The inflation numbers are out, and they are decidedly not spectacular.
Oof, this is bad inflation data for the US.
Core CPI m/m rose 0.6%, double the forecast. Topline rose 0.1%, instead of a forecast decline. Stock futures are plunging.
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) September 13, 2022
On the y/y figure: it was 8.3% (yes, down, vs 8.5% a month earlier & 9.1% before that). But the estimate was 8.1%. So it dropped by only half what was expected at a time with oil prices falling.
Core m/m inflation is in the driver's seat, and it doubled. That's the alarm here.
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) September 13, 2022
Of course, if you ask White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to break those numbers down for you, you’ll get a much rosier picture of the situation (and a reminder about today’s special event celebrating the Inflation Reduction Act, just in case you’d forgotten that that was a thing that was happening):
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: "Prices have been essentially flat in our country these last two months." pic.twitter.com/R1t3DfmtqC
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 13, 2022
The money quote:
“Look, when you look at the data, the inflation data, we’re seeing more progress, bringing global inflation down in the U.S. economy, as I just stated moments ago. Overall, uh, prices have been essentially flat in our country these last two months. That is welcome news for American families.”
Oh yeah? Tell that to our wallets. Tell that to our savings.
Tell that to reality.
You are getting very sleepy… Prices have been essentially flat… https://t.co/7s7RBWzILE pic.twitter.com/DplTsEZQOv
— jimtreacher.substack.com (@jtLOL) September 13, 2022
We just can’t with this administration. Good Lord.
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Instead of shutting down the economy to flatten the curve we should have just said the curve was essentially flat already. https://t.co/776abAHpaW
— Kate Hyde (@KateHydeNY) September 13, 2022
We’ll have to remember that for next time.
lol no https://t.co/B7EgWnBqSy
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) September 13, 2022
this is not true https://t.co/e0AeLYxiq2
— kaitlin (@thefactualprep) September 13, 2022
This is most-watched-inauguration-ever territory. https://t.co/03DI1LtKb3
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) September 13, 2022
Don’t-believe-your-lying-eyes-and-bank-accounts territory.
Essentially flat-out lying. https://t.co/r1RoCkKMFf
— Nathan Wurtzel (@NathanWurtzel) September 13, 2022
What a load of crap. https://t.co/pb14u59ggK
— Political Clown Parade 🇺🇸 (@PoliticalClownP) September 13, 2022
I know KJP is dumb, but this is monumentally stupid. https://t.co/4NRLa03jUa
— Kevin Barnard (@KevyB1990) September 13, 2022
How long are they planning to run with this narrative? Until the economy gets run into the ground?
I fully believe that she believes this
I've not really gotten the sense that anyone within the Biden admin is aware of anything more than the headline number from the inflation report https://t.co/ZPNjeRH7w1
— PoliMath (@politicalmath) September 13, 2022
We suppose that’s a possibility. If members of the administration like Karine Jean-Pierre look at just at the headlines that say inflation was 8.3% last month instead of the 8.5% it was the month before that, then yeah, they could potentially tell us with straight faces that the prices have been essentially flat.
People talk about Trump being a "twitter president" and, while that is true, it seems clear that the Biden admin is largely motivated by things that will play well on twitter and largely driven by whatever twitter is doing at any given moment
— PoliMath (@politicalmath) September 13, 2022
Of course, whether they’re intentionally lying or just flamingly ignorant, it doesn’t really change the fact that we can’t get the truth from the Biden administration. And we shouldn’t expect that to change anytime soon.
Where are the fact checkers?? https://t.co/B7YkL6ou0e
— kaydd (@46Kaydd) September 13, 2022
Maybe they’re at the Inflation Reduction Act party.
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Related:
Karine Jean-Pierre insists Biden’s Philly speech was totally optimistic and unifying in tone
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