We used to think paying 41 cents to send a letter was ridiculous. Not anymore. A new rate plan — conceived by Time Warner, no less — will cost The Nation $500,000 next year, while mass distribution mags including Sports Illustrated and People (ahem, both Time Warner properties) will catch a break.

To combat the rising costs, The Nation's president Teresa Stack sent an email to its supporters asking for donations. the magazine is urging supporters to donate in order "to ensure that The Nation continues to fulfill Thomas Jefferson's mandate to provide a postal service that allows citizens to gain full access of their affairs," so ideas may "penetrate the whole mass of the people."

In other "world against The Nation news," the Take Back America conference hired Nation writer Max Blumenthal to film a video covering the event, then cancelled the screening.

Stack's e-mail:

Dear Member of the Nation Community,

One-half million dollars.

That's what the latest round of rate-juggling by the United States Postal Service will cost The Nation in the next year.

Rate increases go into effect July 15, 2007. We are fighting this increase as best we can, but even if we "win," which is a long shot, we are still facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional postage. Now it's time to accept the reality: The Nation needs your help and we need it now. Click here.

Here's the history of this situation:

In an unprecedented move, postal regulators rejected the rate plan submitted by the United States Postal Service in favor of a complex scheme designed by Time Warner, the country's largest publisher!

The new plan gave much lower increases, or in some cases decreases, to mega-magazines like Time Warner's own Time, People and Sports Illustrated, shifting the burden to smaller publications like The Nation.

We were given just eight working days to prepare a response to the 758-page rate plan before it was declared a fait accompli.

The result: an 18 percent increase in postal costs for The Nation. Please help now.

For the media mastodons that increasingly control the information that gets out to you and their Washington flacks, it's just business as usual.

For The Nation it's a potential disaster — but not exactly a surprise.

We have two choices: start cutting back on our investigative reporting and coverage of what’s missing in the mainstream/corporate media, and on our efforts to expand our outreach programs to students and decision-makers. Or hope that friends and supporters like you will help us fill the shortfall. Click here to help.

Given the state of things in this country at this time, and a historically decisive election on the horizon, the timing couldn't be more critical.

We need your help, if you can possibly give it, and we need it now.

In advance, accept our very real gratitude.

Sincerely

Teresa Stack, President

P.S. We will shortly be inviting you to a very special phone conference to discuss the postal rate increase issue in more depth. Join your fellow Nation readers, Nation editors and writers, as well as special guest experts and learn more about this serious issue. Stay tuned!