GM office/ Atlasian Almanac-Gazette Community Portal

[Ban my account ffs!]

I'd say the SIS policy has been an overall success.  Comprehensive illicit drug policy is needed to reduce the dangers and risks.  SIS are the red-headed step-child of such a policy because they aren't there to stop people from using drugs.  But when people recognize that many people simply will not stop using drugs, we can show compassion and aid in keeping the community disease free by offering a safe place for addicts to go.

IRL, there is actually a home in the Twin Cities for alcoholics that allows patients to drink on site (though they must be in their rooms and not in the public areas).  Like the SIS program, it shows mixed, but mostly positive results since it has turned people away from alcohol and helped them seek proper treatment.  And for those that don't, they have a warm bed and a hot meal that will keep them safe and alive hopefully long enough to make their own decision to seek treatment.

These people are sick.  We need a lot more carrot and less stick.  Let people keep their dignity throughout the healing process and you'll see more people take part in it.

[Ban my account ffs!]

I'd like to reassure the postal service that I will not sign any reform bill into the law that just slashes and burns the postal service, the consequences be damned.  The recent charade by the senate and the lack of commitment by senators on creating meaningful reform that helps, rather than hurts the postal service did nothing but scare the living daylights out of everybody.  I want to reassure you that new attempts at reform will not do this.

Of course the reform will require labor cost reductions and a reform of services provided to keep mail delivery fast, competitive, and most importantly, relevant in the age of electronic correspondance and private package carriers.

That said, I do not think greatly reducing services to save costs will help.  In fact, I think it will hurt.  That will only send the postal service into a permanent tailspin as demand falls further requiring more service cuts and so on and so forth. 

Instead, I would favor a system that will probably see an increase in prices but focuses heavily on the quality of service in order to draw more customers.  People aren't sending as much mail as they used to and the Atlasian postal service can never compete with a much more convenient and free service like e-mail. 

The postal service will have to shrink to a certain degree, but we can achieve that without drastic measures that leave people angry and jobless.  The postal service will survive and do well if it can deliver mail and packages quickly and efficiently at competitive prices.  That is what the reform package will focus on.