I have a fun exercise for you.
Take GDP yearly figures from 1980 to current.Subtract out official yearly inflation figures.How many years has our GDP actually grown in the last 32 years?
For example.Last year.
2011 2.1% is the official GDP growth figure.
2011 3.4% is the official inflation figure.
With out inflation our GDP growth would have been a negative 1.3%
This is why very few see any kind of recovery.There is not one.Inflation is not growth,and the average person on the street can feel the difference between real growth and inflation derived growth.
Sadly QE to infinity and beyond is just boosting inflation at an ever rapid pace.Sure GDP will go up,but the reality is we are losing ground.Another good example is the Consumer price index.When it goes up the mainstream media cheers as consumers are spending more.The reality is they are spending more due to inflation,not a sudden uptick in non discretionary spending.Food and energy may not be counted in the official inflation rate,but food and energy account for around half of the Consumer price index.
My brain is to fried to make the chart.Here are the figures lol.
GDP Growth Rates, List by Country
Historical Inflation Rates: 1914-2012, Annual and Monthly Tables - US Inflation Calculator
Without actually doing the work here, is it safe to assume inflation is and has been hiding our sad gdp growth?