As others on HN have discussed and I've written earlier, it's because the policy has come in effect without clarity on how postal carriers should collect the tariff from customers and how to remit to CBP.
There's no calculator or form or instructions on how they might be able to determine the appropriate amount to collect, and so packages may be refused if the CBP's calculation doesn't agree with what the postal carrier's calculation. And finally these "emergency" tariffs have been ruled illegal by the appeals court so it's just too much confusion for postal carriers to figure out at the moment.
Just to say, this is on par with how many dictatorships are run. Spur of the moment decisions and edicts, with no actual protocol or procedures behind them beyond "this is a thing now".
That way when you can't comply, you can be arrested, despite not being able to comply even if you wanted to.
They may decide one day you now need a certain license to practice your profession, but there are no forms or procedures to obtain this license. If you contact the head of that department you are ignored. However, if the govt wants to shut you down at any point (say if you happen to be publicly dissenting) they can officially say it's because you don't have that license. The one that is impossible to obtain.
Of course you continue to work, you've got to earn a living, but now maybe you'll keep your head down so the govt hopefully stays off your back.
I've kept it vague on purpose but it's a real example that I've witnessed in an actual dictatorship. Not that the US was ever perfect, but the past year should be alarming to everyone who isn't a fascist.
I feel like this was a very intentional side-effect of the tariff idiocy. I’d bet my next paycheck that Johnson is going to push for fully privatizing the USPS because “it’s no longer able to make a profit” - ignoring the fact that that was never the fucking point.
I don't know if the tariffs were designed to do that, but I'm sure the plan has been to privatize the USPS and many of the functions of the agencies that have been gutted--the goal is to either eliminate or privatize as much of government services as can be done.
Unfortunately, if USPS doesn’t send junk mail, they don’t afford to stay open.
Fun fact. Now, postal carriers are considered contracted employees, similar to the bullshit Amazon engages with some workers. For $19/hr, the expectation is that a new hire mail delivery person buy their own vehicle with the driver’s seat on the right side of the vehicle. It’s a requirement of the position. I currently live in a locale with no mail carrier. They borrow carriers from various other locations across the state to make deliveries happen in a sporadic, wrong way.
Expect privatization soon. Expect political fuckery with elections to follow.
Not exactly true. The rule is that if you are a RURAL mail carrier in an area the does NOT provide a vehicle for you, then you can be reimbursed for using your own vehicle as long as it meets certain standards.
Only rural mail carriers in areas where the regional office does not provide cars are affected by this, and only if they choose to use their own car. They can always walk or bike. And if they choose to use their own car, they get reimbursed for it.
I honestly look forward to full privatization and removing their pension from congressional control. I don't know about the system in your area, but we still have branded trucks in the area, so maybe that varies on state.
25 replies
As others on HN have discussed and I've written earlier, it's because the policy has come in effect without clarity on how postal carriers should collect the tariff from customers and how to remit to CBP.
There's no calculator or form or instructions on how they might be able to determine the appropriate amount to collect, and so packages may be refused if the CBP's calculation doesn't agree with what the postal carrier's calculation. And finally these "emergency" tariffs have been ruled illegal by the appeals court so it's just too much confusion for postal carriers to figure out at the moment.
Just to say, this is on par with how many dictatorships are run. Spur of the moment decisions and edicts, with no actual protocol or procedures behind them beyond "this is a thing now".
That way when you can't comply, you can be arrested, despite not being able to comply even if you wanted to.
They may decide one day you now need a certain license to practice your profession, but there are no forms or procedures to obtain this license. If you contact the head of that department you are ignored. However, if the govt wants to shut you down at any point (say if you happen to be publicly dissenting) they can officially say it's because you don't have that license. The one that is impossible to obtain.
Of course you continue to work, you've got to earn a living, but now maybe you'll keep your head down so the govt hopefully stays off your back.
I've kept it vague on purpose but it's a real example that I've witnessed in an actual dictatorship. Not that the US was ever perfect, but the past year should be alarming to everyone who isn't a fascist.
Now I’m no economist, so maybe I’m just ignorant here.
But it seems to me that if there’s less stuff being shipped into a country, the people who live in that country are gonna end up having less stuff.
And correct me if I’m wrong, but I seem to recall that one the main goals of an economy is to… checks notes uh… “have stuff”.
Is this the “winning” we were warned about?
You've forgotten supply and demand, if there's less stuff the stuff that's already here increases in value so it's basically the same.
Inflation
Yeah, it was meant to be a joke. Practically it will have unequal impact based on whether you can wait until tariffs are gone to buy something.
My precious DDR4!
I feel like this was a very intentional side-effect of the tariff idiocy. I’d bet my next paycheck that Johnson is going to push for fully privatizing the USPS because “it’s no longer able to make a profit” - ignoring the fact that that was never the fucking point.
I don't know if the tariffs were designed to do that, but I'm sure the plan has been to privatize the USPS and many of the functions of the agencies that have been gutted--the goal is to either eliminate or privatize as much of government services as can be done.
And they're still late with all my packages.
If we try real hard maybe we can get it to 100%
Hurray, less landfill fodder. Now let's reduce domestic mail the same way.
Unfortunately, if USPS doesn’t send junk mail, they don’t afford to stay open.
Fun fact. Now, postal carriers are considered contracted employees, similar to the bullshit Amazon engages with some workers. For $19/hr, the expectation is that a new hire mail delivery person buy their own vehicle with the driver’s seat on the right side of the vehicle. It’s a requirement of the position. I currently live in a locale with no mail carrier. They borrow carriers from various other locations across the state to make deliveries happen in a sporadic, wrong way.
Expect privatization soon. Expect political fuckery with elections to follow.
Citation please on the vehicle purchase expectation? That is not a USPS requirement that I’m aware of and would like to know more.
Rural mail carriers in the US often use an old minivan or jeep with a sketchy right hand drive conversion
That doesn't mean the employee provides it.
I always assumed they were reimbursed
Yeah. Those usually suck. Official mail truck is way better.
https://accountinginsights.org/usps-rural-carrier-vehicle-reimbursement-what-you-need-to-know/
Not exactly true. The rule is that if you are a RURAL mail carrier in an area the does NOT provide a vehicle for you, then you can be reimbursed for using your own vehicle as long as it meets certain standards.
That's not really true.
https://accountinginsights.org/usps-rural-carrier-vehicle-reimbursement-what-you-need-to-know/
Only rural mail carriers in areas where the regional office does not provide cars are affected by this, and only if they choose to use their own car. They can always walk or bike. And if they choose to use their own car, they get reimbursed for it.
I honestly look forward to full privatization and removing their pension from congressional control. I don't know about the system in your area, but we still have branded trucks in the area, so maybe that varies on state.
It’s likely a non-city thing.
Very likely, yes.
This has nothing to do with junk mail. This is about international mail that contains a good affected by tariffs.
The comments about junk mail were referring to my wishful thinking that we could reduce 80% of the domestic landfill fodder.