Routledge Getting Prices Right: Debate Over the CPI - Routledge

Explore the complexities of economic measurement in Getting Prices Right: Debate Over the Consumer Price Index. This work examines how the Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles the CPI, a metric used to index Social Security payments, adjust tax brackets, and manage many other federal programs. Since the Boskin Commission report in December 1996 concluded that the CPI overstates inflation by 1.1%, the accuracy of this index has become a central point of contention. This book looks at the significant implications that arise if these findings are applied to economic policy formulation. Such shifts could change the landscape of the federal budget and directly affect the lives of Americans who rely on government programs. For students, researchers, and policy analysts, this text provides a necessary look at the debate surrounding inflation measurement and its real-world consequences for beneficiaries and the national economy.