CNN

Considering my dad is out of a job currently and the fact that we have a lot of mouths to feed, I'd say it is a problem.

-Brett Milam
Cincinnati, Ohio

Well, considering how little I eat, I think that even doubling my monthly food cost won't bite into my budget.

Jack

I am very concerned despite having a good income. Our weekly grocery bill has increased by at least $50 in the last two months and we aren't being extravagant. With increasing gas prices and our commutes to work being 20+ miles something will have to give soon.

Matt
Rockford, IL

Not at all Jack. I'm in New Orleans, and ever since Katrina the only I worry about rising is water.

Between the rising food prices and gas prices I don't know how I will be able to continue to pay my bills! The only thing keeping me and I am sure a lot of people a float is "credit cards". I will be paying for these bills for years and years just like our Government will be paying for Iraq years from now!

I'm really not worried about food prices. All we need to do is to convert the ethanol that goes into our gas tank, into Corn Whisky. Once we're good and drunk, we'll forget all about food.

It worries me a lot–all of a sudden. We're upper middle income, yet we're starting to stress about future purchases. The biggest concern, though, has to do with concerns for our grown children who are just getting established in careers. Will those jobs stay or go? Should they continue to rent or risk buying–if they can even qualify for loans. I felt pretty unscathed until the last few weeks.

The biggest impact here in Boise is the cost of living. Food prices are up between 15–45% in just four years, depending on where you shop.

I wish the media would just give us the facts on what a recession is and what it means, though. More importantly we should be hearing a lot about how to insulate one's self from potential impacts of a recession or worse.

Boise, ID

We should all be worried as food shortages will make the world more unstable and biofuels only exacerbates the problem. The amount of grain it takes for one fill-up of our SUVs would feed a person for a year.

Ed Reed
Port Aransas, TX

My food bill for a family of four has risen over $100.00 a week in the past 12 months. Between that and gas for our cars we are out $1000.00 a month for the same usage as last year. My income hasn't increased in proportion, as my employer feels we are in a recession and cannot afford pay raises. As a consumer I must take these rising costs from the disposable income category which is ever shrinking. The Economy is in the worst shape we have seen in years. We can only hope the Democrats can save us from the George Bush fiscal debacle destined to be his legacy.

Since my husband and I are seniors on a fixed income, they worry me a great deal. I also worry that the food shortages around the world will start being felt in a profound way here. While everyone talks about the price of a gallon of gas nearing four dollars, no one mentions that milk is already four dollars a gallon. Parents are being forced to make very hard choices and I'm afraid that children here will start to suffer more. I wonder if people will still turn away when the faces of starving children on the nightly news are American or when the food riots are occuring in the U.S.. Do we really want parents to have to choose between gas for the trip to work or feeding their children?

Right now not much. My concern is more for my kids and grandkids and those that make minimum wages.

Doesn't affect me much, but I do have a concern about other people that are not as fortunate as I am. I wish they would learn to vote for the honest person, then maybe they will be able to afford food again. Otherwise, welcome to 3rd world America.

The reasons behind this inflation bother me much more than higher food prices. There really is no end in sight.

Food prices are not much of concern in our household at this point in time. There are only two of us, we don't eat that much, and we shop economically.

I can't afford the gas to drive to the grocery store anyway

Food? I t is all we can do to put gas in the car to go to the grocery store.

Jenny
Altanta Goergia

Yeah, it concerns me. Let's all send our bills to GWB since he says we are not in a recession at the moment.

Jack, we are VERY concerned.
Everything has gone up, but our pay checks. We started buying from a different grocery store, that sells "no brand" products, cheaper than the regular brands. We are eating differently. We are a family of 4, and my husband and I, are both Graphic Designers working for good companies, but we are not getting raises at the same pace of inflation. So we had had to adjust to that as we go along.

Jack, Concern! Our government convinced us to burn food in our automobles, Stop hunting with our firearms. Buy produce from foreign countries. Concern! not in the least. I'll just wait for the government to tell me what to do next.

