Editor:
Congressman Henry Waxman (D-Santa Monica) is protesting the closure of the New Deal-era post office on Fifth Street, which looks like a done deal ("Downtown post office to close," Aug. 17). On a related note, Waxman is promoting his re-election this year.
The comparisons between the New Deal-era post office and Congressman Henry Waxman are telling. Both are well-worn fixtures of Santa Monica.
Since the FDR administration, post offices like the art deco post office on Fifth Street have been a landmark of the good that government used to do. Henry Waxman is a gaudy novelty of an old political ideology, in which the state supplied all our needs with costs covered by taxes and spending.
Both are long overdue for closure.
After 30 years of costly overruns, declining quality of service and better competition, the United States Postal Service has been forced to close down post offices throughout the country.
After 38 years of taxation and refusing to recognize the debts, deficits and dysfunction of the federal government, Congressman Waxman has overstayed his welcome in Washington.
If the post office must be closed down, at least let it remain as a monument to the ultimate failings of big government as big provider.
As for Congressman Waxman, put him in a museum as one of the longest self-serving congressmen in history. The Santa Monica Bay can do better than a corporate liberal who spends more time going after steroid use in baseball instead of taking down the debts and deficits ruining this country.
Bill Bloomfield for the 33rd!
Arthur Christopher Schaper
Torrance, Calif.
