracking number, it indicated that it was delivered to the PO yesterday morning, and it was ready for pickup. Pickup? It's supposed to be delivered. If it doesn't get delivered today, I'll go back to the PO and see if they have it.

I went through something like this about a year ago. The PO supposedly had the package, but they said they didn't. A couple of days later, it arrived.

On the plus side, if you are sending a package Priority Mail, you can pay and print the label at home - no waiting in line at the PO. Just drop it off. Yesterday, I had to wait while the guy in front of me mailed five packages.

I don't generally complain about the post office because I usually get good service. I get a daily email telling me what I'll be receiving every day. Yesterday, they said I was getting a package which I was expecting. It never arrived. I went to the PO in the afternoon. "Nope! No package for you."

I just got the delivery notice for today, and the package isn't mentioned. When I checked the tracking number, it indicated that it was delivered to the PO yesterday morning, and it was ready for pickup. Pickup? It's supposed to be delivered. If it doesn't get delivered today, I'll go back to the PO and see if they have it.

I went through something like this about a year ago. The PO supposedly had the package, but they said they didn't. A couple of days later, it arrived.

On the plus side, if you are sending a package Priority Mail, you can pay and print the label at home - no waiting in line at the PO. Just drop it off. Yesterday, I had to wait while the guy in front of me mailed five packages.