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Re:61% of Americans paid no income taxes in 2020 by bluedevil2k on Thursday August 19, 2021 @11:43AM (#28235272)
The Fed has a 2% inflation target (used to be their only stated target, now they balance unemployment in their target numbers as well). This allows companies to plan ahead knowing with a fair degree of accuracy the expected change in purchasing power year to year.
Re:61% of Americans paid no income taxes in 2020 by adolph on Thursday August 19, 2021 @11:51AM (#28235378)
That sounds like the answer to your own question, no?

The root comment proposes that "They just create the money they need, the never-to-be-paid-off deficit grows, the value of the dollar shrinks, and we move on." How is that incompatible with an inflation target that "allows companies to plan ahead?"

Re:61% of Americans paid no income taxes in 2020 by bluedevil2k on Thursday August 19, 2021 @12:15PM (#28235706)
No, not at all. How much will they print? 23% of GDP? 18% of GDP? That’s $1T difference in cash. How will that affect inflation? Who knows, no one can predict that. A shrinking dollar is bad for imports and America has a huge trade deficit right now, it would cripple international trade.
Re:61% of Americans paid no income taxes in 2020 by landemva on Thursday August 19, 2021 @09:09PM (#28241275)
Tough luck that until some months ago, USA was a net energy exporter. Definitely do not want to ask why energy exports flipped to energy imports. Recall that a few days ago Joe asked Saudis to help out by pumping more oil.
Re:61% of Americans paid no income taxes in 2020 by adolph on Thursday August 19, 2021 @11:35PM (#28242273)
I guess it is all academic since inflation acts as a tax on savings. Going to get taxed one way or another.
Re:61% of Americans paid no income taxes in 2020 by landemva on Thursday August 19, 2021 @09:05PM (#28241251)
Congress created the private contactor known as Federal Reserve with mandate for employment and stable prices. 2% inflation, which violates the mandate and Congress does not care, compounded every year is why purchasing power since 1913 is aiming for the dirt.