“If the cost of living hasn’t gone up”
what planet do you live on that you don’t have to heat, cool, or eat?
Those have gone up at least 20% in the last year!
Energy costs have come way down in the one year period that is used for the calculation. Gasoline, you may recall, spent a lot of time in the four buck a gallon range in 2008, and was generally in the $2.50 range in the current year. Rather than question whether or not I live on earth, why don't you do what I did and research how the Cost of Living Adjustment is calculated, and what items go into that calculation, before casting unwarranted character aspersions? Here's a link to get you started. ConsumerPriceIndex