Experts fear price pressures could worsen

[sled]

Experts fear price pressures could worsen

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/INFLATION_THREATS?SITE=FLROC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER
AP Economics Writer

Nov 20, 10:19 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) -- After years of relative calm on the inflation
front, Americans are being battered by $2-a-gallon gasoline, rising
food prices and higher medical bills. And there are fears that price
pressures could worsen in 2005.

The problem came into sharp focus last week when the government
reported that wholesale prices increased in October by the largest
amount in more than 14 years, and prices at the retail level recorded
the biggest gain since May.

At the same time, energy prices experienced another jump, climbing at
an annual rate of 22.5 percent through October. This has contributed
to inflation's rising at a 3.9 percent annual rate this year, compared
with 1.9 percent in 2003.

Inflationary pressures have led some economists to worry about a
possible nightmare scenario: The dollar weakens dramatically, which
drives up import prices; as terrorists attack overseas oil production
facilities, which drives up energy prices; and like that, America's
productivity miracle, a main reason for moderate inflation in recent
years, disappears.

[cornermouse]

1. But...

We have a president who sees visions, hears God, and is "tough" on security...

Feel better now?

[booksenkatz]

2. And...

those nasty ole gays can't get married in 11 states -- we Amurkans thought that would solve all of our problems!??!?!?! I thought it would bring the price of gas down to 25-cents per gallon!
/freepthink

[NC_Nurse]

3. And with a huge federal sales tax added...

things will be REALLY expensive! What will poor materialistics Amurikans do without SHOPPING to soothe them? :eyes:

[LosinIt]

4. Not just therapeutic shopping, but the basics will be out of reach

for the millions who are living on the edge now. Welcome to Compassionate Conservatism.

[NC_Nurse]

5. True, true...

but you never here about the poor in our country, it'll be the used-to-be middle class who will be whining....and frankly, I'll be laughing because they're the ones who voted for the Weasel!

[w4rma]

18. Riot. (nt)

[stlsaxman]

6. Maybe this forecast will make Joe "Red State" Lunchbucket more

accommodating to the recounts in Ohio and Florida...

one can hope :)

[leesa]

29. They don't read. They live on mythology. Like, the GOP is good for

business, even though every statistic ALWAYS proves otherwise.

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. "After years of of relative calm on the inflation front"

And then what happened?

Bush and his Warring forthe wrong reasons took us into spiraling deficit.

What is the most frigtening, is that Bush and his minions have figured a way to keep the dogs at bay. Keep this country divided, and blame everything on the half that he's decided to shit on.

[reprobate]

24. keep the dogs at bay....There nothing secret there. Adolph knew how.

First you set up one particular group as a skape goat. Then you spread the propaganda that blames the paople's troubles on them.

Joseph Goebbels was an expert at this.

KKKarl Rove studies under him.

[teryang]

8. Scenario? Scenario? Productivity miracle?

This is a services economy. We produce very little. Productivity miracle equals making people work harder for less.

[Blue Gardener]

9. This would have been good to hear before the sElection

Not that it would have changed the minds of any Bushbots.
Went shopping for groceries yesterday, and the produce prices are absurd. I paid $1.88 for one green pepper for my fajitas. I don't ever recall paying that much.

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. It was all calculated.

They even reported that the crime rate had dropped before the election; then afterwards they admitted there was a mistake and that it had actually increased by 4%.

We are being lied to continually by this administration's minions, and the media just continues to help them.

[dbt]

10. Off-topic: welcome to DU, sled!

You have been posting some timely articles.

:hi:
dbt

[sled]

15. Thanks

With Jr.'s liars in charge, it's like shooting fish in a barrel...a tougher assignment, would be, trying to catch them telling the truth.

[ckramer]

11. One thing I don't understand is that

why the housing cost has not been factored into the inflation number.

In fact, the cost of housing is the biggest of expense in people's daily life, and it has experienced mega-inflation since Bush came to the WH.

