rgag12 said:

---

Inflation was way worse in 2022, but it didn't affect the democrats too much in the midterms.

---

Inflation is cumulative. This current Trump-flation is on TOP of Biden-flation, so it feels worse. Biden was coming from a time when it wasn't pinching this bad, so his bad work did not feel as bad.

infinity ag said:

---

I just paid the highest price for gas that I remember.

Everything's gone up tremendously. Even McDonald's has near-gourmet prices now. We typically eat home-cooked but on Friday's we get take-out and those prices have shot through the roof.

But everyone is getting laid-off, and everyone is getting poorer (unless you invest or do HVAC).

How long will this go on for?

---

2008/2009, I believe was by far the most I paid for gas in Texas, prices are getting close to that time now, but not quite yet.

Dungeon Crawler Carl said:

---

It's not just prices that impact inflation....

Costco Toilet Paper Shrinkflation

The robbery in America never ends

We need to federally regulate Shrinkflation with mandatory label requirements

Require companies to clearly label downsized products. Labels like “Now 15% less” for a set period of time after the change

This… pic.twitter.com/48YZIn8Vax

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) May 12, 2026

---

Per comments the size changes happened during COVID TP shortages and are not new.

Well done video lacking all context though.

flown-the-coop said:

---

China support for Iran right now is a much bigger deal for Iran. BiBi was on evidently on CBS saying he is concerned about China's support of Iran. He measured his comments but the message was clear that he wants Trump to talk about it.

BTW - This posture actually contradicts the concept that Trump is BiBi's lap puppy.

---

Yeah, Bibi has shown that he knows his place, and that's good. He needs to be reminded that without us he and his country cease to exist so know your place

No Spin Ag said:

---

LMCane said:

---

rgag12 said:

---

Inflation was way worse in 2022, but it didn't affect the democrats too much in the midterms.

---

I keep saying that as well

gasoline higher, inflation higher under Biden for AN ENTIRE YEAR leading up to the elections

Democrats kept the senate and only lost a few seats in the House

don't fall for the: "oh the GOP is going to get wiped out" liars and gaslighters

---

The GOP isn't getting wiped out. Does that mean things don't cost more though during an administration we were told would bring us a golden age?

I mean, if this is a golden age, methinks they didn't know what golden age meant what they thought it did.

---

Now that the war is keeping busy, we don't hear much news on fixing grift, immigration, illegals, jobs etc. Opening up too many fronts can cause dilution of attention.

flown-the-coop said:

---

Dungeon Crawler Carl said:

---

It's not just prices that impact inflation....

Costco Toilet Paper Shrinkflation

The robbery in America never ends

We need to federally regulate Shrinkflation with mandatory label requirements

Require companies to clearly label downsized products. Labels like “Now 15% less” for a set period of time after the change

This… pic.twitter.com/48YZIn8Vax

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) May 12, 2026

---

Per comments the size changes happened during COVID TP shortages and are not new.

Well done video lacking all context though.

---

Shrinkflation is still happening, and anyone that actually buys groceries know that. There's no need to use old social media when I'm sure there's more than plenty current examples that can be used.

flown-the-coop said:

---

Trump has told Thune to end the filibuster. That is your path to cut government spending.

The Executive's role is to spend every dollar Congress tells it to. Trump was impeached for not following this.

BTW - A bill has been or is being introduced to expunge the records of Trump's previous impeachments. It brings up an important, broader issue. What is owed to someone who has been indicted in bad faith, under false pretenses? I think the penalties should be very, very severe. The days of indicting ham sammiches need to be ended.

---

I wish I had your optimism, but I don't see any path to cutting the monstrosity we have. Neither side is talking about the cuts that are actually needed. Our govt is so morbidly obese that we need to make massive cuts across the board. Anything coming from the Republican side amounts to drops in the ocean while at the same time they're increasing spending even more someplace else. Then whatever minuscule cuts we do get will all be undone by the next dem administration. It's effectively 100% certain that they will spend until we're ruined.

infinity ag said:

---

I just paid the highest price for gas that I remember.

Everything's gone up tremendously. Even McDonald's has near-gourmet prices now. We typically eat home-cooked but on Friday's we get take-out and those prices have shot through the roof.

