So what is the real inflation rate? Not the number excluding all the things the government does.

9%? Higher?

fuel up 100%.. medical...

It's not recent and I don't know the exact differences, but apparently the higher line ignores the changes in metholodgy introduced in the 1990s.

"quality improvement", and the ability to substitute hamburger for steak, plus the lack of similar treatment for imports that causes inflation to decrease if the trade deficit increases, adds at least 1.5% - and perhaps as high as 3% - to the reported rate.

Unemployment rate suffers from similar problems and is understated by 1.5% to 2%.

Note that with corrected inflation numbers, Bush's years have seen income for those making less than $75,000 decline, with the income moving to the top 0.1% of the income scale - and indeed for the first time in our history corporate profits as a percentage of GDP - which has always floated close about a 6% rate - is at 10.1%.

We need unions in every profession.