Yep, those numbers today had to be a farce. I cannot speak for all your personal situations, but when I go shopping, there's no way in bloody hell that inflation is represented by those numbers. Just no way.
Hurray no inflation, oil to $200.00 no problem, hurray-unleaded gas $4.50 no problem-diesel $5.00 easy hurray no inflation.
Honestly, without sitting down and figuring it out, I cannot say for sure. I could spurt out a number like many here do and try to fake it, but the point I was trying to make is that whenever I go shopping (for food, clothes, electronics - whatever) it's noticably more expensive. And I'm not one who usually pays attention to prices. Prices for flights (I fly a lot) are considerably higher. Healthcare, don't get me started. So when I see numbers come out fromt he government that show "relatively tame" inflation, I just have to laugh. I read deeper into these numbers - there's a seasonal adjustment in April that dampens the CPI considerably. That's probably why the numbers are as low as they are. But that seasonal adjustment is part of what makes them a farce.
Energy and food make up about 25% of consumer spending, so the rest would cover shopping, health care, housing etc...
1. Entitlements have COLAs... so an increase in "official" inflation = higher payouts. 2. If everyone accepted the REAL inflation rate, buyers of our bonds would hold out for 20% or so, interest rates. Can't have any of that, so the lies spew forth. Regardless... one day the world will acknowledge "the Emperor wears no clothes", and financial Armageddon will ensue. Federal politicos keep doing as they do with the hope it won't occur during their lifetime... pretty sick.
It appears that the rip in the space/time continuum is sending reports from the alternate universe where the Bush Boom is taking place. Saying that gas prices fell is like the Nazi's reporting in 1943 that the Jewish population in Germany was growing at a healthy pace. The birth/death model reported earlier this month said that 45,000 jobs were created in the construction field and 8000 more in the financial area. With that, why should it not be a surprise that gas prices fell?
Exactly, it gives them more time to manipulate numbers and poll results( and revise again if needed ) These days gov works according to B.Clinton rule #1 not criminal=ethical so we shouldn't be surprised .