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Home Health Columnist / Guide · Feb 5

Did you order from Temu?? Your package will be delayed as US Postal Service stopped accepting package. Trump found out they don't pay immigration tax if item less than $800.00.

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The announcement comes just days after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order that terminated the "de minimis" exemption, a long-standing rule that allowed anyone, including exporters, to ship packages worth less than $800 to the United States without duties or needing to undergo inspections.

toomuchbaloney · Feb 5

NRSKarenRN said:

Did you order from Temu? Your package will be delayed as US Postal Service stopped accepting package. Trump found out they don't pay immigration tax if item less than $800.00.

This is almost comical, isn't it? It's like a graphic novel version of the end of this republic.

Beerman, BSN · Feb 5

NRSKarenRN said:

Did you order from Temu? Your package will be delayed as US Postal Service stopped accepting package. Trump found out they don't pay immigration tax if item less than $800.00.

Gasp....one headline I saw sums up how I feel: "You can no longer order $100 of junk for $15",

More about the de minimus provision:

"The de minimis provision has existed since the 1930s, but its use has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. The Biden administration took steps last September to curb the "overuse and abuse" of de minimis, arguing it has helped Chinese e-commerce companies undercut competitors with lower prices. Officials have also argued that de minimis shipments are "subject to minimal documentation and inspection,” raising product safety concerns."

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/02/trump-tariffs-take-aim-at-trade-loophole-used-by-temu-shein.html

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 5

toomuchbaloney said:

I can't wait to hear how Trump supporters defend and explain this. I'm genuinely curious how anyone will try to make this make sense.

America first! Before we take over and rebuild Gaza we need to concentrate on America like California....oh wait.....

toomuchbaloney · Feb 5

Tweety said:

America first! Before we take over and rebuild Gaza we need to concentrate on America like California....oh wait.....

I'm trying to decide if they'll try to defend it with right wing rhetoric or if they'll just ignore it.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 5

Beerman said:

Gasp....one headline I saw sums up how I feel: "You can no longer order $100 of junk for $15",

More about the de minimus provision:

"The de minimis provision has existed since the 1930s, but its use has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. The Biden administration took steps last September to curb the "overuse and abuse" of de minimis, arguing it has helped Chinese e-commerce companies undercut competitors with lower prices. Officials have also argued that de minimis shipments are "subject to minimal documentation and inspection,” raising product safety concerns."

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/02/trump-tariffs-take-aim-at-trade-loophole-used-by-temu-shein.html

NPR mentioned that use of the exemption for smaller packages has grown in recent years. I didn't think about it being the rise of TEMU.

America has always wanted our products to be cheap which caused the rise of China in the first place. China has for decades undercut competitors. We did it to ourselves.

But I'm not mad at eliminating loopholes. Amazon is also affected which has many Chinese sellers., but it might level the playing field for Americans. But it certainly isn't going to mean cheaper goods.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/amazons-haul-fall-de-minimis-reforms-could-shift-game-marie-o-shea--s97oc

nursej22, MSN, RN · Feb 6

Daisy4RN said:

Exactly! Started off a good idea but over time turned into a waste of our (taxpayer) dollars.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/uncategorized/2025/02/at-usaid-waste-and-abuse-runs-deep/

And predictably, the White House claims about USAID waste turn out to be false.

https://www.notus.org/foreign-policy/white-house-keeps-insane-usaid-spending-not-usaid

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As the White House claimed, there was a "live musical event to promote the U.S. and Irish shared values of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility,” according to spendingrecords. The event did use $71,000 of U.S. taxpayer dollars, but it wasn't funded through USAID. The Department of State bankrolled the event, routing the money through the U.S. embassy in Dublin.

The so-called "transgender comic book in Peru" also has a shred of truth to it. The Department of State, via the U.S. embassy in Lima, awarded a $32,000 grant in 2022 to produce "a tailored-made comic, featuring an LGBTQ+ hero to address social and mental health issues.” But, again, that wasn't USAID money.

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And the "transgender opera in Colombia" was, once again, State Department money. The project was related to a $25,000 public diplomacy grant to stage the opera "As One" in Bogotá. The rest of the funds Leavitt referred to from that project were not funded by the federal government, as NOTUS first reported on Wednesday.

It may seem like a small nuance. But it's an important distinction that the State Department, not USAID, is funding these projects — especially as the White House looks to shut down USAID and points to these funding priorities as reason enough to shutter the agency.

toomuchbaloney · Feb 6

nursej22 said:

And predictably, the White House claims about USAID waste turn out to be false.

https://www.notus.org/foreign-policy/white-house-keeps-insane-usaid-spending-not-usaid

Why would anyone be surprised that lies are at the foundation of these unprecedented and unconstitutional efforts on behalf of a mentally ill old man?

mtmkjr, BSN · Feb 7

Strongly encourage everyone to listen to this. It will give you some perspective. 13 minutes

"Acting like a king because he's too weak to govern like a president"

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Feb 7

Fierce Healthcare 02/06/25

White House begins plan to eliminate 'thousands' of HHS employees, reports say

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) leadership has reportedly been tasked with ranking probationary workers ahead of a likely executive order that would cut "thousands" of jobs within the department....

During the earliest days of the term, White House officials had told federal agencies to compile lists of federal employees on probationary status and make recommendations on whether they should stay in their roles.

On Wednesday and Thursday, officials in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health agencies asking managers to categorize these employees as mission-critical, important and not mission-critical, according to the Post. Those within the CDC appeared to be under more intense scrutiny, with at least one deadline for such rankings set for 11:00 a.m. Thursday.

The WSJ's report corroborated the probationary employee categorization but added that the White House is "working on an executive order" that would give thousands of HHS workers the ax. Coming as soon as next week, but not yet finalized or guaranteed, it would set a percentage of employees that HHS agencies such as the CDC and the FDA would need to cut.

The HHS employs more than 80,000 people across its sub-agencies.,,,

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Feb 7

CBX News

Bondi's First day action:

Pam Bondi orders review of Trump prosecutions, focuses on "sanctuary" cities

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In her first hours as attorney general, Pam Bondi issued a broad slate of directives that included a Justice Department review of the prosecutions of President Trump, a reorientation of department work to focus on harsher punishments, actions punishing so-called "sanctuary" cities and an end to diversity initiatives at the department.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Feb 7

Pppsssttt Federal Judges have lifelong appointments

DOGE Emails Went Out to Federal Judges by Mistake