USPS Does VooDoo
The night before Postmaster General John E. Potter appeared before a congressional subcommittee in a session titled “Restoring the Financial stability of the U.S. Postal Service: What Needs to Be Done,” I was at a party in the VooDoo Lounge in Las Vegas.
Who hosted this affair in these tight economic times? The U.S. Postal Service.
The party for attendees for the NCOF show wasn’t terribly lavish—no Enron-era ice sculptures or anything, unless I missed them.
Still, the open bar, carving stations and dessert trays were much more extravagant than the casino fast food I’d been planning to pick up for dinner. The club’s sweeping views of the Vegas strip against the desert landscape from the rooftop terrace weren’t bad either.
One of my tablemates at the conference luncheon the next day jokingly said that by going to the USPS party, he felt a little like the AIG workers now being vilified for their bonuses—like maybe he shouldn’t have been there. I laughed along with him, while wondering to myself if I’d seen anyone snapping photos at the party.
So I admit I enjoyed my slice of USPS-sponsored steak (they never did bring out more lamb chops) and my cream puff or whatever it was I grabbed off a tray on my way out. But it was more than a little strange one day later to be editing an article about the dire financial situation the Postal Service is in, along with Potter’s appeal for relief.
March 31st, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I could be wrong but…..Isn’t the USPS still a very efficient operation….and a very cheap way to send mail or packages???
By efficient I mean so far as getting something from one location to another in a relatively short period of time and not losing it for what it costs?????
March 31st, 2009 at 6:35 pm
If it makes all of us feel any better, I’m sure the cost of the party will be a very small percentage of the projected multi-billion dollar loss this fiscal year.
March 31st, 2009 at 11:41 pm
The USPS grows ever more irrelevant and unprofitable. Three day a week delivery and reduce rates by 50%. just about right—cut the workforce by 60% —- then we may not have time for this nonsense!
April 4th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Where was John Kerry, Barney Frank? Hope they don’t read this blog. Curtains for USPS.