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Where's the plan in that. We've been saying no Saturdays for a year at least. Cut the work force...by the same amount that intake has shrunk.

BTW...It's the damn salaries and pensions and other benefits that are killing us.

That is not true. It may be true for other government agencies, but it is not true for the USPS. Do some comparative analysis of USPS "salaries, pensions and benefits" against other similar organizations and I think you will be quite surprised. And incidentally, the work force of the USPS has already been reduced substantially, as described in multiple articles. And it will continue to be reduced.

The root of this problem is Congress, and their unwillingness or inability to properly do their job. In spite of what many continue to believe, tax dollars have not gone into the USPS since it was reorganized in the 70's. Not for pensions, not for benefits, not for salaries. In fact, it is probably the opposite. Allow me to explain.

The USPS is required, based on Congressional order, to pay 5.5 billion per year into a retirees health care fund, and it has been doing this for quite a number of years; perhaps 10 or more(as I understand it, before then payments were made, but at a lower annual amount). The amount paid in to date is well beyond the liability for USPS retirees. But here is the catch: it is not just USPS employees that pull from this fund. Other government agencies do also. Were it not for this budget line item the USPS would be close to breaking even, as it should.

The USPS has repeatedly asked Congress for this payment to be reduced and/or suspended, and for over payments to be refunded. Most recently Congress took the "bold" step of allowing the USPS to wait 3 months to make this years' payment. This changes nothing. In truth, what Congress did was postpone having to make a decision for 3 more months. What leadership!

I have speculated that Congress may continue to refuse to reduce the 5.5 billion and any refund of overpayment because it will force them to pay for retirees health care payments for all of the other government agencies that draw from that fund with tax dollars. To put it bluntly, Congress is placing the USPS in the red in order to not have to raise taxes or cut costs.

It is also congress that must provide permission for the USPS to go to 5 day delivery, and to close offices that, from a business prospective, have been a financial drain for years.

That is the relief that the USPS is asking for from Congress, and it has been doing so for a very long time. The USPS has been asking Congress to act responsibly, and to do it's job, and to remove constraints that prevent the USPS from doing what it should; what is has been working hard at doing for decades - operating like a business. It has done an excellent job, but there is much more to do - if Congress will just stop being a leech get out of the way.

And now we have his illustrious lordship, Obama, offering up his plan. We are saved! This pathetic pretender, as some have already pointed out, is merely parroting changes that have already been quantified and offering it up as "his plan". These changes, and many other proposals, have been around since before he was ever even running for office. He is doing this only because congressional inaction has forced the USPS to the breaking point. Something must be done, so he figures he may as well get credit for it. Disgusting.