It causes a lot of stress in our household. With expenses of every king going up, while job security and property values are free falling, this is a very hard recession we are in. I just hope we rebound before too much damage has occurred that we will have to recover from.

I look at the bright side...maybe now I can lose some extra weight

A BIG concern! Eveything is going up, except my paycheck!

Here in New York, I pay $1.39 for a quart of skim milk, almost $6 for a box of cold cereal and forget the prices for fresh fruits and vegetables!

Like most Americans, it wouldn't hurt me to lose a few pounds, but starvation is not the way I'd go about it!

My concerns about food prices, our economy, gasoline prices, and our security are a lot more than that of who is going to be our next President. With the crop of candidates we have it looks like we are in deep dudu..and that is putting it mildly. This country is in a tail spin, and the bottom is no where in sight. It will take more than any of these candidates can give us to get it stopped. It is going to take the American people standing up, and saying they have had enough of this crap. Then to stick by their words, and elect someone who can do something about this poor state of affairs.

It's getting to be a problem for many. Luckily it's not hurting me... yet. If we'd stop growing food to feed our cars, we wouldn't be paying so much to feed ourselves. The government needs to step in and put a quick end to Ethanol, it's a failed experiment that is killing the Gulf of Mexico, ruining our crop lands, using more energy to make than it provides, and it doesn't make a dent in reducing our demand for foreign oil.

Using so much corn for Ethanol is driving up the prices for feedstock for chickens, pigs, and cattle and displaces land otherwise used for wheat and other grains. That drives up the prices of chicken, eggs, pork, beef, milk, breads, rice, etc. Those basic staples drives up the prices of nearly everything else we eat. All to feed our cars to save a few pennies on the dollar while we pay increasingly more for food.

Jack,rising food prices do affect me somewhat,but what would be interesting is know how many of those that cry poverty and complain about rising food and gas prices have ,cable tv ,the internet,two or three cars, and cell phone ,I believe if you have cell phone call some body that cares,none of these things are neccesities,that money could go toward things that really matter,when the going gets tough people need to take care themselves and not depend the nanny state to take care of them!

When your on a fixed income (at least we have one) and prices on necessary items raise we'd be fools not to be concerned – since the prices seem to be directly connected to fuel costs, why isn't the government forcing the Oil companies to give up some of their outlandish profits to cut fuel costs for the truckers? The "dog eat dog" attitude of the current administration is shameful.

We are ok at the moment. But I am sad to see that so many people are suffering because of this problem, not only in this country but around the world. People can live without many other inconvenient things, but if food becomes a real issue, it may create a untested nightmare situation. That is what worries me.

Nuwan from Houston Texas

Not as much as gas prices, which affect everyhing. If farming become profitabl;e, a lot more food will be raised..

Rising food prices don't concern our household at all; we eat to live and not live to eat which was one of the "golden rules" passed down by my parents.

Jack,

Worry me yes, but not as much as where I am going to come up with the money to buy new clothes from all the weight I am loosing. I have been forced to change my eating habits and what I eat. I use to have great meals for $100 a week, now those same meals are costing me $175 a week, which has caused me to completely change my diet to remain in that 100 a week budget. I am 6 ft and its been nearly 30 years since I weighed 165 which is not bad, but not good either.

as a retiree, I am not just worried about food prices but ALL the inflation that is destroying the buying power of my fixed income.

my grandfather immigrated from Germany in the mid 1920's and lived through the hyperinflation that happened there. I remember him telling stories about how it took a wheelbarrow full of Marks to buy a loaf of bread. I never thought that could happen here in America but NOW, with the recent weekly and even daily jumps in food and fuel prices, I fear that it COULD.

