[Leica] A threat to LUG

[Richard Comen <rpcomen@mcn.org>]

I cannot verify what I received below but if it is true it could mean the
end of LUG and e-mail as we know it. I think we should all look into it.
Richard

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 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, 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. 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 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!
>