The following post came this a.m.

I guess the warnings were true. Federal Bil 602P (5 cents per e-mail
sent)
> It figures!! No more free e-mail!! We knew this was coming. Bill 602P
will
> permit Federal Government to charge a 5 cents 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 governtmen of the United States attempting to quitely push
> through legislation that will affect our use of the Internet. Under
> proposed legislation, the U.S. Postal Service will be attempting to bill
> e-mail users out of alternative postal fees.
> Bill 602P will permit the Federal Government to charge a 5 cents 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 D.C. lawyer Richard Stepp is working without pay to prevent
this
> legslation from becoming law. The U.S. 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 per
day,
> or over$180.00 per year =- above and beyond their regular internet cost.
>
> Note: this would be money paid directly to the U.S. Postal Service for
> service they do NOT even provide.
>
> The whole point of the internet is democracy and non interference. Uou
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 U.S. Postal Service is allowed to tinker with
> e-mail, it will mark the end of the free internet in the U.S.
>
> Our congressional representative, Tony Shcnekll (R) has even suggested a
> $20.00 - $40.00 per month surcharge on all internet service charge aboue
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 call the idea of e-mail surchargea useful concept
who's
> time has come (March 6, 1999) editorial.

Folks. Fight back. If there is a charge on E-mail that will be followed by charges to posts on message boards, sur-charges for home pages, for posts to auctions, etc. Followed by Government supervision and gasp can it be true, "censorship?" The government now has less restricted power with regard to mail than with regard to entry to your homes and in the case of mail, the contents are under wrap--they aren't under wraps on e-Mail. I prefer slabbing to this incursion. Finally, "Well it's only a nickel, so what?" Postage stamps used to be a nickel. Second, junk mail goes at huge discounts, the cost of which is passed on to use first class postal users. What will Congress do when the junk mail/e-mail industry whines? They'll carve out exceptions or reduced costs. Welcome to 1984!