• Inflation is not rising prices. Inflation is the increase of the money supply. CPI only measures the symptoms, not the cause. • CPI is manipulated. The basket changes, “quality adjustments” are added, and inconvenient items get excluded. Its purpose is to make inflation look lower. • It doesn’t reflect real life. While CPI says “3%,” your rent, food, and healthcare rise far more. CPI smooths out the loss of purchasing power. • It’s a political tool. CPI is used to justify more money printing and more debt, not to inform the public.