Apparently the FCC is spending a lot of time trying to take from the
modem users (US) and give to the phone companies (THEM).  I just heard
something about a $5/hour tax suggested!  What's going on?!  This same
FCC is responsible for program-length commercials being allowed on TV,
...shopping channels, get rich quick shows, and mindlessly violent
cartoons.  With communications technology advancing so rapidly, I think
we need a FCC with a little forsight and a combined IQ in at least the
three figure range.  It might also help if they only recieved paychecks
from one employer.

	Welllll Nooow, it all depends whose ox is gored. The "$5/hour tax"
Dave Wiebenson is complaining about is actually the removal of an
equivalent gift the FCC gave companies like CompuServe some time ago. It all
started when the founder of MCI noticed that if he didn't have to subsidize
home telephone service, he could sell long-distance at lower rates than
Ma Bell. Ma was understandably annoyed at this, and when the dust cleared
we got pretty much the current situation: You buy your local phone service
from PacBell for whatever the PUC allows (often slightly BELOW their cost.)
They make up the difference by charging Long-Distance companies (e.g. MCI)
"access charges" which the long-distance companies (no fools) pass on to
you. The theory is that poor folks get a break and yuppies who make a lot
of long distance calls won't notice the extra charge. When this whole mess
was set up, the "information providers", who in most other ways resemble
long-distance companies, cried poor and got an exemption "for a few years,
until business picks up". The net result was that I (who have never logged
on to Compuserve) was subsidizing Dave and (not-so-coincidentally CompuServe).
Lately the FCC has noticed that the Chairman of the board of CompuServe drives
a nicer car than I do and decided it was time to let me off the hook.

				I happen to like that idea.
				Mike