SAUNDERS: Fact check

Mr. Saunders, in his response to Mr. Olson, advised us all to get our news from responsible sources. I agree. However, his “real news” sources would indicate that the inflation rate in the U.S. rose during the years 2017-2020 and have fallen to 3.4% recently. This is very untrue. According to the Bureau of Labor statistics (https://data.bls.gov), the rate of inflation was about 2% from 2013-2020. The rate of inflation at the end of “our previous president” was 1.4%. Real news from the USBLS.

Mr. Strayer in quoting gas prices, mentions May 2019 as the end of Mr. Trump’s presidency, which didn’t end until January 2021. May was pre-pandemic, and the economy was roaring, inflation was low, and we were thriving. Not because of who was president. Average price of gas in 2020 was $2.17 for the year. There was a pandemic, and a supply excess. Which drove prices down. The average prices for 2022 and 2023 were $3.29 and $3.22 as the economy recovered. Unemployment was 3.6% in January 2020, soared to 14.8% (pandemic) in April 2020, but was down to 6.7% by November 2020, and was 3.6% by March 2022. No change since, despite historically high rates from the Fed. Employment rose as the economy returned to pre pandemic norms.

To quote Mark Twain: “Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.”

ALBERT REYNAUD

Hayden Lake