Need Argument RE: Healthcare

[Timshel]

On Facebook (say whatever you must... :-):

There is a regional director of mine who is on my facebook page (she requested it, and I keep my page fairly impersonal), and I don't know a lot about her political beliefs. I try to stay away from politics in that arena as there are co-workers and conservative bosses, etc there, but healthcare reform has been the one area I have been fairly open about my beliefs (sending out messages about supporting our local representative, Lloyd Doggett, etc). Someone posted this in response to something she said yesterday:

"The healthcare debate is interesting, to say the least. Yesterday, Obama was trying to assure people that they could still keep their own insurance if they wanted by comparing it to how well FedEx and UPS have done well despite the presence of the U.S. Postal Service. Great example. Post offices are closing, and FedEx and UPS are more efficient."

I would like to respond in a polite, respectful and intelligent manner, considering that she is a mentor and a boss and again, I don't know her politics. Does anyone have some online references I can use to dispute this, or is anyone versed in this particular area and can help me with a cohesive argument?

Thank you for any advice!!

[kirby]

1. Resist the temptation...

Dont mix politics with bosses. Resist. It is a no win.

[Timshel]

2. Re: Resistance

I know! I just thought - *maybe* of all *maybes* - someone might have a plan for me - I just hate what is going on out there and I want to respond to every argument out there!

[kirby]

3. BTW...

I challenge the argument. Who says FedEx and UPS are more efficient?

Also, FedEx and UPS are laying people off and bleeding money:

FedEx:

FedEx, the nation's second largest package shipper, lost more money in the last quarter, as consumers and businesses downsized shipments and the company took over $1 billion in one-time charges.

Memphis, Tenn.-based FedEx Corp. also said Wednesday that it expects a rough ride for some time.

"The operating environment for our first two quarters in fiscal 2010 is expected to be extremely difficult," executive vice president and chief financial officer Alan B. Graf Jr. said.

FedEx lost $876 million, or $2.82 per share in the three month period ending in May. the company lost $241 million, or 78 cents per share, a year ago. Excluding one-time charges, earnings were 64 cents per share in the recent quarter.

UPS:

United Parcel Service, the world’s largest package delivery company, said on Thursday that its second-quarter earnings fell 49 percent as the recession cut business demand.

It forecast that its profit in the third quarter will be lower than analysts’ projections.

Second-quarter profit declined to $445 million, or 44 cents a share, compared with $873 million, or 85 cents a share, a year earlier. Sales dropped 17 percent, to $10.8 billion.

[Timshel]

5. thanks!

I completely agree (and thanks for the facts...). I also thought I had heard that the postal service started outsourcing, thought that might have something to do with them closing offices (aside from the fact that people have drastically cut down on sending regular mail!!), and was wondering if anyone had any ideas about what that might be doing?

[patrice]

4. FedEx & UPS do not have routes for the entire country the way the USPS does.

FedEx & UPS get to focus on the most lucrative business, while USPS carries a lot of loss-leading junk mail.

[Timshel]

6. could that get turned around on me??

I agree, but could they then use that argument to say that is how our health care would be??

[kirby]

7. That is why single payer is best...

Right now Medicare deals with the elderly only. If it were opened up to everyone, the cost would be lower since the larger pool of people would include both elderly and statistically more healthy younger people.

ps. resist!

[Timshel]

8. Re: Resistance

I agree - Medicare for all!!!!

PS: You are too funny!

[ThirdWorldJohn]

9. You may find some facts here.

But I too feel it is a mistake to mix politics and business also. So be careful.

http://cthealth.server101.com/the_case_for_universal_health_care_in_the_united_states.htm

[Timshel]

11. thanks!

Thank you for the link!

I definately have to be careful, if I say anything at all. I certainly can't afford to lose my job, and my company (it is national hotel management company) recently mandated that FOX be on the tv in all hotels, as one of the top dogs is *friends* with Sean Hannity (read: Hannity walked into one of our hotels and saw that cnn was on and complained about it). But it is the hotel industry, and while the upper echelon can be conservative, that isn't always the case with employees (and we are in Austin - where we don't like FOX at all!)

[usregimechange]

10. efficient = equitable? I always ship USPS because it is affordable

[TheKentuckian]

12. I don't get the opposition here.

Either the vaunted "free" market will shine or the government does it right and Joe Six Pack has better and more affordable service. I understand an honest opposition from the left (in concept anyway) but from the right? They are disagreeing with their own principles that government doesn't work and that nothing beats the market to debate this which would be amazingly telling with a real media.

How are they crying that private insurance cannot compete with public and private would be undone and constantly preaching about the ineffectiveness of government?