>>>>Wal-Mart CEO Bill Simon expects inflation:
>>>>http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2011-03-30-wal-mart-ceo-expects-inflation_N.htm
>>>>
>>>>Snippet:
>>>>
>>>>Along with steep increases in raw material costs, John Long, a retail strategist at Kurt Salmon, says labor costs in China and fuel costs for transportation are weighing heavily on retailers. He predicts prices will start increasing at all retailers in June.
>>>>
>>>>"Every single retailer has and is paying more for the items they sell, and retailers will be passing some of these costs along," Long says. "Except for fuel costs, U.S. consumers haven't seen much in the way of inflation for almost a decade, so a broad-based increase in prices will be unprecedented in recent memory."
>>>
>>>
>>>We are seeing real inflation here and I feel its not accurately getting through in the stats. I know my weekly shopping bill seems to climb every week. Basic staple items are going up a lot.
>>
>>I've noticed the same so I'm not sure where the stories of not seeing it in the states yet come from...
>
>In addition to the rising costs for some items, many manufacturers are trying to disguise the cost increases by reducing the package contents instead of raising the price for the existing package - 22 slices of cheese instead of 24, etc.

To highlight the point:
In every economic downturn in the last few decades, companies have reduced the size of some products, disguising price increases and avoiding comparisons on same-size packages, before and after an increase. Each time, the marketing campaigns are coy; this time, the smaller versions are “greener” (packages good for the environment) or more “portable” (little carry bags for the takeout lifestyle) or “healthier” (fewer calories).
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/business/29shrink.html?_r=1&src=busln

>It's going to be a real shock to the populace (regardless of political bent) in about 6 months.....

I think it'll be sooner than 6 months. Remember the summer of 2008?
The weekly national average gas price showed the highest price ever during the month of March and the seventh consecutive increase this week, according to the Department of Energy. Prices are at their highest level since 2008...
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/gas-prices-7th-consecutive-weekly-increase-middle-east/story?id=13240889

>And yet our government thinks either we can "afford" it....or that it really ISN'T a problem. Of course, they have free worl-class health care benefits and a six figure salary.
>
>But the best they can do is argue over whether 4B or 33B or 66B is "enough" cost cutting for this year.....all while we go 20+B a WEEK further into debt.