Posted on 08/15/2007 7:08:15 PM PDT by shrinkermd
MIDLAND, Va. — The Labor Department's most recent inflation data showed that U.S. food prices rose by 4.2 percent for the 12 months ending in July, but a deeper look at the numbers reveals that the price of milk, eggs and other essentials in the American diet are actually rising by double digits.
Already stung by a two-year rise in gasoline prices, American consumers now face sharply higher prices for foods they can't do without. This little-known fact may go a long way to explaining why, despite healthy job statistics, Americans remain glum about the economy.
Meeting with economic writers last week, President Bush dismissed several polls that show Americans are down on the economy. He expressed surprise that inflation is one of the stated concerns.
"They cite inflation?" Bush asked, adding that, "I happen to believe the war has clouded a lot of people's sense of optimism."
But the inflation numbers reveal the extent to which lower- and middle-income Americans are being pinched.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said in its July inflation report that egg prices are 33.7 percent higher than they were in July 2006. Over the same period, according to the department's consumer price index, whole milk was up 21.1 percent; fresh chicken 8.4 percent; navel oranges 13.6 percent; apples 8.7 percent. Dried beans were up 11.5 percent, and white bread just missed double-digit growth, rising by 8.8 percent.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
Capitalization-R-Us has a sale going on.
Grammar Mart has coupons at triple value.
I don’t know where you shop but here in Wisconsin most foods are still fairly cheap, I can still get a pint of strawberries for $3.00 and get bulk potatoes for $1-2 FOR A 5lb bag. OJ still is around $4.00 per gallon for the good stuff.
What do you suppose food will cost in 50 years, after we add another 100 or so million people through immigration?
The liberals will have to improve this statistic. Expect an emergency session to fix this situation.
Well gee, Mr. President. I'd like to be euphorically optimistic about your fattening wallet, but mine keeps getting skinnier.
Prices seem to be relative to the cost of fuel (Shipping) in some cases and as far as the citrus prices, that would be due to the freeze of last year. We are still trying to recover here in Citrus growing S. Calif.
Geez, is Bush out of touch with the reality of the working man. Food, gasoline, tobacco and home heating fuel have doubled in price in the past few years while blue collar jobs have taken a big hit in terms of both employment rates and wages. Fines, court costs and government fees have escalated dramatically. E.g., 8 years ago a septic tank installation permit was $50. Now its $500.00.
It seems the only people buoyed by the economy are stock brokers and government bureaucrats.
The liberals are the problem.
Any other "solution" is like using a Band-Aid on a punctured artery spewing blood into the air.
And it is just going to get worse whith the minimum wage increase.
I was in Northern Virginia this past weekend and about croaked at some of the prices. I rail about prices of some things here on the Eastern Shore, but now I understand so much better why NoVA Freeper friends who were here 2 weeks ago had no problems with prices on things like fresh produce that I would not have paid.
I agree that the ethanol thing is idiotic but the corn only displaced soybeans and cotton for the most part.
Not good.
>Well, they just pumped (printed) a whole lot of money into the markets, so who knows.<
The Canadian exchange rate, at this point, is almost even with the dollar. I’m wondering just how much the dollar has been devalued with this new influx of freshly printed greenbacks.
I tend to wonder about the pension that their union "provided"
You have to remember the frost on the orange crop last winter has a lot to do with the price of orange juice.
That is NOT cheap. $3 a quart is reasonable, $3 a pint is outrageous. when they're in season spend an hour or 2 with a friend or family member and pick your own. I put 30 quarts of them in my freezer for a total of 2 hours work, an hour with my daughter and an hour with my husband, and a cost of $30.......a buck a quart.
IOW, tainted food from China, a lot of people don't care if it is possibly tainted or canned in a substandard plant as long as it is cheap.
Hmmmm, it seems they don't have a lock on the prices...
For me, Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, Squash, Beans, Potatoes, cucumbers, Eggplant 4 herbs are free for six months or more of each year. Gardens Rock!
Instead of going to the store with a list, take the ads and buy what is on sale. You will save money and get more variety in your diet. Either that or get a chicken coop. I will say I bought a chicken at Walmart last week for $4.00. They have been $5 for a long time. This one had such big breasts, it could have been taken for Dolly Parton. I split them into four pieces.
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