Bidenflation Right Before Your Eyes: December 2023 Kroger Prices vs. December 2019 Kroger Prices

The economy is the single most concerning political issue for Americans. If you are honest and are simply paying decent attention to what is going on in America, you already know this. If you need a source other than your eyes and ears, there are multiple polling agencies, including Gallup and Pew, that reveal this to be the case.

More specifically, inflation is the most cited political issue by a plurality of Americans. Thanks to the foolish economic policies of the Biden administration, the price increases that have plagued the U.S. the past few years have hit most Americans quite hard. In other words, “Bidenomics” is best described as “Bidenflation.”

Of course, Joe Biden, his Democrat colleagues, and his nefarious media apologists are working overtime to attempt to gaslight as many Americans as possible when it comes to the U.S. economy. Biden and his ilk have gone so far as to claim that Americans’ concerns on inflation are due to “disinformation” spread via social media. As Joy Pullmann at The Federalist recently put it, “It’s not social media making inflation top of Americans’ minds, it’s every trip to every store.”

Like tens-of-millions of other Americans, my wife and I know this all too well. And like most Americans dismayed by inflation, the grocery store is where we are most frequently reminded of “Bidenflation.” With this in mind, I took it upon myself to do a bit of research.

We have a large Kroger grocery store very near our house and shop there often, usually multiple times a week. Using a current Kroger weekly ad and a Kroger weekly ad from early December of 2019, for multiple popular grocery store items, I compared prices. The results were telling.

I chose December because that is the current month, and I chose 2019 because this is just prior to the Covid economy and the Biden economy, when inflation really took off. Finding old Kroger weekly ads proved more difficult than I thought, so I went with what I found most quickly. Thus, I used the December 4-10, 2019 weekly ad from a Kroger in Russellville, Arkansas.

For accuracy, I used last week’s weekly ad (11/29-12/5) from Russellville, Arkansas. However, after a same-day (as my online research) visit to the Kroger near our home (in GA), I noticed that the current Russellville ad was nearly identical to our current weekly Kroger ad.

Due to the Kroger weekly being copyrighted (even though it is a free item), I cannot show images directly from each ad here. (Go to the links above for those.) Thus, to provide a visual for the grocery items described throughout the rest of this piece, I replicated the ads using photos that I took.

The table below contains items from several different ads within each Kroger weekly with accurate pricing information below each image. The left-hand column contains items from the 2019 Kroger weekly. The right-hand column contains items from the 2023 Kroger weekly or from inside a Kroger store. Each row of the table shows the exact same, or very similar, items.

2019 (Kroger)	2023 (Kroger)
Final Cost (With Card) When You Buy 4: 4/$10 (Coke or Pepsi)	Final Cost (With Card) When You Buy 4: 4/$12 (Coke or Pepsi)
Final Cost (With Card) When You Buy 4: 99₵ (Coke, Pepsi, or 7UP) Otherwise Price is $1.67	Final Cost (With Card) When You Buy 5: 5/$5 (Pepsi 2L, Gatorade 28oz,…) Otherwise Price is $2.99
Dr. Pepper, Select Varieties of 24-Pack, 12 fl oz Cans, $4.77 Each With Card and Digital Coupon (Without Coupon and With Card, $6.99 each.)	Coca-Cola or Pepsi, Select Varieties of 24-Pack, 12 fl oz Cans, $7.99 Each With Card and Digital Coupon (Without Coupon and With Card, $13.99 each.)
Final Cost 9.25-11.25 oz., Select Varieties, With Card:$1.88 (Without Card Cost: $2.88)	Final Cost, 6-10.75oz., Select Varieties, When You Buy 4 With Card: $2.29 (Less Than 4 With Card Cost: Up to $5.49)
Boneless English Roast: $2.99/LB With Card	Boneless Beef Chuck Roast: $5.99/LB With Card
Boneless Ribeye Steaks: $9.99/LB  With Card	Boneless Ribeye Steaks: $15.99/LB With Card
Kroger Ground Turkey, 93% Lean, 16oz, $2.99 With Card	Kroger Ground Turkey, 93% Lean, 16oz, $4.99 With Card
Kellogg’s Large Size Cereal, 14.6 to 19.2 oz., Select Varieties, $2.49 Each (Original Price: $3.49)	Kellogg’s Large Size Cereal, 7.8 to 18 oz., Select Varieties, $2.99 Each (Original Price: $4.49 to $5.69)

“With card” means that the customer contains a “Kroger card.” This is free and is obtained by merely applying for it. It must be scanned at the register to obtain the “with card” price.

