The larger corporations seem to pay net 60 and sell net 30. This means 30 days of free money. So what's the difference? The difference is that (1) a sovereign government has no competitor inside its borders and (2) their terms are net 30 years.

Ever since 1964 when the dollar was officially and permanently un-linked from hard assets, the Federal Reserve has engaged in a steady collusive effort with policy makers to enrich their own pockets via inflation. They target a year-over-year inflation of between 1-2%. Why this amount? Because it isn't generally big enough in one year to make people scream, but over the course of decades adds up to significant amounts. The real target should be 0% inflation, and here's why:

Inflation destroys value - especially savings. It hamstrings investors by devaluing their money - especially long-term investors. The other thing inflation does is devalue debt. It basically gives free value to the debtor - the looter - at the cost of the producer the holder of value. Inflation is the best friend of the looter; it is the bane of the producer.

I took everything I bought last year that were necessities: fuel oil, gas fill-up, medications, insurance premiums, cat food, cat littler, loaf of bread, milk, lb of hamburger, bag of potatoes. My own "market basket." The increase was not 0.3%; rather 11.0% But what would I know, just a retired economist. SMH!

The government lies about inflation? The government lies about everything. The only thing true about the last few decades of government is that nothing it says of importance is not totally true.

Government lies, and I dont believe ANYTHING they say nowadays. Just look at Hillary claiming she wouldnt add 1 cent to the national debt, while adding 1trillion to her annual spending, with a current annual deficit of 500 billion. There is no way that scenario makes even a little sense. She just lies, just like Obama lied about Obamacare. Time to drain the swamp. For a starters the politicians should be held to account for anything they say.

My SS actually went down $16 thanks to a bump of that amount in the prescription drug plan.

CPI index is only monitoring prices which can be seen by consumers. In the UK for example, healthcare inflation has been running at several multiples of CPI inflation without effecting it, because all health costs are paid through taxation.
In the US which has a combined tax and insurance model for healthcare, only the insurance premiums are monitored for inflation.
I don't know this, but its a good guess... even the increases in premiums due to obamacare will not show up, because the coverage will be (subjectively) deemed to have increased by at least as much as the premiums... therefore maybe even contributing to a DECREASE in premiums. Statistics are a wonderful thing!

Hello TomB666,
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
- Mark Twain
Respectfully,
O.A.

Welcome to the club.My net went down $5 last year, and the same this year. Pretty soon , I will owe them. How I wish I could have invested all that money myself, at least I would have only myself to blame, not some free spending politicians who care nothing for us oldies.

I think that the most accurate indicator of real inflation is the raise that large beneficiaries get that have a real negotiating pull with the legislature. Large unions, payments to the Democrats' preferred voters (welfare), etc. These have been around 8% per year for several years now. Thus, the real US inflation rate is around 8%.

Check http://shadowstats.com

I got roughly the same, SS up $6.10 and Medicare cost up $6.10 to $111.00, net $0.00 for my pocket. At least they've rounded the ending numbers out to dollars and no "sense".

Despite President-elect Trump's intent to keep Social Security as is, supported by strong growth in the American economy, it will eventually become unsustainable as the wave of retiring baby boomers inundates the system. With the best of intentions, he's just kicking the can down the road past his administration's era of responsibility. While those of us well into our senior years will likely be grandfathered into the current system, there will be a necessary change in government retirement systems. Likely changes will include later retirement age; elimination of early retirement; an option to select a 401K type retirement fund similar to the congressional retirement system. Military retirement is already headed into the 401K type contributory pension fund. The advantage of contributory systems is that they can't be raided, and have value even if one has to withdraw funds early.

" inflation is only 0.3%, why is Medicare cost going up 4.9%? "

This is widespread where government owns or controls health care.
It is due to intransigent unions that invariably get pay increases above inflation.
The countervailing force is weak as union influence is strong in governments.

Some lapse of health care gets into the news.
The public clamors for improvement, the government agrees to spend more.
There is some marginal change in service but the big change is higher pay.

Yes. They lie. They take your money, lie to you, and then keep your money.

My suspicion is that something in Obama Care is at the bottom of this scam. BT