The postal increase of November 2, 1917 and of July 6, 1932 were 50%
jumps.

Yes indeed, but...

The increase couldn't be smaller in 2017 because the rate jumped from $ 0.02
to $ 0.03. The $ 0.01 (or 1 cent, penny) was and is the smallest subdivision
(coin) of the dollar. BTW, this rate dropped just after two years (the end
of war) back to $ 0.02.
We have/had 1 1/2 cent stamps!
Stamps are produce by PRINTING, therefor we could have ANY rate they
might choose to set!

Anyway, the last increase on Jan. 27, 2019, a 10 percent jump since Jan. 21,
2018, is a very important one and shouldn't be underestimated.
I never undersetimate the incompetency of the USPS! Many of my
letters from the UK goin into the maw of the ISC in CA. The might
re-appear in days, weeks or even [on two occasions] MONTHS!
Naturally if they land at ISC NY, consider them GONE! Extra true if
they're REGISTERED !!!

Therefore roughly over the last year the USPS postal rates went up 10
percent while the inflation actually went down. I mentioned the inflation
because it was the usual "culprit" for postal rates increases, even if it
grew significantly slower.
You can always find someone/something to blame anything upon, as
long as it is not the manglement of the company/service/gummint!

Right now, despite congression edict [law?] they're doing everything
the can to 'prove' the local PO is 'not needed'. This despite the
seniors in the area getting their medications through their PO
Boxes. [We do NOT have house delivery! - You walk/bike/drive to the
PO!]

At this point we're down to 22 hours of 'service' a week, with the
mail arival often being up to an hour late, so the poor clerk has to
rush to get it out and still meet their arbitrary, 'Distributed'
check in scan and time. Still a rumor is that it will be reduced to
12 hours per week sometime in 2019. Obviously, if you can not get
the mail, then the PO isn't needed - self-fulfilling prophecy,
innit?

For this I should be happy to pay more ... and then have the
clueless newsies come up with "the largest postal rate increase in
history"?

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