These price comparisons are not perfect, but they’re close enough to reveal the real story when it comes to inflation in America. As “shrinkflation” (reduced product size in an attempt to hide even higher costs to the consumer) is also part of the story here, let me give row by row details from the table above and provide more information to what the ads above reveal.

• Row 1 (Coke/Pepsi six-pack of bottles): The product size (16.9 fl oz) here has not changed, but the regular sale price is almost always at least 20% (as is shown) higher in 2023 than in 2019. The four six-packs for $12 deal shown (2023 column) is often four-for-$13 or four-for-$15. Four-for-$15 is a 50% increase from the 2019 price.
  
  
• Row 2 (Pepsi two liter): The sale price here is virtually identical, but the two-liter Coke or Pepsi for $1 deal is very rare these days. Also, note the original prices. A two-liter Pepsi in 2019 cost $1.67. Today it costs $2.99. (The same is true for Coke.) This is a 79% increase.
  
  
• Row 3 (24-pack of soda): Though the comparison here is between two different brands (Dr. Pepper vs. Coke/Pepsi), these prices were and are typical for name-brand 24-pack sodas. The $4.77 to $7.99 is a 67.5% increase. Also, again note the original price. The 2019 24-pack cost $6.99. The 2023 24-pack costs $13.99. This is a 100% increase!
  
  
• Row 4 (Doritos): This type of product is where the “shrinkflation” is typical. Doritos and other chip brands have significantly reduced the size of their products, and the prices are still significantly higher. The increase in the “without card” cost is 90.6%.
  
  
• Row 5 (English roast vs. Chuck roast): These two cuts of meat are very similar and thus are often priced the same. The 2019 to 2023 comparison shows the cost per-pound of this type of beef has essentially doubled. Again, this is a 100% increase! This steep level of inflation is common throughout the U.S. when it comes to the price of beef. The dramatic rise in the cost of beef is one of the most notable increases in the Bidenflation era.
  
  
• Row 6 (boneless ribeye steaks): There was no ribeye steak ad in the 2023 Kroger weekly, so the 2023 information here is a current price from in the store. Again, we see a steep increase in the price of beef, from $9.99 a pound to $15.99 a pound. This is a 60% increase.
  
  
• Row 7 (ground turkey): Again, there was not a ground turkey ad in the 2023 Kroger weekly, so the information in the 2023 column is from inside our Kroger store. The jump from $2.99 to $4.99 per pound is a 67% increase. Bidenflation has hit meat prices in general quite hard.
  
  
• Row 8 (Kellogg’s breakfast cereals): Breakfast cereals are another product where “shrinkflation” is common. (Again, the information in the 2023 column is from inside our Kroger store.) So, though the sale price “with card” increase is “only” 20% ($2.49 to $2.99) and the original price increase—$3.49 to $4.49 (and up)—is at least a 28.7% increase, the actual price increase is larger due to less cereal in each 2023 box. The “large cereal size” in 2019 was from 14.6 to 19.2 oz. The comparable Frosted Flakes boxes today are 13.5 oz. The comparable 2023 Fruit Loop and Apple Jacks boxes are each only 10.1 oz. The current price (images not shown) for “large size” Kellogg’s Corn Pops (13.1 oz) and Apple Jacks (13.2 oz) is $5.79. Without taking into account the shrinkflation, this is a 65.9% increase.

Though this is just a handful of items—there are many more I could’ve mentioned—this small sample size is well representative of the large and widespread inflation throughout the U.S. food industry. Also, Kroger prices are well representative of American grocery stores in general. After Walmart and Costco, Kroger is the largest supermarket retail chain in the U.S.

In spite of the attempted spin by Biden and his apologists, Bidenflation is all too real, and it is devastating to millions of American families.  

