Who knows if this is true....

Mike Triem
NA IPAQ & Displays Business Planning
281.927.8586

>> >>
>> >>
>> >> Subject: 602p bill-charge for e-mail -VOTE NO ON Bill 602P!!!!
>> >>
>> >> I guess the warnings were true. Federal Bill 602P 5-cents per  E-mail
>> >> sent.It figures! No more free E-mail! We knew this was coming!! Bill
>> 602P
>> >> willpermit the Federal Government to charge a 5-cent charge on every
>> >> deliveredE-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
>> >> trendin the Government of the United States attempting to quietly push
>> >> throughlegislation that will affect our use of the Internet.
>> >>
>> >> Under proposed legislation, the US Postal Service will be attempting
to
>> >> billE-mail users out of "alternative postage fees".  Bill 602P will
>> permit
>> >> theFederal Government to charge a 5-cent surcharge on every E-Mail
>> >> delivered,by billing Internet Service Providers at source. The
consumer
>> >> would then
>> >> bebilled in turn by the ISP.
>> >>
>> >> Washington DC lawyer Richard Stepp is working without pay to prevent
>> >> thislegislation 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 efficiency. 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. Our 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 and 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 to E-mail
to
>> >> EVERYONE on your list, and tell all your friends and relatives 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!
>> >>
>> >>
>> >
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