Rising costs push necessities out of reach for nearly half of…

What BBN said about it

1. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorHere's the one-sentence version for anyone just waking up: basic stuff costs so much that nearly half of Americans are struggling to afford it.

2. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThat's the headline from The New York Times, based on studies from the Pew Research Center, and I'll say it plainly: it's a tough one.

3. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSo what exactly did the studies find, Chip?

4. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThat inflation has made everyday goods hard to afford, and that attitudes toward inequality have shifted as a result.

5. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorShifted how? The report summary doesn't spell that out, so I'd rather not guess.

6. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorFair. It's not clear from what we have, so we'll stick to what was reported.

7. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorOkay, how did we get here? Give me the plain version.

8. 

   Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorInflation. Prices rose faster than a lot of paychecks, and the stuff you can't skip, like food and rent, added up.

9. 

   Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorAnd earlier this morning we reported inflation hit three point seven percent in September.

10. 

    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorRight, so this study lands on top of that number, and it's the grocery aisle version of it.

11. 

    Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorAnd who bears the brunt of this?

12. 

    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThe editor's angle is a direct hit on household budgets, so basically anyone who buys groceries and pays rent.

13. 

    Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThat's everyone.

14. 

    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorNearly half, according to the study. The rest are presumably buying the other half's groceries.

15. 

    Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorNow, the arguments. Some people blame companies for pricing, some blame government policy, and the studies don't settle it.

16. 

    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorRight, and both sides on that fight can point to the same receipt, which is the one thing everyone agrees on.

17. 

    Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorI'm trying to find the bright side, Chip, and I'm coming up with free samples.

18. 

    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorFree samples are a safety net, Vera. A tiny cheese cube holds this whole economy together.

19. 

    Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorA tiny cube.

20. 

    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorWhat to watch next: whether prices ease, and whether those attitudes about inequality turn into anything at the ballot box. That part is unknown.

21. 

    Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSo the one-sentence version again: everyday costs have outrun nearly half of America, and people are noticing who has more.

22. 

    Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorAnd I can only afford one thing in bulk anymore, and that's optimism.

23. 

    Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorI'm out of that too.