THE NATION Magazine Will Be Hard Hit By New Postal Rate Increase Scheme Written By TIME WARNER

THE NATION magazine which has existed since the American Civil War in 1865, and has lost money every year, save three or four years, is now facing a new financial challenge at the hands of TIME WARNER and the United States Postal Service. On July 15, massive postal rate increases will hit smaller publications like THE NATION, adding a half million dollars to the mailing costs of this small but significant voice of the American left.

Interestingly, there was a far more simple and fair plan for much smaller across the board postal increases for all publications that would have been far more fair that was submitted by the United States Postal Service, but this was rejected by the postal regulators in favor of a very complex scheme written by TIME WARNER which even decreases postage for some of their publications, or only offers a gentle increase for some of their publications such as TIME, PEOPLE or SPORTS ILLUSTRATED.

If anything, once again this illustrates the power and influence of big business to wield heavy influence over the regulations that control their industry. In many cases, the Bush Administration has even appointed industry personalities to head bureaus and commissions that regulate the very same goods that they produce. The TIME WARNER influence over the postal rates was the latest example of this big business power that rules Washington since the Bush Administration rule took hold in January of 2001.

THE NATION magazine has managed to survive only by the help of thousands of progressive leaning donors since 1865. But a new half million dollar cash shortfall may prove more lethal to this landmark publication that the Civil War or any other event that shook up America. Will THE NATION survive? Maybe. Maybe Not.