Debt Ceiling

[Musburger1]

For weeks we've been told the debt ceiling of would be reached on March 15th. Gateway Pundit comes out with an article stating the total debt has decreased $100 billion since January 20th when Trump took office. How do you reach the debt ceiling when you are paying down the debt?

Note: While I don't understand the particulars of what seems like a contradiction as stated above, I'm well aware that the rate of debt accumulation is on an upward trajectory and the government will have to use accounting tricks (borrowing from government retirement funds, etc.) to make it to the summer without raising the debt ceiling.

 

[I35]

I know this is a side topic to this one....But I'm very impressed that Trump did an executive order for a freeze with government spending and the unemployment rate for Feb was almost triple with new jobs than what was projected. That means government agencies aren't able to fill their positions when people change jobs due to no new spending. No new hires for Government jobs.

 

[Mr. Deez]

I know this is a side topic to this one....But I'm very impressed that Trump did an executive order for a freeze with government spending and the unemployment rate for Feb was almost triple with new jobs than what was projected. That means government agencies aren't able to fill their positions when people change jobs due to no new spending. No new hires for Government jobs.

What he did was a hiring freeze on federal employees. I'd rather see a freeze than nothing, but it sometimes leads to some stupid results. For example, unlike the general perception, the post office where I get my mail is superb. It's not heavily staffed, but it's very well-run. Everybody's courteous and fairly laid back in their demeanor, but they virtually never screw anything up. And what's better, when they do (which is rare), they admit it. Furthermore, if the lines get a little long, the postmaster comes out of his office, takes off his jacket and tie, pulls on his USPS shirt over his dress shirt, and serves people, so it's obvious that the good service is coming from the top. He's an old black dude who is retired military, and he simply has a high standard of excellence - better than anything I've seen at a post office. And he hires guys like him. Basically it's just a bunch of old Southern guys - some white, some black but all Southern and between 45 and 75 years of age. Well, if one of his men retires or dies, this hiring freeze will keep him from replacing him, and it shouldn't. This guy obviously cares about his operation and doesn't have any dead weight there. I trust him to do what's right, and Trump probably would too.

What I'd really like to see him do (and this would require congressional action) is an overhaul of federal civil service to make it easier to fire people who aren't good at their jobs. If they did that, they wouldn't need to do hiring freezes.

 

[UTChE96]

What I'd really like to see him do (and this would require congressional action) is an overhaul of federal civil service to make it easier to fire people who aren't good at their jobs. If they did that, they wouldn't need to do hiring freezes.

ABSOLUTELY! Unlike your USPS office, mine is beyond abysmal. The worst post office that I have ever seen. Some of my neighbors have even complained to our congressman about the poor service we receive. Prior to my use of Amazon Prime, the USPS made no attempt to deliver a package to my townhouse. They would leave a note for me to come pick it up. I guess entering a gate code was too complex and required too much effort for them. I wouldn't have minded if it weren't for the ridiculously long lines that I would encounter there. I tried to call their "customer service" line to complain and speak to someone who would try but always fail to solve the problem.

It's amazing the complete lack of accountability that exists in the USPS and other government agencies. If you have a well run post office then consider yourself lucky. It is likely because you have good quality people working there not because the system works.

 

[Phil Elliott]

Unlike your USPS office, mine is beyond abysmal. The worst post office that I have ever seen.

Mine is way more like yours than Deez's. I've lived here for 21 years and it's always been this way. When new people come, you might get decent service the 1st or 2nd time you see them, but by then the rest of the crew has pulled this newby down to their level of not caring.

 

[Mr. Deez]

ABSOLUTELY! Unlike your USPS office, mine is beyond abysmal. The worst post office that I have ever seen. Some of my neighbors have even complained to our congressman about the poor service we receive. Prior to my use of Amazon Prime, the USPS made no attempt to deliver a package to my townhouse. They would leave a note for me to come pick it up. I guess entering a gate code was too complex and required too much effort for them. I wouldn't have minded if it weren't for the ridiculously long lines that I would encounter there. I tried to call their "customer service" line to complain and speak to someone who would try but always fail to solve the problem.

It's amazing the complete lack of accountability that exists in the USPS and other government agencies. If you have a well run post office then consider yourself lucky. It is likely because you have good quality people working there not because the system works.

Believe me, I know that far more post offices are like yours than like mine. It also helps that mine is at a military base with a commander who can quickly fix major problems if they arise. I've never had one that was really terrible like yours, but they've usually just been mediocre. For example, I used to go to the Jollyville office when I lived in Austin. They weren't rude, but they were very lackadaisical. The lines would be ridiculously long, and I'd see employees standing around chit chatting instead of helping customers.

Of course, I use Amazon.de a lot and have things sent to my German address as well. Deutsche Post and DHL deliver most of what I get, and they put the USPS to shame. Deutsche Post seems less bloated. Instead of having these big post offices packed with staff, they contract out things like package drop-off and buying stamps to local businesses and gas stations. Even my actual post office is just a small room just off the village square. It's just one employee (who's a hot little blond chick that can't speak English) with a cash register and a little printer to print receipts and postage stickers. She can sell you stamps or take your package, but since you can do that in several different places around town, there isn't a lot of reason to go there very often. Accordingly, it can be a much smaller operation.

 

[I35]

For example, unlike the general perception, the post office where I get my mail is superb. It's not heavily staffed, but it's very well-run.

Doesn't our postal service cost us the tax payers Billions of $$$ a year, where as their competitors are very profitable? If that's the case, deal me out that they are a well run operation.

 

[Mr. Deez]

Doesn't our postal service cost us the tax payers Billions of $$$ a year, where as their competitors are very profitable? If that's the case, deal me out that they are a well run operation.

You're very right. I'm not talking about the postal service in general. It's a mess. I'm talking about my particular post office.

Of course, the taxpayer subsidizes my mail, because it makes sure that military and civilian personnel serving overseas can send and receive mail from the US at domestic rates. However, the actual post office where my mail is sent and received is a pretty efficient and well-run operation. Again, I'm talking about one post office, not the postal service in general.