We are writing in regard to two (2) issues which have recently come to our
attention that has received *NO* national media coverage. Fortunately, the
internet is a great resource in that regard, as concerned citizens come to
the fore.$1
One:
- ---------------------------
Under proposed legislation, the U.S. Postal Service is attempting to milk
email users out of "alternate postage fees."
Bill 602P will permit the federal government to charge a 5 cent surcharge
for every email delivered, by billing Internet Service Providers as the
source. The consumer would then be billed in turn by the ISP. Since the
average citizen received about 10 pieces of email per day in 1998, the cost
to the typical individual would be an additional 50 cents per day, or over
$180 per year.
Note that this will be money paid directly to the U. S. Postal Service *
for a service they do not even provide*!!! Under that scenario, the Pony
Express would still be here today collecting surcharges from telegrams,
teletypes, faxes, *and* email. While providing none of those services.
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 email charges. A Pony Expresser?
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 email, who knows where it will end. We are already paying
ever-increasing exorbitant prices for snail mail because of bureaucratic
inefficiencies. If the U. S. Postal Service is allowed to tinker with
email, it will mark the end of the "free" internet in the United States.
*** We respectfully urge you to say "NO" to Bill 602P. ***
Two:
- ---------------------------
Anyone using a mail forwarding service and especially full-time RVers are
now being made to give personal information in order to receive their mail.
They now must fill out Postal Form 1583 giving two forms of ID, one with a
picture, and list a home address if they have one.
We cannot allow the postal service to change the Privacy Act to suit
themselves. The U.S.P.S. has printed a Privacy Act Statement on the back
of Form 1583. Part of this statement is illegal and so now the U.S.P.S. is
trying to change the Privacy Act in order to make their statements legal.
Formerly one could use a social security card as one form of
identification. Now that is disallowed.
For those of us who are full-time RVers, you could use your license number
and the state in which you are registered in place of a home address in the
past. That is slated to be changed. They now also want the make, model,
and color of your RV. Are they going to deliver mail to RVs that move from
place to place on a whim? Enough is enough.
Representative Ron Paul from Texas has introduced a bill called the
"Mailbox Privacy Protection Act" (HJR-55). This joint resolution, if
passed, will kill these intrusive, outrageous, and unnecessary U.S.P.S.
regulations once and for all.
*** We respectfully urge you to say "YES" to HJR-55. ***
- ---------------------------------
Regards,
Your names & addresses here
As always, best regards.
~ Ritch & Betty Hwang ~ Clarkston, MI ~ mailto:rhwang
Visit our home page ~ http://www.concentric.net/~rhwang/
~ =^..^= Trinket ~ the shy Persian kitty ~
~ 76 GMC Birchaven ~ FMCA F249339 ~ RVClub 00930 ~ ICQ# 6408591~
(B}>
attention that has received *NO* national media coverage. Fortunately, the
internet is a great resource in that regard, as concerned citizens come to
the fore.$1
One:
- ---------------------------
Under proposed legislation, the U.S. Postal Service is attempting to milk
email users out of "alternate postage fees."
Bill 602P will permit the federal government to charge a 5 cent surcharge
for every email delivered, by billing Internet Service Providers as the
source. The consumer would then be billed in turn by the ISP. Since the
average citizen received about 10 pieces of email per day in 1998, the cost
to the typical individual would be an additional 50 cents per day, or over
$180 per year.
Note that this will be money paid directly to the U. S. Postal Service *
for a service they do not even provide*!!! Under that scenario, the Pony
Express would still be here today collecting surcharges from telegrams,
teletypes, faxes, *and* email. While providing none of those services.
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 email charges. A Pony Expresser?
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 email, who knows where it will end. We are already paying
ever-increasing exorbitant prices for snail mail because of bureaucratic
inefficiencies. If the U. S. Postal Service is allowed to tinker with
email, it will mark the end of the "free" internet in the United States.
*** We respectfully urge you to say "NO" to Bill 602P. ***
Two:
- ---------------------------
Anyone using a mail forwarding service and especially full-time RVers are
now being made to give personal information in order to receive their mail.
They now must fill out Postal Form 1583 giving two forms of ID, one with a
picture, and list a home address if they have one.
We cannot allow the postal service to change the Privacy Act to suit
themselves. The U.S.P.S. has printed a Privacy Act Statement on the back
of Form 1583. Part of this statement is illegal and so now the U.S.P.S. is
trying to change the Privacy Act in order to make their statements legal.
Formerly one could use a social security card as one form of
identification. Now that is disallowed.
For those of us who are full-time RVers, you could use your license number
and the state in which you are registered in place of a home address in the
past. That is slated to be changed. They now also want the make, model,
and color of your RV. Are they going to deliver mail to RVs that move from
place to place on a whim? Enough is enough.
Representative Ron Paul from Texas has introduced a bill called the
"Mailbox Privacy Protection Act" (HJR-55). This joint resolution, if
passed, will kill these intrusive, outrageous, and unnecessary U.S.P.S.
regulations once and for all.
*** We respectfully urge you to say "YES" to HJR-55. ***
- ---------------------------------
Regards,
Your names & addresses here
As always, best regards.
~ Ritch & Betty Hwang ~ Clarkston, MI ~ mailto:rhwang
Visit our home page ~ http://www.concentric.net/~rhwang/
~ =^..^= Trinket ~ the shy Persian kitty ~
~ 76 GMC Birchaven ~ FMCA F249339 ~ RVClub 00930 ~ ICQ# 6408591~
(B}>