Nutritionally? Not very much. People have to eat and they will trade off other expenses to make sure that happens. There are lots of government programs available to help the hardest hit. We look out for each other and I belive we will now. Economically, I am concerned because it will be another drag on the economy which will impact all of us. Internationally, I am profoundly concerned. Developing nations already living on the edge who will face true starvation through shortgaes and cost. In the end, it is another consequence of a global energy pricing process which is starving the world of so many things. For the Orwellians out there, it won't be an oil war that shakes the foundation of society - it will be the concommitnat food crisis which will bring us to our knees. For 40 years, we have ignored this issue - now we must face it.

Quite a bit. And the rising food costs should also worry my cable company, internet service, and hair and nail technician - all of whom I am dropping at the end of this month due to lack of funds!

Definitely. I now make sure I get the sale papers and buy what is on sale and store it in the freezer until needed. Add insult to injury the price of gas.

Jack, as a global society we are still in the position of having more food then we need to have for everyone on the planet to be fed every day. The fact that we do nothing about that is mostly a lack of political will more than it is an issue of supply.

As much as food costs are rising everywhere, here in North America food costs still represent an incredibly small portion of household income on average. What should concern us is that there are places in the world where half or more of an entire family's income could go toward food costs. This kind of gap in the standard of living world wide could get much larger, more people could get more desperate and eventually we could be looking at international conflicts. The idea that our lack of care of the global environment might be making this problem more serious as time moves forward.

i can still get top ramen soup for .19 cents. asian and latin american food is still cheap.double cheeseburgers are still just a buck at mcdonalds. look, food prices are up,because oil prices are up,because we voted a dim-witted ,oil-rich,bush into office,and because we let him mislead and scare us, into a war we can't get out of.

Jack I wouldn't mind paying an extra 15-20% in good clean food, if I knew it went to the family farmer & those who put it on the shelves. But, in reality it's only going to the oil companies. If I had some land I start growing my own veggies.

The dog watched me bring home three bags of dried dog food and a case of canned dog food, so she is contnet. Me, I'm learning to enjoy porridge and gruel.

It's not so much a concern as it is an annoyance. Then again, my family's not afraid to eat beans, potatoes, and sandwich meat. I won't be grilling as many steaks this summer, but I won't go hungry, either.

new world order is loving it!

Hi Jack
very much,and thats why we need Obama to win,because he understands about his mom having to be on food stamps to feed them,and its going to get worst for alot of familys with Bush and Chenney still destroying this country, tell Bush this is not a slow down.maybe we all need to show up at the White House for dinner,were paying for it
clearwater,fl

Fuel costs have risen to the point that getting to and from work is the first priority (thank God I still have a job), next in our budget is food which is also rising....due again to the cost of fuel.....gone are the special trips to resturants, shopping for anything other than essentials....long gone are big ticket items, vacations, toys.....going soon are brand name foods in favor of generic, and....Food prices will continue to go up thanks to bio-diesel

Someone needs to get a handle on this mess before we have to resort to pet food.

well i can make anything out of flour you would like, I take pride in being able to use the skills my Dad taught me as a small child he had lived through the great depression. he was also a HOBO and traveled all over the country. He saw it all too. it is not in money that we are who were are. its in our hearts. time
I hate to say it but I saw all this in a nightmare as a child. soon the USA will be just like any othe old 3rd world country. We forgot the past and thought we were immune the ill of this world. we forgot this word YET which means Your entitled too. we are sowing what we reaped over the years. time for us to find hearts again. God Save USA

I am very concerned. Not only are the prices escalating, but the products that we prefer seem to be scarcer than before where I shop. With the increased costs of gasoline and food–two necessities that Americans can't live without (because public transportation is inadequate or non-existent) I'm quite concerned that in the next few months I'll be sacrificing other things to pay for them. I already tried to get a part time job to help keep my savings account going-passed over 4 times in favor of hispanic Americans (presumably illegal). I'm in my 50's, retired military, and concerned I'll be able to stay in my home. With the rising cost of living, I may have to sell to find cheaper accommodations or face defaulting on my mortgage. With the lack of part time job opportunities–I can't recover like I did 15 years ago to bring extra $$ into the home.

