Letter to the Editor: Is This Why You Are Paying More?

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I’m being bombarded by ads from dark money groups saying America is coming to an end because of violent crime and inflation. Are we better off now? Remember two years ago states were using freezer trucks as morgues.

Dark money Citizens for Sanity says violent crime is the worst in Washington. Actually per national statistics, nine of the 10 top states with the lowest rates of crime are “blue states.” Washington state is currently 12th safest of the 50 states. And eight of the 10 top states with violent crime rates are Republican governed “red states.” And conservative Spokane is the worst city in Washington.

While 8.2% inflation affects us all, we are better off than Turkey at 83.45%, Netherlands 14.5%, United Kingdom 10.1%, Germany 10%, Euro Area 9.9%, Spain and Italy 8.9% and Mexico 8.7%.

Why inflation? There are a number of reasons, including supply side COVID-19 shipping delays and the war in Ukraine, but corporate profits have never been higher. They even said they would use the excuse of inflation to raise prices and they have.

Gas inflation: The second quarter earnings of Exxon are up 280% to $17.9 billion, Chevron up 277% to $11.6 billion, Conoco up 146% to $5.1 billion, and the biggest Shell oil refinery in the U.S. is owned by Saudi Arabia. Did you know we are energy independent, but we ship one-third of our oil overseas. Don’t expect any changes as the gas industry dictates what happens.



Democrats did try to lower the inflationary prices because the price of a barrel of oil hadn’t gone up that much, but Republicans voted against it.

Grocery inflation: Kellogg’s raised prices 13.7% while spending $300 million on stock buybacks. Kraft Heinz raised prices 13.9%, spent $980 million on shareholder dividends. Starbucks raised prices 5%, spent $1.7 billion on shareholder dividends, Sysco raised prices 13.4%, spent $1.5 billion on shareholder handouts.

Is this why you are paying more?

Florence Vincent,

Tenino