Star One Smart Blog's

Here it comes! In the coming months, prices are expected to go up to reflect the increased costs in raw materials and production. Fuel costs are one of the major expense components of all businesses (only eclipsed by Human Resources); gasoline, diesel, fuel oil is a commodity, plastics derived from crude oil are a commodity; oil prices aren't coming down any time soon, given there's no new drilling or refining going on in the U.S.A., thanks! Democrats for your insights and market knowledge. Barack Obama seems steadfastly committed to a hidden agenda of 'designed decline', where Americans will be forced to do as the left - progressive - liberals desire: to share our wealth, regardless of our own overall economic conditions.

When BHO spoke to 'sharing the wealth', he wasn't just thinking of CEOs and Wall Street fat-cats, the usual targets of the anti-capitalist, anti-free-market neo-socialists who now drive the bus for the Democratic party. He looks across America, sees the high standard of living all of our citizens enjoy, he feels the pulse of our economy that's driven by the great expectations of the average American living in the cities and 'burbs, and finds that very good indeed. But then he remembers that most of the people living in the rest of the world aren't so fortunate. A firm believer in 'equality of outcomes', Barack Obama and others of the LeftLibProgg persuasion want to see everyone, everywhere treated equally, and no one person or nation should have any more than the others (except of course, for themselves, but since they are 'elite', 'erudite', 'intelligentsia' and 'ruling class' they of course deserve more than the average Joe Plumber).

Now, here's an opportunity for to drive Americans down a notch or two. Inflation is the great equalizer; it hits every American, from the richest to the struggling middle class to the poor and those on fixed incomes. Of course the poor will be hit the hardest (well, they won't be 'poor' poor, like many third-worlders; they will likely keep their cell phones and LCD TV's); the middle class will make necessary cuts in their discretionary spending to still be able to purchase the necessities. The rich will see more targets placed on their backs: when Democrats see inflation, obviously they will 1) blame it on the EVIL RICH!, and 2) try to offer more free cheese to the poor and middle-class, to attract their votes. It's a gamble: will people still vote Democratic, when it's obvious that their policies of 'equal outcome' and their rejection of 'American exceptionalism' fueled this inflationary cycle? Didn't work out so well for Jimmy Carter in 1980; his 'misery index' pushed him right out the door to sit on the curb on his fat ass and ruminate. That's what I expect will happen in 2012, after a resurgent Tea Party gets busy.

That, or this nation CHANGES to not-America anymore. Which would be fine with the majority of the far-Left in this country, I'll warrant.

Bill Simon, CEO of Wal-Mart, speaks to his company's obvious success in arguments before the Supreme Court (testimony is going well against the plaintiffs, who seemed...weak from the start), then to inflation, and how Wal-Mart is positioning itself to stay profitable in the coming months (despite our Democratic overlords being still in charge).

Bill Simon's remarks on our coming 'misery', from USA Today...

U.S. consumers face "serious" inflation in the months ahead for clothing, food and other products, the head of Wal-Mart's U.S. operations warned Wednesday.

The world's largest retailer is working with suppliers to minimize the effect of cost increases and believes its low-cost business model will position it better than its competitors.

Still, inflation is "going to be serious," Wal-Mart U.S. CEO Bill Simon said during a meeting with USA TODAY's editorial board. "We're seeing cost increases starting to come through at a pretty rapid rate."

Along with steep increases in raw material costs, John Long, a retail strategist at Kurt Salmon, says labor costs in China and fuel costs for transportation are weighing heavily on retailers. He predicts prices will start increasing at all retailers in June.

"Every single retailer has and is paying more for the items they sell, and retailers will be passing some of these costs along," Long says. "Except for fuel costs, U.S. consumers haven't seen much in the way of inflation for almost a decade, so a broad-based increase in prices will be unprecedented in recent memory."

That'll wake up the sleepy Tea Party. Nothing like misery to bring on some much-needed political CHANGE. Maybe that gal who spoke "DRILL, BABY, DRILL!" won't seem so dumb anymore.

If we can just make it to 2012...

---