Inflation. Inflation. Inflation. It’s high, persistent, and global. And everyone is talking about it. Politicians in the European Union are implementing massive public spending programs to offset skyrocketing energy costs, which are increasing the price of almost everything. In Canada, newly-selected Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre made inflation a central plank of his leadership campaign, which clearly resonated with the Conservative membership. In the U.S., where prices across almost all classes of goods continue to rise rapidly, data suggests that 52% of Americans view inflation as the most important issue facing the country.
Inflation is hated across the political spectrum. In the United States, although Republicans are comparatively more concerned about rising prices, it also tops the list of concerns for Democrats, beating out gun violence, political extremism/polarization, and climate change by significant margins. In a country where the two political parties can’t agree on much, they have managed to come together on this issue. In Canada, polling suggests that inflation is a top-tier political concern of the public, alongside the political mainstays healthcare, the economy, and the environment.
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