Political Quotes

On the recordMay 7, 1997
using the CPI to measure cost of living adjustments is nothing more than a feeble attempt to measure dollar depreciation. This is no more accurate than using stock and bond prices to measure inflation. I have a lot of reservations and think we are making a serious mistake by delivering to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the authority to manipulate the CPI numbers. This is ducking our congressional responsibility, and it is a back-door way to raising taxes and manipulating the entitlements. I think, most importantly, it fails to recognize the basic flaw in our system, and that is the monetary policy and a depreciating of currency. But we have a lame duck President quite willing to accept the responsibility and to accept more executive legislative powers from the Congress, something the Constitution does not authorize. But here we have a President quite willing to, behind the scenes, raise taxes and manipulate the cost of living. The truth is there is no accurate way to measure the cost of living index.
Said by
Rand Paul
Republican · Kentucky

Editor's note · Context

Criticizing the use of the CPI for cost of living adjustments and its implications for taxation and entitlements.

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