Price Increases 2011

Joe,

In response to your question whether I think inflation was 3% this year, I offer the following letters that my office has received during 2011. Increases from 5% to 10% twice is NOT 3%! For every dollar cost a year ago, add 10% = $1.10. Now add 10% to that, and you have $1.21. That's a 21% increase.

Reasons stated in the letters include the Tsunami in Japan, oil price increases, Obamacare costs, and skyrocketing increases in unemployment rates.

Let's be honest here, the tsunami was a horrible disaster that upset Japan's manufacturing process and infrastructure that we trade with, but if America still had our own way of manufacturing our own vinyl and PVC, there would have been a lot less effect on us.

Oil prices? We don't pump our own oil, so we depend on other countries' mood swings when we buy it from them. The biggest crime here is closing the Gulf and allowing Mexico and others to pump our oil and then sell it back to us.

Obamacare and unemployment? 99 weeks? If we all had our jobs back we would not need 99 weeks unemployment and would be able to buy our own insurance or just pay the doctor in cash.

Instead, I'm paying for my suppliers' employment cost increases, plus my own employee's increased costs, and the political mood of those who sell me fuel to run my business, and I have to ask my customers to cover these increases.

The ultimate result? People are fixing what's broken and covering the absolute core necessities, and no more. They are not adding on to their houses or businesses because their property values are plunging faster that the additions could increase them. Business is shrinking, not expanding. The government boot is on our necks, and we are all under the gun.

Other than that, everything's fine.

Ron Paul 2011, PLEASE people!