Posted by Des on August 18, 1999 at 17:50:31:
This same hoax was being spread at my place of employment, also. And we have found it to be untrue.
Des
FYI…Our Gov’t Wants More - Posted by Ricky (Central Louisianna)
Posted by Ricky (Central Louisianna) on August 18, 1999 at 11:10:31:
Please read the following carefully if you intend to stay
>> > online and continue using email:
>> >
>> > 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 your use of the Internet.
>> > Under proposed legislation the U.S. Postal Service will be
>> > attempting to bilk e-mail users out of “alternate postage fees”.
>> >
>> > Bill 602P will permit the Federal Govt. 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 D.C. lawyer Richard Stepp is
>> > working without pay to prevent this legislation from becoming
>> > law.
>> >
>> > The U.S. Postal Service is claiming that 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 citizen
>> > received about 10 pieces of e-mail per day in 1998, the cost
>> > to the typical individual would be an additional 50 cents per
>> > day, or over $180 dollars per year, above and beyond their
>> > regular Internet costs. Note that this would be money paid
>> > directly to the U.S. Postal Service for a service they do
>> > not even provide. The whole point of the Internet is democracy
>> > and non-interference. If the federal government is permitted
>> > to tamper with our liberties by adding a surcharge to e-mail,
>> > who knows where it will end. 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 New York to Buffalo.
>> >
>> > If the U.S. Postal Service is allowed to tinker with mail,
>> > it will mark the end of the “free” Internet in the United States.
>> > One congressman, Tony Schnell (r) has even suggested a “twenty
>> > to forty dollar per month surcharge on all Internet service” above
>> > and beyond the government’s 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.) Don’t sit by and watch your freedoms erode away!
>> >
>> > Send this e-mail to EVERYONE on your list, and tell all your
>> > friends and relatives to write to their congressman 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 don’t want.
Re: FYI…Our Gov’t Wants More - Posted by Rich
Posted by Rich on August 22, 1999 at 24:08:46:
According to the FCC and the USPS this is false.
Dispute This ! - Posted by Lee
Posted by Lee on August 19, 1999 at 23:09:25:
I personaly heard on raido news that the U N - (United Nations) HAS PROPOSED a one half cent per e-mail fee.
Let’s not be complacent.
Lee
USPS Speaks - Posted by Bert G
Posted by Bert G on August 18, 1999 at 11:50:20:
Here’s the official response from the US Postal Service
A completely false rumor concerning the U.S. Postal Service is being circulated over the Internet via
e-mail.
The e-mail message claims that a “Congressman Schnell” has introduced “Bill 602P” to allow the federal government to impose a 5-cent surcharge on each e-mail message delivered over the Internet. The money would be collected by Internet Service Providers and then turned over to the Postal Service.
No such proposed legislation exists. In fact, no “Congressman Schnell” exists.
The U.S. Postal Service has no authority to surcharge e-mail messages sent over the Internet, nor would it support such legislation.
Re: FYI…Its a HOAX!! - Posted by Bert G
Posted by Bert G on August 18, 1999 at 11:44:33:
This is a re-hash of an old hoax, and is virtually identical to one that circulated recently in Canada. It has absolutely no truth to it.
The tipoff that its a hoax is in the last paragraph. If a post tells you to send it to everyone you know, it is probably a hoax.
Read the true story at the following URL, and please research these things before you spread them on. (You may also want to enlighten whoever sent you the post in the first place)
BG
Re: Dispute This ! - Posted by Rob FL
Posted by Rob FL on August 20, 1999 at 22:19:30:
Here is some info on the subject: