Inflategate

November 19, 2021

The New England Patriots beat the Atlanta Falcons Thursday night by a score of 25-0. It was not quite as dramatic and artistic as the stirring comeback from a 28-3 deficit in Super Bowl LI, but it was still pretty good nonetheless. It was their fifth win in a row, putting them solidly in the playoff race. It was a Thursday night game on the road, which is always difficult, against a team that had four wins against five losses. It had been the first time Atlanta had been shutout at home in decades. The Patriots were trying to build back better this year after a disappointing 2020. Yet, when I read the papers the next morning, all I saw was articles about how much the Patriots have to work on. It may be true, but give me a break. For some, it’s never enough.

Which brings me to President Biden, the Democrats, Build Back Better, and inflation. The Patriots had deflategate when Tom Brady allegedly let the air out of some footballs. The Republicans have been trying to let the air out of Joe Biden’s agenda. The infrastructure bill passed. The economy is growing, unemployment is shrinking, people are getting vaccinated, wages are rising, and consumers have money in their pockets. It sounds pretty good, but, in the words of many, albeit not just Republicans, the Democrats and Coach Biden have some things they need to work on like inflation. As with the Patriots, the Democrats may be victims of their own successes. Recoveries bring demand, and demand brings rising prices. Reasonable or not, we expect more. Fortunately, the Super Bowl and the mid-term elections are a ways off. There is plenty of time to get things exactly right. In the meantime, give me a break.