What’s happened to postal ‘service’

To the editor:
    Sadly, Postal rates are going up again. Now stamps are 42 cents for a first class letter. (Soon to be 43 cents) Remember the good old days, when it only cost 3 cents to mail a letter, back in 1963? But why stop at 43 cents? Why not make it an even 50 cents? Or a $1 for a one ounce letter? Or $2? Where does it all end before the bottom falls out and we’re back to 1929 and the Great Depression?     Not only that, but box rents continue to climb. Now the Post Office has cut out “Aerogrammes”, “Economy Letter Post”, (a small packet rate up to 4 pounds for overseas surface mailings) and International Parcel Post. No Surface Parcel Post rates overseas anymore, even though the Canadian and other foreign post offices, continue to provide these services. (I know I’ve checked out foreign post offices and the “services” they provide).
    The Postal Service was dealt almost a death blow, when United Parcel Service took away 90 percent of the Post Office’s Parcel Post years ago. Now e-mail has taken a huge bite out of first class letter service. If rates continue to rise and service continues going down, why not just lock the doors and send everyone home? Now the local Presque Isle Post Office lobby is closing at 5:45 p.m.,(Soon to be 5:30 p.m.), instead of 6 p.m. When I worked at the Presque Isle Post Office, being the junior man on the totem pole, I worked most Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. During that four hours I had to have that front lobby open, so people could have the convenience of being able to access their PO boxes, during that period of time. This was while I was sorting mail in the back and delivering Express Mail around town.
    Yes, even while “out of the office” delivering Express Mail I had to leave the lobby open. And no, this was not a violation of security. The rest of the Post Office was locked up, but people could still access their PO boxes, while I was out delivering Express Mail. Which is as it should be. After all, the Bangor, Maine Post Office, has their lobby open for 11 hours every Sunday! And God help me if I closed that lobby one minute before 2 p.m. If I did, Assistant Postmaster Arnold Scott came looking for me next morning (Monday) and he wanted to know why. And I better have a real good reason.