But everyone is getting laid-off, and everyone is getting poorer (unless you invest or do HVAC).

How long will this go on for?

---

Prices will always go up. The Louisiana Purchase was around $30 million at the time when all said and done, or $350million or so in today's dollars. If you bought it today, it would cost $1.5 to $3.0 TRILLION.

If McDonald's is becoming too much for you, then I would suggest looking for some coupons or ordering from the value menu.

infinity ag said:

---

No Spin Ag said:

---

LMCane said:

---

rgag12 said:

---

Inflation was way worse in 2022, but it didn't affect the democrats too much in the midterms.

---

I keep saying that as well

gasoline higher, inflation higher under Biden for AN ENTIRE YEAR leading up to the elections

Democrats kept the senate and only lost a few seats in the House

don't fall for the: "oh the GOP is going to get wiped out" liars and gaslighters

---

The GOP isn't getting wiped out. Does that mean things don't cost more though during an administration we were told would bring us a golden age?

I mean, if this is a golden age, methinks they didn't know what golden age meant what they thought it did.

---

Now that the war is keeping busy, we don't hear much news on fixing grift, immigration, illegals, jobs etc. Opening up too many fronts can cause dilution of attention.

---

Good point. Immigration shouldn't be much of an issue compared to a war that's causing prices to rise even more than tariffs were already doing.

Americans can barely walk and breath at the same time, so it just makes sense the dilution is happening.

infinity ag said:

---

No Spin Ag said:

---

LMCane said:

---

rgag12 said:

---

Inflation was way worse in 2022, but it didn't affect the democrats too much in the midterms.

---

I keep saying that as well

gasoline higher, inflation higher under Biden for AN ENTIRE YEAR leading up to the elections

Democrats kept the senate and only lost a few seats in the House

don't fall for the: "oh the GOP is going to get wiped out" liars and gaslighters

---

The GOP isn't getting wiped out. Does that mean things don't cost more though during an administration we were told would bring us a golden age?

I mean, if this is a golden age, methinks they didn't know what golden age meant what they thought it did.

---

Now that the war is keeping busy, we don't hear much news on fixing grift, immigration, illegals, jobs etc. Opening up too many fronts can cause dilution of attention.

---

Read past the Iran headlines. Trump usually has two or three WH events a day on a variety of initiatives regarding immigration, illegals, and jobs.

He is taking a whole gaggle of US execs to China to discuss things like jobs and just had the Angel Moms at the WH for Mother's Day to keep crimes by illegals at the forefront.

One just needs to pay a wee bit of attention.

infinity ag said:

---

I just paid the highest price for gas that I remember.

Everything's gone up tremendously. Even McDonald's has near-gourmet prices now with a damn Big Mac costing over $6. We typically eat home-cooked but on Friday's we get take-out and those prices have shot through the roof.

But everyone is getting laid-off, and everyone is getting poorer (unless you invest or do HVAC).

How long will this go on for?

---

you shouldn't be eating McDonalds, but they do have cheaper options now,


Also, putting the dems in control of congress will definitely fix the problems. LOL

MelvinUdall said:

---

infinity ag said:

---

I just paid the highest price for gas that I remember.

Everything's gone up tremendously. Even McDonald's has near-gourmet prices now. We typically eat home-cooked but on Friday's we get take-out and those prices have shot through the roof.

But everyone is getting laid-off, and everyone is getting poorer (unless you invest or do HVAC).

How long will this go on for?

---

2008/2009, I believe was by far the most I paid for gas in Texas, prices are getting close to that time now, but not quite yet.

---

When I left Texas in the late 90s, a gal of unleaded was $0.91. I remember seeing that while driving around. I did see a sub $1 price once since in my new city but its crazy now. I just filled up my wife's car and paid around $110 for premium which is even worse. Luckily I have Costco membership so gas is cheaper. Those places are packed nowadays. I can only imagine how Frisco Costco would be with lines all the way to Dallas.

Brinker International CEO Kevin Hochman, who owns Chili's, says they saw what other restaurants were doing with Shrinkflation

So they decided to do the opposite at Chili's

- They researched hundreds of chicken sandwiches
- Made theirs 80% bigger than the leading fast food's… pic.twitter.com/F29hbB0cfg

— Whiplash 3.0 (@Whiplash347_Q) May 11, 2026

Darthag11 said:

---

infinity ag said:

---

I just paid the highest price for gas that I remember.

