e-mail future
frank maverick
fsweemav@hotmail.com
Thu, 29 Nov 2001 14:17:06
<html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>just received this, thought y'll might be interested:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>> > > > > Subject: Federal Bill 602P--PLS. FORWARD THIS E-MAIL<BR>> > > ><BR>> > > > > FEDERAL BILL 602P -- READ & FORWARD<BR>> > > ><BR>> > > > > Guess the warnings were true. Federal Bill 602P 5-cents per<BR>E-mail<BR>> > >sent.<BR>> > > > > It figures! No more free E-mail! We knew this was coming!!<BR>> > > > ><BR>> > > > > Bill 602P will permit the Federal Government to charge a<BR>5-cent<BR>> charge<BR>> > >on<BR>> > > > > every delivered E-mail. Please read the following carefully<BR>if<BR>you<BR>> > >intend<BR>> > > > > to stay online and continue using E-mail. The last few months<BR>have<BR>> > > > > revealed an alarming trend in the Government of the United<BR>States<BR>> > > > > attempting to quietly push through legislation that will<BR>affect<BR>our<BR>> > >use<BR>> > >of<BR>> > > > > the internet.<BR>> > > > > Under proposed legislation, the US Postal Service will be<BR>attempting<BR>> > >to<BR>> > > > > bill E-mail users out of "alternative postage fees."<BR>> > > > ><BR>> > > > > Bill 602P will permit the Federal Government to charge a<BR>5-cent<BR>> > >surcharge<BR>> > > > > on every e-mail delivered, by billing Internet Service<BR>Providers<BR>at<BR>> > > > > source. The consumer would then be billed in turn by the ISP.<BR>> > > > ><BR>> > > > > Washington DC lawyer Richard Stepp is working without pay to<BR>prevent<BR>> > >this<BR>> > > > > legislation from becoming law. The US Postal Service is<BR>claiming<BR>> > >lost<BR>> > > > > revenue, due to the profliferation of E-mail, is costing<BR>nearly<BR>> > > > > $230,000,000 in revenue per year. You may have noticed their<BR>recent<BR>> > >ad<BR>> > > > > campaign: "There is nothing like a letter."<BR>> > > > ><BR>> > > > > Since the average person received about 10 pieces of E-mail<BR>per<BR>day<BR>> in<BR>> > > > > 1998, the cost of the typical individual would be an<BR>additional 50<BR>> > >cents<BR>> > ><BR>> > >a<BR>> > > > > day -- or over $180 per YEAR-- above and beyond their regular<BR>> Internet<BR>> > > > > costs.<BR>> > > > ><BR>> > > > > Note that this would be money paid directly to the US Postal<BR>Service<BR>> > >for<BR>> > ><BR>> > >a<BR>> > > > > service they do not even provide.<BR>> > > > ><BR>> > > > > The whole point of the Internet is democracy and<BR>noninterference.<BR>> You<BR>> > >are<BR>> > > > > already paying an exorbitant price for snail mail because of<BR>> > >bureaucratic<BR>> > > > > inefficiency. It currently takes up to 6 days for a letter to<BR>be<BR>> > > > > delivered from coast to coast. If the US Postal Service is<BR>allowed<BR>> to<BR>> > > > > tinker with E-mail, it will mark the end of the "free"<BR>Internet in<BR>> the<BR>> > > > > United States.<BR>> > > > ><BR>> > > > > Congressional representative, Tony Schnell (R) has even<BR>suggested<BR>a<BR>> > > > > "$20-$40 per month surcharge on all Internet service" above<BR>and<BR>> beyond<BR>> > >the<BR>> > > > > governments proposed E-mail charges. Note that most of the<BR>major<BR>> > > > > newspapers have ignored the story the only exception being the<BR>> > > > > Washingtonian which called the idea of E-mail surcharge "a<BR>useful<BR>> > >concept<BR>> > > > > who's time has come" (March 6th, 1999 Editorial). Do not sit<BR>by<BR>and<BR>> > >watch<BR>> > > > > your freedom erode away!<BR>> > > > ><BR>> > > > > Send this E-mail to EVERYONE on your list, and tell all your<BR>friends<BR>> > >and<BR>> > ><BR>> > > > > relatives to write their congressional representative and and<BR>say<BR>> "NO"<BR>> > >to<BR>> > > > > Bill 602P.<BR>> > > > ><BR>> > > > > It will only take a few moments of your time and could very<BR>well<BR>be<BR>> > > > > instrumental in killing a bill we do not want.<BR>> > > > ><BR>> > > > > PLEASE FORWARD!<BR><BR></DIV></div><br clear=all><hr>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at <a href='http://go.msn.com/bql/hmtag_itl_EN.asp'>http://explorer.msn.com</a><br></html>