December 12, 2011
By John Nichols
Occupy Wall Street protesters (click title to entry - thank you) hit a bull's eye when they invaded a National Press Club briefing where Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe - who makes like a corporate executive and refers to himself as "Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Postal Service" - was giving a speech about the need to close post offices, lay off workers, and, though this was unspoken, take steps that will lead to the privatization one of the country's greatest public assets.
Postmasters general do not usually become targets of passionate opposition, but the protesters were chanting, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donahoe has got to go."
And rightly so. Last week, Donahoe laid out a plan that would destroy the Postal Service as most Americans know it. And the destruction would be not out of necessity, but to perpetuate an austerity lie. The supposed financial crisis facing the Postal Service is a fantasy.
The agency - which continues to provide vital services to 150 million households and business a day, sustains rural and urban communities across the country as a Main Street mainstay, employs hundreds of thousands of Americans, and has a history of being in the forefront of technological and societal progress - is not in trouble because of competition from the Internet or changing letter-writing patterns. It is in trouble because Congress forced it to pay roughly $5.5 billion a year into a trust fund for future retiree pensions....
There are all sorts of rants about online piracy, but, the invasion of privacy with email has been an issue, including problems like sexting of minors. While the House bill is understandable, the misuse of this technology in our society has resulted in tragic results. The innocense of children have been exploited as if a joke along with a media mogul that finds hacking into cell phones a marketable skill.
I use the US Postal Service because I can write letters to friends and relatives. They have something physical to hold in their hands to read and enjoy and cherish. There is absolutely nothing endearing of an email print out.
The rapid responses possible on the internet destroy lives. The internet obviously has a purpose in my life, but, using it as the only means of communication is lax and dangeruous. Compromising one's standards for personal safety and security means evaluating the use of 'online' services and realizing there is a purpose for the US Postal Service. The US Postal Service employs people and does not eliminate jobs.
Occupy Wall Street protesters (click title to entry - thank you) hit a bull's eye when they invaded a National Press Club briefing where Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe - who makes like a corporate executive and refers to himself as "Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Postal Service" - was giving a speech about the need to close post offices, lay off workers, and, though this was unspoken, take steps that will lead to the privatization one of the country's greatest public assets.
Postmasters general do not usually become targets of passionate opposition, but the protesters were chanting, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donahoe has got to go."
And rightly so. Last week, Donahoe laid out a plan that would destroy the Postal Service as most Americans know it. And the destruction would be not out of necessity, but to perpetuate an austerity lie. The supposed financial crisis facing the Postal Service is a fantasy.
The agency - which continues to provide vital services to 150 million households and business a day, sustains rural and urban communities across the country as a Main Street mainstay, employs hundreds of thousands of Americans, and has a history of being in the forefront of technological and societal progress - is not in trouble because of competition from the Internet or changing letter-writing patterns. It is in trouble because Congress forced it to pay roughly $5.5 billion a year into a trust fund for future retiree pensions....
There are all sorts of rants about online piracy, but, the invasion of privacy with email has been an issue, including problems like sexting of minors. While the House bill is understandable, the misuse of this technology in our society has resulted in tragic results. The innocense of children have been exploited as if a joke along with a media mogul that finds hacking into cell phones a marketable skill.
I use the US Postal Service because I can write letters to friends and relatives. They have something physical to hold in their hands to read and enjoy and cherish. There is absolutely nothing endearing of an email print out.
The rapid responses possible on the internet destroy lives. The internet obviously has a purpose in my life, but, using it as the only means of communication is lax and dangeruous. Compromising one's standards for personal safety and security means evaluating the use of 'online' services and realizing there is a purpose for the US Postal Service. The US Postal Service employs people and does not eliminate jobs.
...A House Judiciary Committee (click here) markup for Stop Online Piracy, or SOPA, is scheduled for 10 a.m. Eastern Time Thursday. Representative Lamar Smith, the committee chairman and main sponsor of the bill, will offer a wide-ranging amendment to the bill, his spokeswoman said.
Smith and the Judiciary Committee staff have been working closely with lawmakers and interested groups for the past few weeks "to strengthen the bill and address legitimate concerns from groups who are interested in working with Congress to combat foreign rogue websites," said the spokeswoman for Smith, a Texas Republican.
In a markup, lawmakers have the opportunity to debate and amend a bill. If the Judiciary Committee votes to approve SOPA, the next step would be for the full House to vote on it. Smith introduced SOPA on Oct. 26....