According to Bush everything is fine, just a "slowdown", but he has NO knowledge of economics or history or anything, he just knows he is the "decider". Since he and his rich friends don't have to worry about money he has decided everything is fine the h with the rest of us. January can not come too fast for me.

Gas prices, Iraq, Iran, corruption in government, Hypocrisy in government, no jobs, falling wages, most countries hate us, Dick Cheney, special interests, yep here it is Jack food prices ,I knew it was in there!

It is a disrace that this Country is in this condition! Our Economy is so serious that people are going without food because they have no money to provide meals on a table. With the rising cost of food and the conitnuous rise in gas, this country will eventually go down to poverty! It is hard to believe that this Administration doesn't have a care in the world and shows no concern on the status of the American people.

Yes Jack!

I'm going to get as fat as I can!!!!

This way if I can't afford food anymore, I'll have a backup!

No one wants to spend more on staples. But no one in my household will go hungry because of rising prices. I am very concerned, however, that millions more world-wide will likely starve this year ... unable to feed themselves and their families. All caused by this country's obsession to convert so much food into fuel. It is borderline 'criminal' that our government is actually paying people to worsen this tragedy.

You're asking the wrong question Jack. You should be asking if the decline of our dollar worries us. When the value of our dollar falls the price of everything goes up. Maybe someone should put a leash on the Fed.

Certainly. Now we are resorting to one breakfast & one supper a day. We never expected things go wrong so rapidly.It all started from Iraq war & GW.
CA

Not at all, I just eat less and am loosing weight now. My diebetes is getting better and I am more active and get around more. The high gas prices make me walk more and I feel better. Maybe we have too much that we dont really need, why not just enjoy it and don't ask about work, why bother.

A hell of a lot as does the price of everything else. I'm a senor citizen but still ike the taste of food.

Well considering my husband can get dismissed from his contract at a drop of the hat it scares me to death especially with food banks being so low. Heck I almost to debunking back to food stamps again so it might not be so bad after all, right Jack.

Obama 08
April in Austin Texas

At the moment it's a minor annoyance. I'm more worried about the fact that it's going to be getting worse for a long time and no one has a viable plan to stop it. The current administration's policies are only going to make the problem worse, and if McCain gets elected, the economy has the proverbial snowball's chance to get better.

I'm very concern. It already cost me a fortune to fill up the gas tank on my car to go the supermarket to purchase what I need. Pretty soon, I will have to make a choice.........a full tank of gas........or an empty stomach.........Great diet.............I lost almost twenty pounds looking the food I use to buy......

Jack, rising food prices are a nuisance to me...I don't like it, but I can afford it. My real worry is for the poor in developing nations who cannot. Poverty and famine inevitably lead to more regional conflicts – a polite euphemism for war.

In the South, folks have lived through some hard times such as the Civil War, the Great Depression, loss of the textile industry, and loss of a farming economy. We have a tradition of reverting to "poor eating" in "bad times." These are getting to be some bad times so we are do minimum driving and are eating more corn bread, dried beans, canned corn beef, and rice as protein sources. We buy vegetables from "dollar stores" or grow them in pots or in the shrubbery. We have gardens if we have yards. We use coupons and shop carefully for special sales, or just do without if we must. Yes, we have learned to be careful. Managing on less as prices keep going up eliminates any "wants" and only allows a careful choice of the necessities. MS from SC

My husband say "a whole lot" but more so the gas prices. I guess it's his job to worry. As for me, I'm just hanging in there until Hillary get's around to start fixing our economy next January . We won't starve before then.

For me it's a considerable concern because of my limited income. But by comparison to those who are low income with children or those on the street, I'm sitting pretty. I used to be able to buy organic foods which I believe are healthier for me and the environment but these days I'm glad I have money for ordinary vegetables. I fear that if the Democrats are not put into the White House, the situation will only continue to deteriorate. This is a terribly sad state of affairs for this wealthy nation and for one that can help everyone else in the world.

