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SpectralOperator t1_j3pwx4x wrote

Reply to comment by ShuRugal in TIL that in 1947, U.S. House Minority Leader Sam Rayburn was gifted a 1947 Cadillac Fleetwood Series 62 from 142 Democratic congressmembers and 50 Republican congressmembers. Each congressmen donated $25 to circumvent Rayburns personal rule of not accepting gifts more than $25. by FranklinDRoosevelt32

What's your point? Obviously you shouldn't compute inflation rates by just looking at top end products.

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ShuRugal t1_j3qwap4 wrote

If you compare like to like from any given period, the result is very often a much steeper increase than the official number. Especially on vitals such as food, transportation, and housing.

lol, ask me what my point was, then downvote me when I spell it out for you. O.K.

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IdlyCurious t1_j3s47kd wrote

> Especially on vitals such as food, transportation, and housing.

Food? Food is a much smaller portion of income today than it was in the 1930s. Even after recent inflation. Clothing is much cheaper, too. Housing and medical care have certainly gotten more expensive over the long-term (though they continue to get fancier, too), but not food.

Here is a 2014 article that references income spend on food. I can point you to a 1941 publication with estimates on percent on income spent by category for 1935-1936, too.

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