For general discussion and debate. Possible talking point: Is inflation/stagflation a serious concern moving forward?
Last week, the Commerce Department announced some surprising inflation numbers for January. Fuel prices continue to surge, as have commodities, as the dollar makes new lows against a variety of currencies.
For almost three decades, our economy has experienced disinflation, meaning a slowing of inflationary pressures. Is that over? Are higher prices on goods and services a fait accompli? Or, have we experienced such temporary blips many times in the recent past, and the nature of global competition gives corporations little pricing power if they want to sell goods and services here and abroad?
