You're comparing apples and oranges. Back in 1969 airfares were regulated. You could buy a ticket from Washington DC to Indianapolis for about $369. At the same time you could get a ticket from Indianapolis to Hartford for well under $100. Same distance. Different rates. Most of the differential based on an attempt to control loads (with the insurance industries located in those two cities PROVING to the rate regulators that they, in fact, did provide full loads).
In 1969 the old Post Office Department had had to CANCEL all maintenance related items for the indefinite future because Congress had failed to authorize those funds.
Earlier other Democrat Congresses had refused to allow postal modernization of parcel service so a large number of Postal Service Headquarters economists and operations folks puchased a moving firm in Seattle and named it United Parcel Service. They immediately unionized the place and set up an employee ownership system.
The price of a single First-Class stamp has little bearing on anything until you get to the creation of USPS.
So I guess my TV was regulated too. I bought a B&W 19 incher in 1968 for about $150. I haven't bought a TV in a while (the last one was a 13 inch - I think - color for $120) but my Mom just bought an LCD 19 inch for $250. TVs two to one maybe; first class mail is eight to one for some and 25 to one for others thanks to guys like you "improving" things for us. Thanks a lot.
ML/NJ