----- Original Message ----- From: Phillip R. Bassett <phyllyp at mindspring.com> To: whitney <whitney_clifton at ca11.uscourts.gov>; Theresa Rovillo <terovillo at hotmail.com>; sandisylver <sandisylver at mindspring.com>; Rhodes Mario Robinson <boyrbnsn at yahoo.com>; paula <laflame at mindspring.com>; nancy conrad <nconrad at hgor.com>; MMarggie <MMarggie at aol.com>; Lisa V Clayton <Clayton at bcn.net>; Kathleen McGann <Kathleen_McGann at hsb.com>; <Josephinegee at aol.com>; JoAnn Knapp <joann_knapp at ca11.uscourts.gov>; Janis E Smallwood <nativepeach at juno.com>; James Bassett <jab_wecs at hotmail.com>; J. Wilson <judew at u.washington.edu>; IT <it at camdenhousing.org>; Amy Harris <Amy.Harris at po.state.ct.us>; Adrianne <adgeben at yahoo.com> Sent: Friday, June 30, 2000 11:28 AM Subject: Bill 602P
> I have not verified this, and so submit it as is for your perusal. Can
this
> really be happening? - Phillip
>
> Please Forward.
>
> Federal Bill 602P 5-cents per E-mail Sent.
>
> 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 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. One 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.
>
>