Everything's gone up tremendously. Even McDonald's has near-gourmet prices now with a damn Big Mac costing over $6. We typically eat home-cooked but on Friday's we get take-out and those prices have shot through the roof.

But everyone is getting laid-off, and everyone is getting poorer (unless you invest or do HVAC).

How long will this go on for?

---

you shouldn't be eating McDonalds, but they do have cheaper options now,


Also, putting the dems in control of congress will definitely fix the problems. LOL

---

You are right. McD is my nostalgic guilty pleasure to take me back to my College Stn days when I'd go to the location on University Drive (still exists) regularly. My wife and kid don't eat McD but on rare occasions (maybe 1-2 a year) that I am by myself for lunch or dinner, I get a Big Mac for old times sake. Unfortunately every time I have something there, it seems nastier except for the fries.

Republicans and Democrats working together to make life more expensive for poor people. Way to go!

Has the government tried not spending so much?

flown-the-coop said:

---

infinity ag said:

---

No Spin Ag said:

---

LMCane said:

---

rgag12 said:

---

Inflation was way worse in 2022, but it didn't affect the democrats too much in the midterms.

---

I keep saying that as well

gasoline higher, inflation higher under Biden for AN ENTIRE YEAR leading up to the elections

Democrats kept the senate and only lost a few seats in the House

don't fall for the: "oh the GOP is going to get wiped out" liars and gaslighters

---

The GOP isn't getting wiped out. Does that mean things don't cost more though during an administration we were told would bring us a golden age?

I mean, if this is a golden age, methinks they didn't know what golden age meant what they thought it did.

---

Now that the war is keeping busy, we don't hear much news on fixing grift, immigration, illegals, jobs etc. Opening up too many fronts can cause dilution of attention.

---

Read past the Iran headlines. Trump usually has two or three WH events a day on a variety of initiatives regarding immigration, illegals, and jobs.

He is taking a whole gaggle of US execs to China to discuss things like jobs and just had the Angel Moms at the WH for Mother's Day to keep crimes by illegals at the forefront.

One just needs to pay a wee bit of attention.

---

OK, I hope you are right and things are moving behind the scenes.

flown-the-coop said:

---

Prices will always go up. The Louisiana Purchase was around $30 million at the time when all said and done, or $350million or so in today's dollars. If you bought it today, it would cost $1.5 to $3.0 TRILLION.

If McDonald's is becoming too much for you, then I would suggest looking for some coupons or ordering from the value menu.

---

Incorrect. Prices should go down for most things over time. As technology and innovation improves, we should see prices for most things fall leading to a lower cost of living. With a lower COL, people can afford more things which means their standard of living improves. This dynamic is the entire basis of what we would call economic progress.

We've grown so far removed from sound money that people just believe inflation is natural. It's not. It is all a function of money creation aka the original definition of inflation. Rising prices were understood as a RESULT of that money creation.

Trump and his ilk don't care about inflation as long as the market outpaces it. While most Americans, who don't or can't participate in the market, are feeling it at the grocer and the gas station, he said it was worth it because the market is at an all time high. Might be just a tad out of touch with middle America.

Dungeon Crawler Carl said:

---

Shrinkflation continues

American ordered a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich and is shocked that they are now the size of a slider

Seriously, look at this… Americans are getting robbed pic.twitter.com/lpogmN7SJK

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) May 7, 2026

---

On the other hand, free markets say that if you don't like a company's product and price, find another one. So how do we reconcile these 2 competing viewpoints?

McD is not forcing us to buy. They have just hiked their prices and shrunk their product and challenged us to do whatever we can. What we can do is stop going there.

Quote:

---

So how do we reconcile these 2 competing viewpoints?

---

No clue.

Open to suggestions.

Helicopter Ben said:

---

flown-the-coop said:

---

Prices will always go up. The Louisiana Purchase was around $30 million at the time when all said and done, or $350million or so in today's dollars. If you bought it today, it would cost $1.5 to $3.0 TRILLION.

