News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on The Billionaire Behind Efforts to Kill the U.S. Postal Service [pdf]. Parent comment

Re:The Billionaire Behind Efforts to Kill the U.S. Postal Se... by cryptoz on Tuesday July 21, 2020 @08:24PM (#23912503)
What's wrong with a government-run grocery store? I can quickly think of a hundred reasons why I would support such an idea. And no reasons yet why I wouldn't support it. But you make it sound like a government-run grocery store is massively crossing a line for you. So I am curious about that.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Billionaire Behind Efforts to Kill the U.S. Postal Se... by bhupy on Tuesday July 21, 2020 @08:26PM (#23912532)
The GP was justifying USPS's monopoly on first class mail. A government-run grocery store sounds pretty great. A government-run monopoly on grocery stores...not so much.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Billionaire Behind Efforts to Kill the U.S. Postal Se... by topkai22 on Wednesday July 22, 2020 @01:58AM (#23914322)
For reference, the US Government runs thousands of grocery and convenience stores via the US Military exchange (PX) and commissary apparatus. I remember these stores being a fantastic benefit of being a Navy brat.

The structure also hints at problems with government run businesses- the PX system avoids all sorts of sales and property taxes and gets reduced or free rent. The commissaries do that and get direct subsidies as well.

Before any service members (or their spouses) go after me, no, I am NOT arguing for any change to the system, just pointing out how existing examples look and work.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:The Billionaire Behind Efforts to Kill the U.S. Postal Se... by gunshai on Wednesday July 22, 2020 @01:21PM (#23919332)
I don't know that that is a fair comparison because many of these stores you can't access unless you have a military ID. The prices are subsidized as well.
[ Parent | on HN ]