Copyright 2023, Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor is the author of the The Miracle and Magnificence of America
trevorgrantthomas@gmail.com

"Derek Chauvin Did Not Murder George Floyd"

The above headline is from a recent piece by Glenn Loury (a black man) with John McWhorter (a black man). The column makes much use of the recent documentary film, The Fall of Minneapolis, and like the film, is well worth your time. The video below is a discussion between Mr. Loury and Mr. McWhorter on how "New Evidence on George Floyd's Death Changes Everything." In the words of Mr. McWhorter, "Once again, we've been lied to...Derek Chauvin didn't kill that man." 

Don't be scared by YouTube's foolish and deceitful declaration that "This video is age-restricted and only available on YouTube." There's nothing here but a discussion between two very smart men on what really happened to George Floyd and Derek Chauvin. The only thing that could be deemed controversial in the video is the use of one "f-bomb." YouTube doesn't want this video widely seen because they don't want the prevailing narrative surrounding the death of George Floyd--namely, that Floyd was murdered by a racist white cop--to change. 

Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor is the author of the The Miracle and Magnificence of America
trevorgrantthomas@gmail.com

A History of Thanksgiving (Taken from The Miracle and Magnificence of America)

Sir Walter Raleigh’s first attempts at settling the New World were disastrous. The English, who were now trying to gain a foothold in the New World, were succumbing to the same greed that had earlier blinded the Spaniards. Starvation, disease, hostile Indians, and other hardships, including a whole colony lost (the Lost Colony of Roanoke), led to dampened enthusiasm for New World expeditions.

It would be nearly 20 years after Raleigh’s initial ventures before enough English interest could again be sparked for more New World adventure. Despite recruiting “sermons” that contained messages of evangelical outreach, and the preamble of the Company’s charter, written by King James I, which contained the words, “…propagating of Christian religion to such people as yet live in darkness and miserable ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God, and may in time bring the infidels and savages, living in these parts, to human civility and to a settled and quiet government,” the lust for gold was, again, what drove European men across the Atlantic.

On May 14, 1607, headed by a seven-man council, which included John Smith, 144 men settled Jamestown. Because of their misguided efforts it was a disaster from the beginning. These men battled the elements, disease, Indians, starvation, and one another. The lone minister on the adventure, Robert Hunt, did his best to keep the others focused on God. His sermons went mostly unheeded; however, he persevered. By February of 1608 only 38 of the 144 remained alive.

The death rate did not abate with time. As Peter Marshall and David Manuel note,

For example, of the 1,200 people who went out to Virginia in 1619, only 200 were left alive by 1620. Why this horrible continuing death rate? There is no logical explanation, except one: year after year they steadfastly refused to trust God—or indeed to include Him in any of their deliberations.

The next settlers to cross the Atlantic would not make the same mistakes. They were not seeking wealth and prosperity, but a new home. They believed that America was their spiritual destiny. The Pilgrims (dubbed “Separatists” by the Church of England), and the Puritans who followed them, knew better than to undertake anything without God.

Aboard the Mayflower were 102 passengers, less than half of whom were of Pastor John Robinson’s Separatist flock. After a grueling two-month voyage, on November 11, 1620, they dropped anchor in Cape Cod, and heeding the advice and wisdom of their pastor, the Pilgrims drafted a compact that would embody the same principles of government upon which American democracy would rest. It read,

In the name of God, amen. We whose names are under-written…Having undertaken, for the glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and honor of our King and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic…constitute and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony…the 11th of November…Anno Domini 1620.

John Carver, who had chartered the Mayflower, was chosen as the first governor of the colony. His was the first signature on the Mayflower Compact, which is considered by many to be the world’s first written constitution. William Bradford would soon replace Carver as governor and would serve in that capacity for 31 years. On December 21, 1620, the Pilgrims settled at what would become known as Plymouth.

A replica model of the Mayflower. Created by Norbert Schnitzler.

Though their efforts were “for the glory of God,” the Pilgrims were not immune to the many hardships of an untamed America. Before long, many started dying. William Bradford’s wife Dorothy was among the casualties as she fell overboard and drowned. (Initially, while dwellings were being built, the Pilgrims lived mostly aboard the Mayflower.) Due in part to a brutal winter, dozens would die in those first few months, including 13 of 18 wives. In spite of hardships, the Pilgrims were undeterred and drew ever closer to God.

The First Thanksgiving, by Jean-Léon Gérôme.

