Not surprisingly, many of them are blaming the problem on Covid and, of course, on Russia. If only Covid hadn't hit and if only Russia hadn't invaded Ukraine, everything in the American economy would be hunky-dory.

Progressives are now criticizing the Federal Reserve for threatening to bring an end to its long-time "easy-money" policy. Sensing that the Fed's new policy of raising interest rates will throw the economy into recession. Democrats are, needless to say, concerned about how that will play out in the mid-term elections and, more important, how that will affect Donald Trump's chances of being elected president again in 2024.