I have... it's a well-known hoax.
Ben Zech wrote:
>
> Has anyone heard of this before?
> BZ
> Subject: VOTE 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, 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 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.
> > >> > >
> > >> > >Our congressional representative, Tony Schnell (R) has
> > >> > >even suggested a "$20-$40 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).
> > >> > >
> > >> > >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!
>
> BZ-RZ N.C. SPL/SRL "SEROC"
> motormite@hotmail.com
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
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