[OKDXA] EMAIL

[okdxa@mailman.qth.net]

This was sent to me and I cannot vouch for its authenticity but since hams send a lot of emails, it could be of interest.

Jim


 Postage will go up the end of June 2002 from 34 
> > cents to 37 cents. It will be from 9% to 12% 
> > rate increase. 
> > 
> > But this isn't all. No more free E-mail! We 
> > knew this was coming - Bill 602P will permit the 
> > Federal Government to charge a 5-cent charge on every 
> > delivered E-mail. 
> > 
> > Please read the following carefully if you 
> > intend to stay online and continue using E-mail. The last 
> > few months have revealed an alarming trend in the 
> > Government of the United States attempting to 
> > quietly push through legislation that will affect 
> > our use of the Internet. 
> > 
> > Under proposed legislation, the US Postal Service 
> > will be attempting to bill E-mail users out of 
> > "alternative postage fees." Bill 602P will permit 
> > the Federal Government to charge a 5-cent 
> > surcharge on every e-mail delivered, by billing Internet 
> > Service Providers at source. The consumer would 
> > then be billed in turn by the ISP. 
> > 
> > Washington DC lawyer Richard Stepp is working 
> > without pay to prevent this legislation from 
> > becoming law. The US Postal Service is claiming 
> > lost revenue, due to the proliferation of E-mail, is 
> > costing nearly $230,000,000 in revenue per year. 
> > You may have noticed their recent ad campaign: 
> > "There is nothing like a letter." 
> > 
> > Since the average person received about 10 
> > pieces of E-mail per day in 1998, the cost of the typical 
> > individual would be an additional 50 cents a day or 
> > over $180 per year -- above and beyond their 
> > regular Internet costs. Note that this would be money 
> > paid directly to the US Postal Service for a service 
> > they do not even provide. The whole point of the 
> > Internet is democracy and noninterference. You are 
> > already paying an exorbitant price for snail mail 
> > because of bureaucratic inefficiency. 
> > 
> > It currently takes up to 6 days for a letter to 
> > be delivered from coast to coast. If the US Postal 
> > Service is allowed to tinker with E-mail it will 
> > mark the end of the "free" Internet in the 
> > United States. Congressional representative, Tony 
> > Schnell (R) has even suggested a "$20-$40 per month 
> > surcharge on all Internet service" above and 
> > beyond the governments proposed E-mail charges. Note 
> > that most of the major newspapers have ignored the 
> > story the only exception being the Washingtonian which 
> > called the idea of E-mail surcharge "a useful 
> > concept who's time has come" (March 6th, 1999 
> > Editorial). 
> > 
> > Do not sit by and watch your freedom erode away! 
> > 
> > Send this E-mail to EVERYONE on your list, and 
> > tell all your friends and relatives to write their 
> > congressional representative and say "NO" to 
> > Bill 602P. It will only take a few moments of your 
> > time and could very well be instrumental in killing a 
> > bill we do not want. 
> > 
> > PLEASE FORWARD! 
>