Comment by Animats
6 months ago
> US not accepting "duty-unpaid" postal shipments. This is VERY unusual.
To maintain the illusion that the sender pays for tariffs?
Keep receipts and customs declarations on everything imported. There's a lawsuit underway and it may well be decided that Trump doesn't have the authority to levy tariffs at all under the Emergency Economic Powers Act. In that case, importers will be due a refund.[1] The Constitution says that Congress sets tariffs and the Emergency Economic Powers Act doesn't mention tariffs. As usual, Trump's strategy is to stall, probably until 2026 when this is expected to reach the Supreme Court. Congress could enact Trump's tariff schedule to resolve this, but that would lock it into law.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/what-happens-next-u...
> To maintain the illusion that the sender pays for tariffs?
I think it’s both that and the overwhelming reluctance to tell (and perhaps hire more) people carrying guns in an already safe and secure area to do (paper)work.
Similar issue in Canada where border officers allegedly do enforcement and provide services but want to focus on the “bad guy” enforcement part. Helping people out or sending bills to grandma wasn’t what they were promised when they signed up.
This is why New Zealand's police recruiting ad[0] a few years back was so brilliant. They used humor to intentionally de-select this "warrior cop" mentality, and emphasize public service instead.
[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9psILoYmCc
The dutch army did something similar in one of their ads. They had a whole series of ads where they showed a short skit illustrating some property they do or don't want in the army. Then the ad shows two checkboxes, "suitable" / "unsuitable", with one of them getting colored in. This[0] specific one from that series is quite explicitly showing they don't want people who like "playing" with guns too much.
There's a compilation here[1] in case anyone wants to see some more. Most of them don't require any language and are decently funny.
[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-qyjkj7Vj0 [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiqFysi883Y
Surely you want to select for warrior cops especially in a place like the USA to be able to handle things like school shooters and violent meth heads?
Is it better to hire a diplomat and make them a warrior or hire a warrior and make them a diplomat? When lives are on the line id choose the later tbh.
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