If McDonald's is becoming too much for you, then I would suggest looking for some coupons or ordering from the value menu.

---

Incorrect. Prices should go down for most things over time. As technology and innovation improves, we should see prices for most things fall leading to a lower cost of living. With a lower COL, people can afford more things which means their standard of living improves. This dynamic is the entire basis of what we would call economic progress.

We've grown so far removed from sound money that people just believe inflation is natural. It's not. It is all a function of money creation aka the original definition of inflation. Rising prices were understood as a RESULT of that money creation.

---

Lots of flawed thinking in your analysis. Lots.

Increased standard of living can be assisted by efficiencies in farming, transportation, refining, manufacturing, etc but are often offset by scarcity of materials, increased labor costs, and a whole multitude of factors. And as things become "cheaper", consumers tend to react by consuming MORE, increasing demand which increases price if supply remains stable.

Economic progress and improved standard of living increase demand and prices.

Your take on actual inflation is correct. But rising prices are not purely based on "money creation".

infinity ag said:

---

I just paid the highest price for gas that I remember.

Everything's gone up tremendously. Even McDonald's has near-gourmet prices now with a damn Big Mac costing over $6. We typically eat home-cooked but on Friday's we get take-out and those prices have shot through the roof.

But everyone is getting laid-off, and everyone is getting poorer (unless you invest or do HVAC).

How long will this go on for?

---

If you are eating at McDonalds even one day a week, that's on you.

And everyone is not getting laid off nor is everyone getting poorer.

Just an observation:

The +.6% month on month(mom) inflation seen in April is over +6% annualized.

We are starting to get back to the COVID induced 2022 numbers 💀

— QE Infinity (@StealthQE4) May 12, 2026

SteveA said:

---

Trump and his ilk don't care about inflation as long as the market outpaces it. While most Americans, who don't or can't participate in the market, are feeling it at the grocer and the gas station, he said it was worth it because the market is at an all time high. Might be just a tad out of touch with middle America.

---

Exactly. I keep evangelizing this but some people here try to shout me down. The way to get rich and stay rich is not a job in 2026 and onward. It is investing. Folks who have a 1975 mindset will find themselves in trouble.

I personally am a frugal person but investing has kept me in good financial condition, not my career. Just buy VOO and sit on it.

one safe place said:

---

infinity ag said:

---

I just paid the highest price for gas that I remember.

Everything's gone up tremendously. Even McDonald's has near-gourmet prices now with a damn Big Mac costing over $6. We typically eat home-cooked but on Friday's we get take-out and those prices have shot through the roof.

But everyone is getting laid-off, and everyone is getting poorer (unless you invest or do HVAC).

How long will this go on for?

---

If you are eating at McDonalds even one day a week, that's on you.

And everyone is not getting laid off nor is everyone getting poorer.

---

I have McD about twice a year bro. As I said in a different post, my family doesn't but I do for old times sake (College Stn era). Not 1 day a week.

infinity ag said:

---

SteveA said:

---

Trump and his ilk don't care about inflation as long as the market outpaces it. While most Americans, who don't or can't participate in the market, are feeling it at the grocer and the gas station, he said it was worth it because the market is at an all time high. Might be just a tad out of touch with middle America.

---

Exactly. I keep evangelizing this but some people here try to shout me down. The way to get rich and stay rich is not a job in 2026 and onward. It is investing. Folks who have a 1975 mindset will find themselves in trouble.

I personally am a frugal person but investing has kept me in good financial condition, not my career. Just buy VOO and sit on it.

---

What the heck are you going to do in a recession? And your career / job combined with frugality allowed you to save in markets that have performed very well in your prime saving years. I believe we are about the same age. We have never experienced a true market correction unless you were overly exposed to construction in 2008/2009 or tech in 2000/2001.

The way to get rich and stay rich is to start and run your own business, win the lottery or get elected to Congress.

tysker said:

---

Ag with kids said:

---

rgag12 said:

---

Inflation was way worse in 2022, but it didn't affect the democrats too much in the midterms.

---

That's because the media kept telling everyone it wasn't a big deal.