As a retiree in a city with great public transportation I can ride on a $10 a month fast pass and only myself to feed, it hasn't affected me much. I feel very sorry for those that are caught in the gas prince pinch and now the food price explosion with a family to feed. As rich as we were in 2000, we are rapidly becoming a third world country thanks to George.

There is one good thing about higher food prices, Jack. Some people that are obese may have to stop eating so much out of necessity. But for most of the working class it's just trying to figure out another way to rob Peter to pay Paul.

Dear Mr. Cafferty, my mom says I'm going to eat her out of house and home. I told her not to worry...that sub-prime, adjustable rate mortgage she signed last year is going to beat me to the punch.

Love,
Pippie

Jack
We are eating a lot of " Pasta & Fagolio ", cutting more coupons and scrounging free meals from my relatives. It really hurts when you have been invited out for dinner and you dont have enough gas to get back and forth. Do you remember when Chris and Paulie Walnuts were stuck in the woods eating relish packets. Were almost there.

Personally, I could do with going on a diet. But, there are already people in this great nation who are close to starving and we have to consider them. It really comes to something when such a great nation must admit to the existence of joblessness, homelessness, hunger and despair within its own borders and still have international aid programs in place, involvement in someone else's civil war, an inadequate veteran's rehabilitation program and politicians more concerned about white votes, black votes, women's votes etc. The change of government cannot come quickly enough and we don't want a President who will only answer the phone at 3am but someone who will be willing to work across party lines to ensure that fundamental needs are satisfied, rather than ego.

Jack, this reflects the messy economy we are in, and the foolish moves our present administration has done to bring this on. In our house, we save as much as we can in what we buy. We are not millionaires and I don't know what will be in the future and I really worry about those individuals whose income is more limited and food prices are a real problem.

Food prices are up for several reasons JACK.

Weak dollar
Transportation costs
Ethanol hoax
Labor costs increasing on the farm and throughout the pipeline

So why don't Borat and the Shrew promise everybody free food as well??

Yep. They concern me. Not so much in the summer because I have a big garden and chickens and cattle and I farm Corn too that I will make a killing off of this year. It concerns me but I can sleep at night. I drive a hybrid car that gets 60 miles to the gallon and all my farm equipment runs on natural gas. I switched over to LED and florescent bulbs years ago and those that have not are throwing good money away. I would recommend to folks who want to save money monthly to switch to florescent or LED bulbs too. You save a lot of money on electricity it is better for the environment when they are disposed of properly when burnt out and what you save on your electricity bills will help pay for food. People that don't modify their behavior will be worse off. Those that choose to think smart and conserve will be just fine.

Jack, Food is only one part of the equasion. Add to food the cost of oil, gas, electricity, taxes - everything keeps going up. How are we suppose to live? I guess I won't be able to retire any time soon.
If Pres. Bush cared about the American people he would find a way to get the cost of oil and gas down to give us some relief. The American people are all hurting and Bush is looking the other way.

I don't know which is worse - the rising price of food or the rising price of gas. A gallon of milk is almost $5 here - I don't know how a family with a couple of milk drinking kids can afford that.

I always wanted to go on a diet.. but never knew where to start. Now I Know.

I got out my crock pot the other night and made the best mess of beans we've had in a long time. We have already started our new regimen. More veggies from the garden, less dairy, and beef will be a treat instead of ice cream. Who knows, maybe our cholesterol will lower and I will loose that stubborn extra few pounds.

Not as much as the gas prices. There are places where one can get food for free but there is nowhere one can get gas for free. The food no one really likes will remain low priced while there isn’t any gas anyone dislikes. If I can’t drive to work as gas is too expensive the price of food is moot.

Hollis, NH

I think about the less fortunate people on fixed incomes. How are they doing?

