pabenny wrote: ↑Wed Sep 06 2023 6:01pm
Not sure what barcoding of stamps has to do with privatisation - other than they are both things you dislike.
Oh - and The Post Office isn't privatised.
Who said anything against barcoding of stamps? The fact that no other country has found it necessary to add such visible coding to stamps notwithstanding, it has already been mooted as a way to leverage extra facilities. Kerching! My complaint is about the treatment of existing stamps, which are in fact prepayment for a service yet to be delivered. Due to the actions of the vendor, who, remember, has already been paid, I am forced to jump through hoops to recover the money paid to him. So am I supposed to applaud?
I do abhor the privatization of natural monopolies and near monopolies - because they are simply a vehicle for capitalist greed of the worst order, as seen in the energy, water and rail companies. So you are incorrect to say I "dislike" it, my feeling is far stronger than that and I would happily see renationalizaion without compensation since the conmen have already filled their boots with public money.
Whilst Post Office Counters may not have been privatised, the public still equate the Post Office with the provision of postal services, as it was before Royal Mail was hived off for "special treatment". ... and what a success that has been, eh? We pay more for a poorer service (where have I heard that before) and the whole ethos of universal carriage is constantly under threat. Privatization was, as ever, more to do with ideology than practicality and the general public are the losers.