Even though this was 2022:

2022
7.5
7.9
8.5
8.3
8.6
9.1
8.5
8.3
8.2
7.7
7.1
6.5
8.0

---

Trump is (was?) saying inflation is a big deal.
Affordability is (was?) one of the administration's most important agenda topics,

At least in 2022, we had economic growth, even though it was trending up post-COVID. Now we're looking at negative growth and stagflation. GDP figures will be interesting in Sept, Oct, Nov. I suspect a lot of people claiming fake news and politically driven reports come the fall.

---

Ummmm...we've got economic growth NOW.

GDP grew 2.0% last quarter and was UP from Q4 2025...so trending UP...

Did you not know that or are you just trying to gaslight?

Helicopter Ben said:

---

BusterAg said:

---

If Trump wanted to control inflation, he would stop spending money.

He hasn't, and he won't.

He has been awesome on pretty much every factor of his presidency except for the national debt, where he gets a D-. The only reason his grade there isn't worse is because F's are reserved for AOC and Bernie Sanders and crazy ass commie mayors of NYC.

---

Correct. Controlling inflation is not some mystical phenomenon that requires a rocket science degree to understand.

Free markets. Free trade. Cut regulations. Cut spending. Quit printing money. Stop paying people to do nothing. Stop the useless wars. Cut foreign aid. Cut taxes and let people keep more of what they earn.

All of this reduces down to one common denominator: SHRINK THE DAMN GOVERNMENT!

---

Yep...Old Milton said it best:

Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon in the sense that it is and can be produced only by a more rapid increase in the quantity of money than in output.

Trump needs to stop spending so damn much...especially money we don't have, which increases the quantity of money out there...

This is actually a good point. The news cycle moves at warp speed now. Haven't heard a word about ICE in a minute.

one safe place said:

---

If you are eating at McDonalds even one day a week, that's on you.

And everyone is not getting laid off nor is everyone getting poorer.

---

We kind of are with inflation and other less-than-stellar economic items.

Not like H1BCEOAg believes, but devaluing our currency is, basically, making us all poorer.

Ag with kids said:

---

tysker said:

---

Ag with kids said:

---

rgag12 said:

---

Inflation was way worse in 2022, but it didn't affect the democrats too much in the midterms.

---

That's because the media kept telling everyone it wasn't a big deal.

Even though this was 2022:

2022
7.5
7.9
8.5
8.3
8.6
9.1
8.5
8.3
8.2
7.7
7.1
6.5
8.0

---

Trump is (was?) saying inflation is a big deal.
Affordability is (was?) one of the administration's most important agenda topics,

At least in 2022, we had economic growth, even though it was trending up post-COVID. Now we're looking at negative growth and stagflation. GDP figures will be interesting in Sept, Oct, Nov. I suspect a lot of people claiming fake news and politically driven reports come the fall.

---

Ummmm...we've got economic growth NOW.

GDP grew 2.0% last quarter and was UP from Q4 2025...so trending UP...

Did you not know that or are you just trying to gaslight?

---

Is GDP increasing, or is the rate of change increasing? There's a difference.

A move from 2.0% to 2.5% real GDP growth is an improvement at the margin, but if inflation is running above 3% and accelerating toward 4%, that suggests an economy has slowing real growth, persistent inflationary pressures, and is trending toward stagflation.

flown-the-coop said:

---

Helicopter Ben said:

---

flown-the-coop said:

---

Prices will always go up. The Louisiana Purchase was around $30 million at the time when all said and done, or $350million or so in today's dollars. If you bought it today, it would cost $1.5 to $3.0 TRILLION.

If McDonald's is becoming too much for you, then I would suggest looking for some coupons or ordering from the value menu.

---

Incorrect. Prices should go down for most things over time. As technology and innovation improves, we should see prices for most things fall leading to a lower cost of living. With a lower COL, people can afford more things which means their standard of living improves. This dynamic is the entire basis of what we would call economic progress.

We've grown so far removed from sound money that people just believe inflation is natural. It's not. It is all a function of money creation aka the original definition of inflation. Rising prices were understood as a RESULT of that money creation.

---

Lots of flawed thinking in your analysis. Lots.

Increased standard of living can be assisted by efficiencies in farming, transportation, refining, manufacturing, etc but are often offset by scarcity of materials, increased labor costs, and a whole multitude of factors. And as things become "cheaper", consumers tend to react by consuming MORE, increasing demand which increases price if supply remains stable.