JACK: I worry a lot, We americans have never been REAL hungry, I'm on a fix income and live in a small town, 1 gal of milk is$ 5,08 with tax. Gas is $3.45 I live 45 miles from any large city.It cost a lot in a small town. no choice When people get (HUNGRY) no telling what will happen. I'm affraid it won' t be pretty when they get mad and no one will listen LOOK OUT!!!

None what so ever, I just go to my "local food pantry" and tell them
I'm here in this country Illegally and they give me all the food
I need.

Jerry
Roselle, Illinois

I have what I call the "Cheeseburger Theory". As long as the government keeps cheesburgers cheap and the cable TV going, then we will be a meek and pliant public. OPEC and Big Oil have taught every corporation that once the public has been de-sensitized to price increases, there is no limit to what they can charge.

I'm scared!

I am a single mother with 2 sons, ages 9 and 11, to feed, clothe, provide shelter for, keep healthy, and happy! It is hard to hide the "HOLY CRAP" when I stop to fill up or when buying bare necessities at the grocery store. My sons have learned to watch the price of gas as well as their favorite foods (apples, oranges, strawberries, lettuce, etc) at the grocery store. They have started looking at the price and now will not ask for the things that they love and should have! For pete's sake...it's fruit! It is Nicuraguan or Venezulean fruit...but still fruit! (Thank you NAFTA)

The big doodles in Washington don't grasp the concept, of how hard we as NORMAL americans are being hit, because they don't pay for their gas...they don't pay for their healthcare...they don't have to work 8+ hours a day, almost every day of the week, every month of the year to make ends meet. They are set! And we pay them to do a job for us an speak for us and they are all mutes now! I can't afford a new economical vehicle...yet they get driven/flown around free at our expense!

It is killing me. I will have to move back in with my parents and help them out, as well as me, because they are on a fixed income and these price hikes are really hurting the elderly. My mother and I have planted all kinds of vegetables and fruit in her backyard. God bless the plants to grow and bear much.

It is sure nice of President Bush and all his croanie lap dogs to sit and grin. I bought a house at the beginning of his first term. I was so happy and so were my children. NOW, I will more than likely have to give up my house at the end of his second term. There is no dream in America any longer.

And who's bonehead idea was it to use corn for ethanol. What a moron. Algae, which we don't eat, can make 100,000 gallons of ethanol per acre as opposed to 30 gallons an acre for corn. Did the nincompoop that said "Use corn" even have his head in daylight?

I am ashamed that these are the leaders of this country. To ignore the issues and voices of the people that put you in office is the very definition of treason itself.

Check back in six months, after we elected a muslim raised black man, after gas is over $5 a gallon, after millions of jobs are lost because people can't afford to live or even drive to work. The anti christ after he is elected is going raise our taxes too. The end is near.

Alot Jack it is wild out there just resently i started to go to Sam's Club because places Like Price Chopper, And Hyvee are selling groceries at outragous prices it makes me go eat off the dollar menu all the time

Yes it dose we are spending about $150.00 more a week for food and gas I got a 0.10 cent rase that is not going to help us so that is why we do need a change in W.DC I am doing 2 jobs now so that is 3 incomes and the more we make the more we have to spend it makes you feel too go to W.DC and kick all the big fat cats out or have them split there money with the people because they have the big money and not doing a thing for the littli people

At least the government is looking out for us. As soon as I get my $600 stimulus check I can afford to start eating again.

I've seen prices in our area increase substantially more than the rise in inflation. For example, a can of soup that cost 89 cents last year now costs $1.29. A carton of large eggs have gone from $1.09 to $2.09. How much is due to a rise in fuel and grain costs and how much is due to greed? I don't know, but I've adjusted my entire budget for food and fuel upwards by 30% and have cut out all non-essential purchases, eating in restaurants, and going to movies. My neighbors have planted gardens, and they, too, have cut out all non-essentials. But why do we bother? According to "W", this is just a little slow down. If this is a slow down, then Mount Everest is a little hill.

