Why do you say it was 'deflation'. If you're using an index, tell us what it is. If you're making it up, admit it. After all, 78.6% of all stats on these threads are simply invented by the freeper posting them...
Look at a chart of the price of gold. Except for the recent speculative spike that chart describes the level of the dollar. Also you might check with economic authorities. Most articles on the subject in the late 90s and right up to 02 or so started with or referenced somewhere in the body of the article "the deflation of the last few years". I read that phrase many times in postings on FR as well in WSJ and IBD. You might also check commodities price charts.They all declined over the period and lots of "relief" was expressed by the economics writers after 2000 that commodity prices were finally starting to rise as if that were a positive sign of anything. Consider the 0% interest rates the car companies were offering almost as the standard car loan for much of that period. They were making money at 0%.