Economic progress and improved standard of living increase demand and prices.

Your take on actual inflation is correct. But rising prices are not purely based on "money creation".

---

Incorrect again, unless you are arguing semantics. In that case, perhaps I should have said "general prices" should fall over time.

What you are describing in your second paragraph is just a long winded version of simple supply and demand. Yes things ebb and flow. But the general trend in a productive economy should see general prices fall over time. The caveat, of course, is that we must have sound money that actually holds its purchasing power.

The COL crisis is 100% caused by inflation (aka money creation) eating away at our purchasing power. It's not even difficult to prove. Just take gold or silver purchasing power and compare that to the USD. When you price things in terms of gold or silver, basically everything has fallen. It takes fewer ounces of gold to purchase a home than it did even during the PMs price spike of 1980. Same thing is true for automobiles and just about everything else you can think of.

Or how about an even simpler example? Minimum wage in 1964 was $1.25 per hour. If you had taken payment in quarters, the melt value of those coins would trade at ~$75. That means an hours labor at minimum wage in 1964 would give you the equivalent of a whopping $75 in today's purchasing power. That is a 90% decrease. The supply of gold and silver has gradually increased by a small amount over this time period, so you cannot say it's a scarcity issue.

Helicopter Ben said:

---

flown-the-coop said:

---

Helicopter Ben said:

---

flown-the-coop said:

---

Prices will always go up. The Louisiana Purchase was around $30 million at the time when all said and done, or $350million or so in today's dollars. If you bought it today, it would cost $1.5 to $3.0 TRILLION.

If McDonald's is becoming too much for you, then I would suggest looking for some coupons or ordering from the value menu.

---

Incorrect. Prices should go down for most things over time. As technology and innovation improves, we should see prices for most things fall leading to a lower cost of living. With a lower COL, people can afford more things which means their standard of living improves. This dynamic is the entire basis of what we would call economic progress.

We've grown so far removed from sound money that people just believe inflation is natural. It's not. It is all a function of money creation aka the original definition of inflation. Rising prices were understood as a RESULT of that money creation.

---

Lots of flawed thinking in your analysis. Lots.

Increased standard of living can be assisted by efficiencies in farming, transportation, refining, manufacturing, etc but are often offset by scarcity of materials, increased labor costs, and a whole multitude of factors. And as things become "cheaper", consumers tend to react by consuming MORE, increasing demand which increases price if supply remains stable.

Economic progress and improved standard of living increase demand and prices.

Your take on actual inflation is correct. But rising prices are not purely based on "money creation".

---

Incorrect again, unless you are arguing semantics. In that case, perhaps I should have said "general prices" should fall over time.

What you are describing in your second paragraph is just a long winded version of simple supply and demand. Yes things ebb and flow. But the general trend in a productive economy should see general prices fall over time. The caveat, of course, is that we must have sound money that actually holds its purchasing power.

The COL crisis is 100% caused by inflation (aka money creation) eating away at our purchasing power. It's not even difficult to prove. Just take gold or silver purchasing power and compare that to the USD. When you price things in terms of gold or silver, basically everything has fallen. It takes fewer ounces of gold to purchase a home than it did even during the PMs price spike of 1980. Same thing is true for automobiles and just about everything else you can think of.

Or how about an even simpler example? Minimum wage in 1964 was $1.25 per hour. If you had taken payment in quarters, the melt value of those coins would trade at ~$75. That means an hours labor at minimum wage in 1964 would give you the equivalent of a whopping $75 in today's purchasing power. That is a 90% decrease. The supply of gold and silver has gradually increased by a small amount over this time period, so you cannot say it's a scarcity issue.

---

Assume you are holding demand constant in the analysis about supply of gold and silver? And do NOT mislead with picking 1964 when quarters were made with 90% silver. Completely disingenuous. Moving on if you are going to stoop to such levels in discussion.

flown-the-coop said:

---

We do not have a "cost of living crisis" in these United States. HTH.

---

Also, this "nothing to see here" is the same bull**** we see from Democrats when challenging the solvency of Social Security and the increasing costs associated with Medicare and Medicaid.