I am not so concerned for myself as I am for the potential for war in other countries. Not only are we supposed to be the bread basket of the world, but we are supposed to be the worlds police. (As long as the country in question has Oil. IE Iraq vs Darfur) Lately we have over stretched our military, spent Billions, and accomplished nothing. What are we going to do when more and more countries descend into chaos.

When gas prices rise, food prices follow. While demand has risen what with economic improvements in China and India, I think what we are seeing in the US is more reflective of gas prices and some calculated "strategic" profit generation by supermarket chains-using gas prices as an excuse to raise profits. Rising prices for food certainly effect the household budget. Are we at a breaking point? No as we are fortunate, however for those less fortunate, it has to be making for difficult budget choices.

Jack – Like most Americans we passed worry a long time ago, and are fast approaching a full blown panic.

The current administration in Washington has not heard the public outcry and are clueless to the precarious condition of the country. The fact that the president doesn't know the price of a gallon of gasoline is frustrating and makes me upset.

Personally speaking I distract myself from the stress by entertainment (T.V., movies, or music) or hobbies (golf, reading, writing) attempting to focus on pleasant thoughts, or when the stress of potentially not being able to meet the needs of my family becomes too great, I pray for strength and guidance and carry on.

We have a presidential candidate who recently expressed this for me and was torn apart for it. So, while my household is very concerned about food prices we are more concerned that in America it appears that a lie can still out run the truth.

We will be able to change the economy when we change our mindset and attitudes. Until then I'll just keep praying!

Andre,
Miami, Florida

Rising food prices are a concern in my household because my wage has not risen to negate the added expenses of food and gas. It seems that everything necessary to live is increasing in this country, except the prevailing wages of almost any job that has not been outsourced. To compensate for the high food prices, we eliminated red meat a long time ago. Even beer prices went up last time I was at the store Jack!!

Jack, Concern in the most looked at foot race between gasoline prices and food prices is a dead heat, because both make you want to holler!

No concern Jack, Obama will feed us if food prices git too high and he wins the election. After all he is the messenger of hope.

I am an educated disabled person in Texas. I am on a fixed social security income who now Bush is attempting to revoke so I can pay for the Iraq war. I eat turkey sandwiches as a meal, tuna is a luxury. Can't afford to go out anywhere to drive, can't afford to even go to the doctors with my wonderful co-pay of Medicare to feed my son, dare I try to fix a meal for my son who is working hard and going to college, etc. Our frig is continuously just about empty. A church gave me a bunch of can goods, so my son can eat when we had to fix his car. I sacrifice myself to help my son. What you learn, that turkey sandwich when you are hungry never tasted so good. I have learned to be very creative with top ramen noodles. Fresh fruits and vegetables, an opportunity to have a fresh spinach salad is the best as a guilty treat.

North Carolina is overrun with illegal immigrants who have fattened up off our welfare system. I'm not worried about food at any price because I've heard that illegal immigrants taste "just like chicken".

Hey Jack Twice in one day both are subjects i've been thinking about today. Hell yes i'm concerned. My wife and i Just bought 26 Chickens and are planning to grow more vegetables this summer. Canning our own food will be a necessity . also we are going to buy more local produce from Farmers Markets and local farmers cut out the middleman. I live in a rural area so this may easy for me to do but what about the people who can't grow there own food or are able to raise their own livestock. The world is crashing into a food shortage.
Iwas in Afghanistan in 2006 and let me tell you food is hard to come by and the poverty is stifeling. what will happen here if food becomes to expensive for people chaos.

Jack,

Higher food prices is a major problem for every American citizen, but the plus side President Bush's secret plan to get every person in the country healthier by forceing them to deit will work and be his greatest legacy...

C.I., New York

During the Carter years, the price of oil/gas was very high and I'm sure food too. Then, it was called a recession. Now, it's the same thing yet everybody is flippity floppity whether there's recession or not? Why? Bush and MCcain keep saying economy is great, well, that's because when they buy things they don't really look at prices because they know they can afford it. That's being out of touch with working class. I bet MCCain doesn't know there's scanners in grocery stores!

