For 144 years The United States has been a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a UN agency that coordinates postal policies among 193 participating nations.
The agreement cost our postal service an estimated $170- $300 million a year and acts as an unfair subsidy by our own government that hurts American businesses.
The rates are so out of line that a company can ship a 4 pound package at a cheaper rate from China than that same firm could send across the country.
On Wednesday, the State Department formally notified the UPU that The United States is withdrawing from the agreement in 12 months. More
Still winning, hell no, I aint tard.
Hard not to like that!
I have gotten 99 cent items off of Ebay with “free” shipping. They came from China in about 7-10 days. Wondered how the heck that could work. Now I know.
What magic wand do you think you have?
How many other hidden, wasteful, worthless UN agencies do we, the US taxpayers, subsidize?
How about we just pull out of the UN?
I’m confused. The United Nations was founded in 1947. How can the USA be a member of a UN agency for 144 years?
The agreement that created the UPU, The Bern Agreement of 1874, predates the UN. When the UN was established the Berne Agreement was put under its authority. – Dr. Tar
Since I hear she may be looking for a new appointment, can we hire Theresa May to handle it?
@Richard P October 19, 2018 at 12:04 pm
> I’m confused. The United Nations was founded in 1947. How can the USA be a member of a UN agency for 144 years?
Mathematics degrees are sold from the same kiosks as gender studies.
WINNING! MAGA!
What took so long? This seems like an obvious waste of money and a terribly unfair agreement. Oh, that’s right! This is something that the United Nations cooked up. I’ll bet that there are at least two thousand UNocrats employed all around the world overseeing this boondoggle.
@Richard P, the UPU was established before the UN and the UN just absorbed it. Like they want to do with the US.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Postal_Union
beachmom: Thanks for that information. It doesn’t say when this noble idea became an American obligation that was costing the United States several hundred million dollars a year and subsidizing our trading rivals. However, anything that the UN is involved with always costs us more than any other country. It was set up to drain the United States by communists like Alger Hiss.
12 months?? How about immediately?
The UPU was part of a larger treaty, so we have to comply with the provisions for withdraw that are part of the original agreement. This gives the rest of the signees time to either reform or wave bye-bye after we’ve exited. -Dr. Tar
How about kicking the UN out of New York
as a start.
I guess we’re going to hear whining from the Son of a Mailman about this.
And while were at it.. The US Post Office is no longer run by the US Government.. Time for CCW holders to be allowed to carry on the premise in Concealed Carry States…
well, damn.
Now I need to go and look at my chinese lego bootleg wishlist and buy all of the HUGE set knock offs for 45 dollars and 2 dollar shipping before I can’t anymore.
…not to mention the cute lil chibi figurines for myself. Don’t wanna pay full price when I can get double for the same amount.
[christmas shopping just started for me now, because of this.]
Yeah, I’ve taken full advantage of it and who wouldn’t? Nerdy hobbies are expensive. :I
Was the UPU a money losing agreement for the USA over its entire 144 year history?
Or did it only become a financial burden on US taxpayers after it was put under mismanagement by the UN 71 years ago?
What is the excuse of previous US administrations for not taking this step sooner?