How much more would it cost for President Kennedy to mail a one ounce letter to all of the state governors in the US than it cost Roosevelt to send them at the beginning of his term?

Answer 1

This is sort of a trick question on several different levels.

1. Presidents and Congressmen have what is called the 'Free Frank' privilege. They can mail letters for no cost.

2. The number of states in the Union at that point. You don't specify which Roosevelt, I'm betting it was Theodore, but included both:

• When Theodore Roosevelt became President there were only 45 states, Oklahoma became a state while he was in office.
• When FDR became President there were only 48 states.
• When Kennedy became president, there were 50 states.

3. The postage rates were different. For one ounce of 1st class mail the rates were:

• Postage in September 1901 was 2 cents
• Postage in March of 1933 was 3 cents
• Postage in January 1961 was 4 cents

While it wouldn't cost a President anything to mail letters to all the state governors, anyone else it would have cost:

1901 - 45 states at 2 cents = $.90

1933 - 48 states at 3 cents = $1.44

1961 - 50 states at 4 cents = $2.00