[tinymontgomery]

12. Not a word about this

in the local paper today, charlotte observer.

[Javaman]

14. You know what? I didn't vote for * fucker and even though....

prices will go up and, myself, as well as the rest of the people of this nation will really begin to struggle, I will smile a great big smile, knowing that the repukes did this and they have no one to blame but themselves. And in 4 short years, this mother fucker will be out and it will be hard to put another repuke in any office in this country which will be going through the throws of another depression.

And as always the Democrats have to come to the rescue and once again pull this country out of the pit the repukes will have put us in.

Maybe then, just maybe, people will see the repukes for what they are, money grubbing, corporate shills that care for no one other than themselves.

I can dream can't I?

[cliss]

22. Agreed. It may not be a dream.

If I were a betting man, I would wager exactly as you wrote. You don't need a crystal ball, ESP, or even a sophisticated forecasting program to know that it's going to go this way.

And you're right: some people, like my boss, are in for a VERY rude awakening. They're in for the shock of their lives, as they see their pension plans get cancelled, their cost of living spiraling ever upward. What then?

I sat together with my relatives after the election. We were all heartbroken because we all wanted Kerry to win. I said, "You know, there were PLENTY of people who voted for BeelzeBush. They weren't ALL forged votes. And for those people, I hope the Bitter Awakening makes them realize what they've done. Chances are very good they will.

I got into a big fight with my boss over the election. The Boss is an bloated supporter of Bush. He said with an arrogant smile, "I always pick the right man".

The coming crash is just for him. Enjoy, boss.

[Javaman]

27. Next time your bloated boss gets that shit eating grin...

Smile, tell him to check back with you in a year. At the rate things are going, he won't have much to smile about, but sadly, you will.
It's truly a sad state of affairs in this county, when we take glee in the delusion of others, but given the circumstances, the up shot will be, us Democrats will be much better prepared for the repuke fall out. It's not a matter of if, but a matter of when.
They will all, one by one, at various different times, suddenly come to the realization that, * is a moron, something we saw years ago, at that time, they will see there isn't a Santa Claus for the poor or middle class, that all he told them prior to the election was nothing but lies.
Some are already waking up and shaking off the kool-ade stupor. Regretting their vote. Perhaps during the next round of "let's go to war bullshit", they will all wake up when their sons and daughters, especially the daughters, are dragged off to boot camp.
Nothing like a repuke running around looking for the other shoe, when us democrats are just waiting for it to fall. It's in mid flight as we speak.

[cliss]

30. Good advice. I'm going to do just that.

Next November, I'll check with him and see how things are going with his "perfect choice".

It's interesting though; we've already seen some panic! He scheduled a trip to Italy for next July. He was so excited! He ordered everything online, including hotel rooms. They were to be paid in Euros.

He did this about 3 months ago. I warned him about 1 week ago that something was happening with the Euros. Asked him if he had trip insurance. "Why?" he asked. I said nothing. He checked his reservation. To his shock, he discovered that his hotel rooms now cost MUCH more per night. They are now around $200.00 per night.

So we've already seen some sweaty armpits. I don't think he's going to enjoy this horrendously expensive vacation because it's costing him much more than he planned on.

We may not need to wait until next November.

Sorry Boss to be talking about you like this on the DU, but you need to be made an example of.

[AngryWhiteLiberal]

16. WE NEED ANOTHER DEPRESSION...it's the only time people pay attention

There's nothing like financial hardship and ruin for the masses to realize that the REPUKES are/were the ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. Take way someone's economic comfort zone and these stupid fears about gays, blacks, and other bigotries/hatreds tend to fade away.

JB

[belab13]

20. I think a complete economic disaster might be the only thing that saves

us from ourselves. that in conjunction with peak oil.

U.S. consumption will be greatly reduced.

The Military/Industrial complex that runs the show now will start to be looked upon with suspicion and will (hopefully) ultimately unravel.

The political process and system will be drastically reformed.

The opportunity will be there to re-evaluate and revamp everything. irrevocable corporate charters, environmentally rapacious business practices, etc...



