Comments about ‘Cost for 'basket' of 15 goods rises 7.5%’

It's called inflation. Years ago, the government removed most of this type of product from the inflation index, so they could control the inflation that is reported. Real inflation has been much higher than reported inflation for many years. If you are wondering why you are making more but living less well, it's because the government has been lying to you. Oh, but we knew that, right?

Why are you tracking laundry soap, diapers, movie tickets, gas and blue jeans, and then reporting that the cost of groceries is going up 7 percent. The reason food costs more, is because of energy. So putting gas in there is counting it twice.

That is a 15% annual rate of inflation, but of course it isn't because food and fuel are not part of the inflation index. The reason they aren't is because of the COLAs that are indexed to inflation. Not including food and fuel in the inflation index is smoke and mirrors economics.

They track it twice because most people pay it twice - once at the pump for their own vehicles, then again when they buy other goods whose price is inflated by rising gas prices

Most people have to buy gas twice, in shipping costs of goods we buy and in driving our cars, so it is appropriate that gas is in there. Even if you don't drive your car to work, but ride the train like I do, UTA keeps adding fuel charges and raising the price of Frontrunner, so you can't avoid excess gas charges.

Small price to pay to get rid of Saddam.