From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Sun Jul 08 2001 - 17:27:16 MDT
Postal Tax on E-mail Hoax
Summary:
An e-mail is circulating throughout the Internet stating "Congressman Schnell"
has introduced "Bill 602P" allowing the U.S. Postal Service to levy a 5 cent
tax on e-mail. This e-mail rumor is completely false. In a press statement the
U.S. Postal Service explains, "A completely false rumor concerning the U.S.
Postal Service is being circulated on Internet e-mail. As a matter of fact,
the Postal Service has learned that a similar hoax occurred recently in Canada
concerning Canada Post." Similar postal tax e-mails may cite an editorial
appearing in the March 6, 1999, issue of The Washingtonian, this too is a
hoax.
More Information:
You can read about the postal tax on e-mail hoax, and other internet hoaxes,
at the U.S. Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory Capability site.
More information on the e-mail tax hoax and other internet issues can be found
at:
Thomas, Legislative Information on the Internet, part of the Library Congress,
Frequently Asked Questions: What's this about legislation imposing a tax or
long distance telephone charge on internet access?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Natasha Vita-More" <natasha@natasha.cc>
To: <extropians@extropy.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 4:09 PM
Subject: Federal Bill 602p
>
> Does anyone know about this?
>
> "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
> non-interference. 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."
>
> Thanks,
> Natasha
>
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