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Selecting Stamps

The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries

Dana Gioia is one of the newest members of the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee, or C-SAC,
the group that advises the U-S Postal Service on new stamps.

"I think it's got to be the most interesting public commission on which I've ever served" :06

He's not only a stamp collector, but the former Chair of the National Endowment for the
Arts.... and he says all sorts of issues come up during C-Sac meetings.

"Politics, it's aesthetics, it's representation, it's special interests, it's political
pressure, you know, it's personal enthusiasms."  :08

Gioia says serving on the Committee is challenging.

"You see how political some things are, and on the other hand, how idealist things are, within
 minutes of each other."  :08

Gioia admits he has his own agenda.

"I believe that American stamps should be very conscientious in commemorating and celebrating
our own history."  :06

He concedes that's not a universally held opinion on C-SAC.

"I think a lot of people, including some people at the U-S Postal Service, would like to see
more entertainment-oriented, topical-oriented issues because they sell well, you know, stamps
as stickers." :11

And, not surprisingly for a former National Endowment for the Arts chair, he'd like to see
U-S stamps celebrate America's culture.

"Our great achievements in art, literature, movies, music, architecture, et cetera."  :05

Gioia also says he's very impressed with the design work for U-S stamps.

I'm Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more on stamps and stamp collecting,
 visit virtual-stamp-club-dot-com.

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[Shorter CBS Version]
Download this report as an MP3 sound file.

Selecting Stamps

The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries

Dana Gioia is one of the newest members of the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee, or C-SAC,
the group that advises the U-S Postal Service on new stamps.

"I think it's got to be the most interesting public commission on which I've ever served" :06

He's not only a stamp collector, but the former Chair of the National Endowment for the
Arts.... and he says serving on the Committee is challenging.

"You see how political some things are, and on the other hand, how idealist things are, within
minutes of each other."  :08

Gioia admits he has his own agenda.

"I believe that American stamps should be very conscientious in commemorating and celebrating
our own history."  :06

He concedes that's not a universally held opinion on C-SAC.

"I think a lot of people, including some people at the U-S Postal Service, would like to see
more entertainment-oriented, topical-oriented issues because they sell well, you know, stamps
as stickers." :11

And that's stamp collecting this week. I'm Lloyd de Vries, CBS News.

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