This message is from: Steve McIlree <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Hopefully soon the Fjord Herald will be mailing under Periodical
(2nd Class) rather than Standard (3rd Class) rates and rules. This
should mean much better delivery than has been the experience in the
past, as well as some savings on postage.
America's founders understood the First Amendment would be worth
little without a postal system that encouraged broad public
participation in America's "marketplace of ideas." Thomas Jefferson
called for a postal service that allowed ideas to "penetrate the
whole mass of the people." Along with James Madison, he paved the
way for a system that gave low-cost mailing incentives to small
publications.
The postal policies that resulted have helped make educational
publications of interest to only small groups of readers, like the
Fjord Herald, available on an equal footing with mass market print
media, like People Magazine.
Now, this is all about to change, putting the future of limited
circulation publications, at risk. Postal regulators have decided to
extend special favors to the nation's largest publishers, like Time
Warner and Hearst, while unfairly burdening smaller and independent
magazines with much higher postal rates. Many of these smaller
publications are being saddled with huge unexpected increases in
annual postal costs and many could be forced to the brink of
bankruptcy.
The only way to reverse the decision is if you, and many others,
take a minute to sign a letter demanding that the rules are changed.
This is not a political issue. Publications as diverse as The Nation
and William Buckley's National Review are teaming up in this
instance to demand that the Postal Board of Governors reverse its
decision.
Please join in urging postal regulators and Congress to convene
public hearings, determine how these rate increases were decided,
and reverse the ruling. We only have until APRIL 23, the end of the
public comment period, to respond. Please take action today:
Write the Postal Rate Commission and Congress at:
http://action.freepress.net/ct/sd2bYn11La6A/
The Post Office should not use its monopoly power to favor the
largest publishers and undermine the ability of smaller publishers
to compete. With your help this decision can be reversed to salvage
the postal system that has served free speech in America so well for
so long.
Remember, this will affect not only the Fjord Herald, but any other
limited circulation magazines to which you subscribe. Please act
before APRIL 23!
--
Steve McIlree - Pferd, Skipper & Clust - Omaha, NE/Las Cruces, NM, USA
You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a
look that says, 'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of
that!' -- Dave Barry
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