I usually try to stay away from commenting on current events, but sometimes I just can't...
If you’ve been watching the news, or reading your local rag, you are probably aware that the U.S. Postal Service is contemplating stopping Saturday mail delivery. They’ve been talking about it for years, but in our current economic situation, it may become a huge money saving reality.
Seriously, what’s the big deal? There is only one group of people who lobby against the change in a major way. That group is the elderly. Of course, they don't do it themselves, but they have plenty of interest groups representing them, with AARP being the largest.
Of course you're probably thinking there is no way that AARP has that much clout in American politics. Well, think again. There are about 300 million people in the U.S. Of those people, over 40 million belong to AARP. Most members of the Senate and House of Representatives, belong to the same age demographic!
Now I'm all for "senior rights" and things like that, but Saturday delivery? Keep in mind that most of the mail that lands in your mailbox is bulk (junk) mail.
The elderly value opening a piece of "junk" mail, as much as they value a visit from an old friend! Many old timers not only read it, they respond to it, and obey what it says as if it were a court order. To them, a day without mail, is like a day without friends.
Many "elderly" people, including some related to me, don't understand that if the postage on an envelope is “bulk rate,” you are not required to respond in any way. You are not required to open a new credit card. You are not required to donate money to every organization begging for it. And last but not least, you are not required to sign up to receive “collectibles” of anything, on a bi-whatever basis. Truth be told, if something is advertised as collectible, it isn’t, and it never will be.
In closing, what do you receive in the mail that is so important, that you must have it on Saturday, rather than Monday? With very few exceptions, the answer is nothing!
Haven't really thought about this, but how true! Tell me if I am remembering this correctly, but wasn't there a time when they didn't deliver mail on Saturday anyway? What was our reasoning on going to Sat mail anyway? Course that was also during the days when my neices and I would run through the fog after the "mesquito truck" would come through our neighborhood spraying for bugs - so maybe my memory isn't all that clear!
ReplyDeleteAnd if something is so important that you need it on Saturday, send it through a different service. Living up in Canada I already got used to no delivery on Saturdays. It's not a big deal.
ReplyDeleteI hope the US goes that way also!
ReplyDeleteI'm no sure if they always had Sat. delivery or not. But, I do remember all the daily dairy trucks and Helm's bakery trucks...
ReplyDeleteI hate getting mail...I never get anything in the mail that I want...it's either bills or junk mail. One less day for me to sift through the garbage is fine with me.
ReplyDeleteHey, Pat, I remember the Helm's truck as well, and how about the Fuller Brush man?
Hey Joe,
ReplyDeleteI loved the Helm's truck. they guy would open up the back of the truck and pullout the donut and cookie drawer.....oh man, must have cookies..
Yup, fuller brush man and Avon...
I suppose for some of the elderly, getting the mail is sadly the highlight of their day.
ReplyDeleteI put most all of my mail directly into the recycling bin. It's a waste of paper and trees, and I don't mind if it stops coming altogether. Hey, that's a thought.
Cheers,
Robyn
Hi Robyn, most of the "junk" mail is made of recycled paper, so that helps a bit. But I know what you mean, there's just too much of it.
ReplyDeleteIf there was none of it though, the cost of a first class stamp would be waaaaaaaay higher.
If my mother-in-law gets a piece of junk mail that tells her she needs to do something, she often does it. She gives money to every request. She opens bank accounts she doesn't need.
I barely remember (LOL) but we used to have a Charlie's Chip truck than ran our neighborhood. That may have been just in the South. Thought Helm's was just mayonaise. Where did Helm's run? That stinks - cause I would've loved a donut & cookie drawer!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that Helms was on the west coast only. there is still a large Helm's bakery building in Los Angeles, but now I think it's lofts... I WANT COOKIES NOW!
ReplyDelete