The months turned into years and saw the Pilgrims develop good relations with the local natives including Massasoit, a wise and welcoming chief of the local tribes, Samoset, and especially Tisquantum, or Squanto.

In the middle of March 1621, just as the Pilgrims were coming out of the devastatingly harsh winter, a guard alerted his comrades with the cry of “Indian coming!” Wearing only a loincloth as he walked into the Pilgrims’ camp, Samoset astonished the English onlookers with a hearty “Welcome!” Then speaking surprisingly clear English, he followed his friendly greeting with a request, “Have you got any beer?”

The Pilgrims informed their friendly guest that they were out of beer, and offered him brandy instead. After a hearty snack of brandy, biscuit, butter, cheese, pudding, and roast duck, Samoset was ready to answer questions. In spite of their difficult and deadly plight, Samoset’s words gave the Pilgrims great cause to thank God.

On March 22, 1621, Samoset returned to the Pilgrims with Squanto, who spoke even better English. Squanto’s life is an amazing tale of God’s provision that very closely resembles the account of Joseph from Genesis, chapter 37. Soon after Samoset introduced Squanto to the Pilgrims, a meeting with Massasoit, chief of the Wampanoag people, was arranged. Massasoit, Samoset, Squanto, and dozens of Wampanoag warriors traveled to Plymouth to meet the Pilgrims. With Samoset serving as the interpreter for Massasoit, the meeting was extremely fruitful. A peace treaty and a treaty of mutual aid were struck with Massasoit that would last for decades.

Massasoit and his party returned home, but Squanto remained with the Pilgrims. Being a man without a tribe, personally witnessing the desperation of the Pilgrims, and already having adopted their faith, Squanto took pity upon his new-found English friends and wanted to help them succeed in their New World. He taught them how to fish for eels and alewives, plant corn and pumpkins, refine maple syrup, trap beavers, hunt deer, and other skills essential to their survival.

Squanto was instrumental in the survival of the Pilgrims—so much so that, according to William Bradford, the Pilgrims considered Squanto “a special instrument sent of God for their good, beyond their expectation.” Massasoit also was an amazing example of God’s providential care for the Pilgrims. Like Powhatan had been at Jamestown, Massasoit was probably the only other native chief on the northeast coast of America who would have welcomed the white man as a friend.

In early April of 1621, with supplies running dangerously low, the Captain of the Mayflower, Christopher Jones, decided he could remain in America no longer. On April 5, 1621, the Mayflower returned to England. As the ship disappeared over the horizon, almost certainly a nervous uneasiness came upon more than a few Pilgrims who remained in the New World. Their last ties to their former home were gone. They, perhaps, felt more alone than at any point of their amazing journey.

The summer of 1621 was beautiful and, thanks in no small measure to the help of Squanto, bountiful. Governor Bradford declared a day of public Thanksgiving to be held in October. Massasoit was invited. Surprising the Pilgrims, he showed up a day early with 90 of his tribe. To feed such a crowd, the Pilgrims would have to go deep into their food supply. However, Massasoit did not show up empty handed. He had instructed his braves to hunt for the occasion, and they came with several dressed dear and fat turkeys. The Thanksgiving turned into a three-day celebration filled with feasting and games.

A few weeks after the first Thanksgiving and about a year after the Pilgrims arrived in the New World, the Fortune sailed into Plymouth on its way to Virginia. The main cargo was an additional 35 colonists and a charter granted from the New England Company. There was tremendous celebration over the new charter; however, unlike the Indians, the new colonists arrived virtually empty handed. They had no extra clothing, food, or tools. The Pilgrims would have to adjust their winter food rationing plan severely.

The winter of 1621-1622 was as difficult as feared. The Pilgrims entered what has been described as their “starving time.” Some reports reveal that at times, food rations for each person were a mere five kernels of corn per day. Miraculously, that winter not one Pilgrim died of starvation.

There was no Thanksgiving celebration in 1622. When the spring planting season of 1623 rolled around, the Pilgrims realized that to fend off further hunger and rationing, a corn harvest at least twice as large as last season was necessary. However, a lackluster work ethic prevailed among them. This was mainly because the contract entered into with their merchant sponsors in London required everything the Pilgrims produced was to go into a common store and be shared. As Rush Limbaugh has often pointed out on his radio broadcast that celebrates Thanksgiving Day, the Pilgrims were languishing under socialism.

