"The Consumer Price Indexes (CPI) program produces monthly data on changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for _a_ representative basket of goods and services"
Your 'or at the very least a 20" TV' acknowledges that, too. How do you objectively choose between the two?
Similarly, "like appendix removal or aspirin": who determines that "aspirin" is the actual good, and not "pain killing" or "prevention of strokes"?
That 'choose' part is subjective. http://www.bls.gov/cpi/ (stress added):
"The Consumer Price Indexes (CPI) program produces monthly data on changes in the prices paid by urban consumers for _a_ representative basket of goods and services"
Your 'or at the very least a 20" TV' acknowledges that, too. How do you objectively choose between the two?
Similarly, "like appendix removal or aspirin": who determines that "aspirin" is the actual good, and not "pain killing" or "prevention of strokes"?