textfiles-politics/pre-src-xml/mobilize.xml

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   <p>MOBILIZE!
=========</p>
   <p>Two years ago the FCC tried and (with your help and letters of protest)
failed to institute regulations that would impose additional costs on
modem users for data communications.</p>
   <p>Now, they are at it again. A new regulation that the FCC is quietly
working on will directly affect you as the user of a computer and modem.
The FCC proposes that users of modems should pay extra charges for use
of the public telephone network which carry their data. In addition,
computer network services such as CompuServ, Tymnet, &amp; Telenet would also
be charged as much as $6.00 per hour per user for use of the public
telephone network. These charges would very likely be passed on to
the subscribers. The money is to be collected and given to the
telephone company in an effort to raise funds lost to deregulation.</p>
   <p>Jim Eason of KGO newstalk radio (San Francisco, Ca) commented on the
proposal during his afternoon radio program during which, he said
he learned of the new regulation in an article in the New York Times.
Jim took the time to gather the addresses which are given below. </p>
   <p>Here's what you should do (NOW!):</p>
   <p> 1-Pass this information on. Download MOBILIZE.ZIP which contains the
text you are reading now. Find other BBS's that are not carrying
this information. Upload the ASCII text into a public message on the
BBS, and also upload the file itself so others can easily get a copy
to pass along.</p>
   <p> 2-Print out three copies of the letter which follows (or write your
own) and send a signed copy to each of the following:</p>
   <p> Chairman of the FCC
1919 M Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554</p>
   <p> Chairman, Senate Communication Subcommittee
SH-227 Hart Building
Washington, D.C. 20510</p>
   <p> Chairman, House Telecommunication Subcommittee
B-331 Rayburn Building
Washington, D.C. 20515</p>
   <p>Here's the suggested text of the letter to send:</p>
   <p> Dear Sir,</p>
   <p> Please allow me to express my displeasure with the FCC proposal
which would authorize a surcharge for the use of modems on the
telephone network. This regulation is nothing less than an attempt to
restrict the free exchange of information among the growing number of
computer users. Calls placed using modems require no special telephone
company equipment, and users of modems pay the phone company for use
of the network in the form of a monthly bill. In short, a modem call
is the same as a voice call and therefore should not be subject to any
additional regulation.</p>
   <p> Sincerely,
[your name, address and signature]</p>
   <p>It is important that you act now. The bureaucrats already have it in
their heads that modem users should subsidize the phone company and are
now listening to public comment. Please stand up and make it clear that
we will not stand for any government restriction on the free exchange of
information.

Thanks for your help.

Note: Most of the text for this Bulletin was copied from a message posted
on the Fidonet Telecomm Echo network.
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