The leaders of the colony then decreed that for the additional planting, individual plots of land would be split, and the yield could be used at the planters’ discretion. Thus, as the concept of private property was introduced, the Pilgrims seemed infused and invigorated with new hope and purpose. As Marshall and Manuel point out, “The yield that year was so abundant that the Pilgrims ended up with a surplus of corn, which they were able to use in trading that winter with northern Indians, who had not had a good growing season.”

On November 29, 1623, two years after the first Thanksgiving, Governor William Bradford made an official proclamation for a second day of Thanksgiving. In it Governor Bradford thanked God for their abundant harvest, bountiful game, protection from “the ravages of savages…and disease,” and for the “freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience.” Well over a hundred Natives attended, bringing plenty of turkey and venison along with them.

The Pilgrims, and the Puritans who followed them, had the proper perspective. As Bradford would so discernibly note, “As one small candle may light a thousand, so the light kindled here has shown unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation…We have noted these things so that you might see their worth and not negligently lose what your fathers have obtained with so much hardship.”

May the light of those first Thanksgivings never be extinguished.

Copyright 2017, Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor is the author of The Miracle and Magnificence of America
TrevorGrantThomas@gmail.com

The Death of George Floyd and "The Fall of Minneapolis"

The Fall of Minneapolis is a new, crowdfunded film that details the death of George Floyd and the horrific aftermath, including the trial of Derek Chauvin. The film is based on Alpha News journalist Liz Collin’s Amazon bestseller They’re Lying: The Media, The Left, and The Death of George Floyd. 

The film features numerous interviews with those directly involved with the infamous George Floyd saga, including former Minneapolis police officers Derek Chauvin and Alexander Kueng, both of whom spoke to Liz Collin from prison. The families of Chauvin and Kueng also speak out publicly for the first time. 

This is a magnificently important work, and by all accounts, very well done. I believe one of the biggest, most destructive lies that has infected our culture is the prevailing narrative surrounding the death of George Floyd. I believe Chauvin and Kueng were railroaded and were, and continue to be, scapegoats for most everything the American left and the Democrat Party holds against U.S. law enforcement. Lord, let there be truth and justice for all of those involved in this tragic event! 

Thanks to the generosity of those supporting the film, it is available for free in full at Rumble and other locations, including below. To support this important work, go here.

Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor is the author of the The Miracle and Magnificence of America
trevorgrantthomas@gmail.com

 

Skillet's John Cooper on Drag Queens at the Dove Awards and the Shameful Silence of Christians

I've been a fan of the Christian rock group Skillet for some time now. However, I have to confess that I had no idea that Christian rocker John Cooper--the lead singer of Skillet--was doing such an AMAZING job when it comes to speaking out on the significant moral issues of our time! In other words, John Cooper is not only an excellent musician, he's a powerful and welcomed voice within the church today! 

With a website, an X (Twitter) page (over 200k Followers), a YouTube channel (over 58k subscribers), and the like, Cooper has a significant online presence. This, combined with the reach of Skillet, gives Mr. Copper an amazing opportunity when it comes to communicating the truth to the world and the church. Unlike so many others Christians who are similarly blessed, he seems to be making the most of this opportunity. 

Mr. Cooper recently took issue with the disgusting and evil display that took place at this year's Dove Awards. The Dove Awards are presented by Gospel Music Association and have existed since 1969. The awards ceremony has been televised since 1984. This year, several heretics decided to attend the awards show "in drag." Copper was aghast and lambasted the display. Mr. Cooper also rightly blasted the deafening silence from most in the Christian community who directly witnessed the display, or, even worse, the downright complicitness of Christians who, in the name of "tolerance," encouraged or excused the display. NEWS FLASH, CHURCH: WE NEED MORE OF JOHN COOPER'S BOLDNESS!!!

Here's Mr. Cooper's full commentary on this important issue:

Trevor Grant Thomas
At the Intersection of Politics, Science, Faith, and Reason.
www.trevorgrantthomas.com
Trevor is the author of the The Miracle and Magnificence of America
trevorgrantthomas@gmail.com