Roots of this website: Kidney Dialysis Intro:
Even KIDS haven't been spared!!!!
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
As recently as December 2024 Trump was quoted as saying privatizing the USPS is “not the worst idea I’ve ever heard.” This from a CNN article titled: "The US Postal Service is more efficient than you think. Privatizing it could cause problems for many". It may not be the worst idea Trump ever heard, but it just might be about the worst idea many of us have heard of. As the article pointed out, it is a Public Service - not a choice many can do without. Think of how many get their prescription drugs by mail, and how many get their mail-in ballots, packages etc... delivered by the USPS. Either because of location or disability they would have a hard time traveling to get what they require. This isn't a luxury for many.
As Brian Renfroe, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, told CNN. “The destruction of any part of the public service we provide is going to have one bottom line result for the customers, it’s going to cost more and take longer to get there.”
The CNN article did present the other side and a report did claim: “a private operation would be incentivized to innovate and improve services to Americans in every community,” (however) it seemed to signal that the current requirement for universal service to every American address could be lost.
And when have the above report's words been muttered before? Words claiming privatization would "incentivize", spur "innovation", and of course "improve services"? Oh yes, during Reagan's years as president. One famous quote of his might need some updating. The quote: "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help"" ought to be changed to "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: "I'm a Government contractor, and I'm here to help"".
Other Public Services that could Predict the Post Office's future Outcome
A reader of this site might have already guessed what Government contractor could be a harbinger of things to come for the Post Office, if Wall Street gets it's way! You guessed it! For-profit kidney dialysis! And how are those mighty, mighty fine profits attained when choice is thrown out the window - and what's the cost? But first some background, kidney dialysis has been a monopolistic capitalist dream - but a patient's nightmare! The "customers" in this scheme first need this life-saving treatment - or else. And it is a rarity when they complain. This has led to assembly-line medicine where the corporate mission has been to get them in and out as fast as you can! And how to further "efficiency"? Why use the minimal amount of staff, train them as little as possible, and pay them as little as possible. Those management salaries and bonuses need boosting of course!
So what has been the cost of the above? From DC's M.I. Mother's Keeper 2023 fact sheet:
"The per capita costs of dialysis in the US is the highest in the
industrialized world (about $35 billion per year), yet the survival rate among US patients is
the lowest. Dialysis patients in Canada, Germany and France live 2-3x longer than in the US.
In Japan, they live 3-4x longer."
The 2nd example of privatization gone amuck came to mind after this writer recalled being given a chance to be part of the National Security Agency (NSA). And I then recalled the NSA's ThinThread - Trailblazer scandal. The gist of it is NSA government employees came up with an in-house solution to data collection for $3.2 million - NSA management pushed a solution from outside contractors called Trailblazer that didn't work - and had cost overruns that totaled into the billions! More: could 911 been prevented? On 60 Minutes.
It can be hard to tell the difference between Big Business and Big Government anymore - the dividing line seems to be gone. A revolving door has people in government one minute, then big business the next. We've seen it in kidney dialysis. Add on top of it generals who are rewarded for the size of their projects, rather than results - then elites wonder why we average Joes and Janes are ticked off.
Roots of this website: Kidney Dialysis Intro:
Even KIDS haven't been spared!!!!
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
