Threatening to leave the Universal Postal Union was dramatic, but it succeeded in getting the attention of other member states.
Daily Signal:
Numerous articles have criticized the Trump administration over its policy toward the United Nations and other international organizations.
In particular, they assert that U.S. decisions to reduce funding and leave various international agreements have opened the door for the Chinese to increase their influence.
When U.S. policy is disjointed, such as when the administration proposes cuts to U.S. contributions untied to policy objectives, American influence is indeed blunted or lessened.
However, as we saw at the Universal Postal Union this week, the U.S. uses its influence to demand specific policy changes, including threats to withdraw or withhold funding, it remains a powerful and effective player.
The Universal Postal Union, established in 1874, is one of the world’s oldest international organizations. Although the Universal Postal Union preceded the United Nations by 71 years, it joined the U.N. system as an autonomous specialized agency in 1948.
The central purpose of the Universal Postal Union is to facilitate mail and package delivery between countries by setting the rules for international postage.
Under the current system, when a person or business mails a letter or small package to another country, the postal operator in the sending country charges for postage and pays the postal administrator in the destination country for its portion of the cost for processing and delivery.
Under Universal Postal Union rules, these “terminal dues” on small packages are lower for developing countries, which are grouped based on their level of economic development. read more
I often wonder how buying something from overseas the seller offers “FREE SHIPPING” but mailing something from my NY state to a nearby state costs me $3 to $8 bucks??
This is typical Donald Trump. Demand the moon, then when that is rejected, “settle” for what you really wanted in the first place. God bless our President. He truly does put American first.
We need to leave the UN and let the Chinese take it over. I once heard the UN described as a playpen for third-world dictators. Let the wannabee first-world Chinese dictators deal with them.
@ Perry
Pro tip: There is no free shipping from anyone. Price is always adjusted for it.
More honest: Shipping included in advertised price.
You are looking at the same dynamic when visitors from other countries wonder why the price at the checkout is higher than the price on the shelf.
Taxes. Why doesn’t the shelf price include the tax like it does in other countries? To make it look less expensive. Of course, there are tax exempt customers. So I see nothing changing about this.
^
Good idea, then move the worthless entity to Beijing and demolish the eyesore.
How can China take over as the biggest influence if the United States backs out of things if China is a “developing” nation?
Or does the term “developing nation” mean “any country but the United States?”