On the negative side, this kind of scenario provides just as much of an opportunity to those who would enslave the populace.

[reprobate]

26. I agree, belab13. But, and its a really big BUT.

It will provide a chance to change the paradym of the way we are governed. In order to be effective we must be ready to jump on the chance with spiked boots. And here the media stands in the way. The 'net may be our chance to communicate, but we have no leadership towards change. The dem nat'l leaderhsip has become 'pug lite'.

I have the feeling that the media will keep the masses dumb and blind to protect the Lord Bush and his desciples until it's far too late to create change peacefully. When the masses finally see the truth they will turn on the junta. And they are the very same people who believe in vengance. And they are the very same people who are armed to the teeth.

I fear that the change will be very messy. But I have hope because there has been the vision of a peaceful america emarging from the chaos, an america more int he model of the social democracies of scandinavia. An America that values people more than profits.

[Javaman]

31. Only one upshot to a depression, the other nations MAY forgive...

our debts, but I doubt it.

[natrat]

33. problem w/ a depression

is that money has been concentrated by these fuckers and they will own everything. It might be that some of them want a depression for this reason. They dont care, a depression will be an irritation at best to them.

[Javaman]

35. Just like Russia before the revolution...

[TexasChick]

23. We are exactly on a verge of a great depression. Have you read this

thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1009393


China is now starting to warn us to get the dollar value back up, or they will probably go to Euro monies. If that happens, this country is f**ked!! No, the only way for these asshats that voted for this Chimp is for them to start losing their jobs and being severely hungry. This is the only way for the sheeple to wake up and revolt!

[Bleacher Creature]

36. I don't know what's worse.

The fact that there are posts like yours, or the fact that you are right.

I honestly can't argue with a word that you say. This country never seems to learn. Conservative Republicans screw up when they have a chance to govern the country, things go to hell, and a Democrat has to come in to fix it.

[bunny planet]

37. The problem with that little senario is that those of us who did not vote

for Bush and have families to support will also suffer. Sorry no good feelings for 'I told you so' from this parent.

[Ms_Mary]

17. IIRC, wholesale costs have gone up more in the last quarter than

in the last 14 years. I know the prices I'm paying for my store have really gone up and my revenues are not increasing. I've cut back on gas and groceries as much as I can and I'm still feeling poor.

[The Zanti Regent]

19. but the PRESIDENTIAL PRAYER TEAM will pray it away.

Yes the same mass of morons who prayed to install this Nazi, will also pray for divine intervention to make the deficit go away.

I want out. I'm in California and I'm looking for otheres working to free California from Jesusland!

[genieroze]

21. Show these retailers how we really feel that they supported B*sh,

boycott Christmas.

[RPM]

25. Two Words

Peak Oil...

It's a-coming...

[leesa]

28. This is what 51% of Americans wanted. It's Dubya's mandate.

I can't wait for all the incredibly arrogant and ignorant construction workers in my extremely conservative neighborhood to start their layoffs. They are so smug and self-righteous with their little flags and Dubya stickers.

[Barkley]

34. When the layoffs come, your neighbors will just blame it on gay marriages

My neighborhood (Pasadena, CA) people still have Kerry stickers on their cars and Kerry signs in their lawns.

We are defiant!

[Zorra]

32. It's just Bu$h destroying our country again. No big deal. n/t

[VegasWolf]

38. "After years of of relative calm on the inflation front" = bullshit!!!

The only reason that there has been no inflation is that
that the economy at best is sluggish. Offshoring jobs,
crippling tax cuts, the do it alone war on terrorism, crippled
manufacturing base, increasing trade deficit, and the
weakened dollar are all gifts of awol.

There is certainly inflation now with the cost of energy going through the roof. The rednecks thought when awol was first
selected that gas would go to $1.10 a gallon.

Inflationary pressures have led some economists to worry about a
possible nightmare scenario:.

No, it has led them to convert all of their personal savings into euros.