And you know Jack there's this guy driving around on a horse, cnn reported. Well let's all have a cow, chicken and grow our own veggies!! We'll all have farms in our backyards!!

I am a retired widow, and I manage: "Cup of coffee, and the 'family' is fed!" But, it is strange that the United States, which never tires of telling the rest of the world how it shouild live, and about the endless riches, and the "glories" of "democracy"...has a growing population of homeless...hungry...unemployed...and, unfortunates with mental health issues, who clog emergency rooms from coast-to-coast...Why? Might there not be more like these unfortunates, in a "bad" economy? Where are our tax dollars going, folks, if not to aid citizens in "lean" times?

It does not worry me if the reason is rising demand due to population growth which is natural. Survival of the fittest.

It worries me a lot if the reason is we are growing tobacco and crops to make fuel for our cars instead of food, or other forced use of land due to subsidies which makes the land unusable after abusing it.

So yes I'm worried.

Hi Jack:

Do you remember the 70's? The price of everything went up in double digits? Well this is 00's. You will see the price of many things go up in triple digits.

Ron K. San Diego

Well its going to hurt lots of people. They will start laying off employees at the store cause business is down, people hardly go out to eat anymore,that is where they cut to save for the gas. I think it is bad for everyone. These high food prices are going to hurt a lot of hard working people, and we are still throwing away tons of money on this never ending war.Go Figure Jack.

I feel like my family is very fortunate. we have jobs, a home, cars, and can afford to be optimistic in the long term. In the short term, our budget has reached crtical mass. Our incomes have been flat, at best, over the last seven years. There is no more wiggle room. energy bills, gasoline, food, all going up. We will have to find ways to conserve, things to eliminate, and probably not pay all our bills on time. Disposable income has already been disposed of. Our standard of living is ebbing away, day by day, year after year. Hooray for the ruling class. I hope they are happy. Yet Mr Straight Talk says if we just make the tax cuts permanent..........

Blame your dumb government people! Great idea to turn corn into bio fuel – & to make it even better why not subsidise farmers to do it!!

FACT : turning corn into ethanol produces more carbon than what the fuel actually saves. As it takes all the surplus corn/grain you export off the market the price of food goes up...

I am in Switzerland & we got gas at $7.50 a gallon here...

I am single, and have been able to cut back withouth too much impact at this poin. Butt I worry about my Dad, who is on disability and has a fixed, limited income. I also worry about my mom, who lives in a rural area and in addition to the surge in grocery prices, is also struggling with her $400+ month gas bill due to her required commute to work.

A lot more than a moment ago, now that you've told us about food rationing right here in the U.S.A. Wonder how many billions the oil companies are going to make this year, Jack.

I'm very worried. I doubt we will see food lines in the US at this rate, but i do bleive it makes the rest of the world much more volataile. Food crisises undermine democracies and promote strongmen.

Beans, beans, the musical fruiit,
The more you eat, the more you toot,
The more you toot, the better hou feel,
Let's have beans for every meal.....

The only absolute "necessities" in life are Food and water. That's it. It scares me to death that I might not be able to afford gasoline, food and my medication all in the same MONTH!

I live on an organic farm, and thank god every day. I can't believe that people are able to survive at all these days, especially if they want to eat fresh vegetables and fruits. My advice is START A GARDEN!! It's how our parents lived through bad times, and you'll have higher quality, better tasting food. Gardening isn't hard – we've just moved away from it in this convenience-oriented society. But there are lots of ways to save money. If you really want to save money, you can also move to a vegetarian diet. Eating meat is the worst thing you can do for your food budget, and it's an environmental nightmare too. Stop smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. Walk or ride a bike, or take public transportation if you can. And write your lawmakers, letting them know you're spending less. The fatcats who are paying them off will eventually get the message if we stop paying them WHATEVER they want. Stand up to them! Come on America!

Everybody is complaining because food is going into gas tanks. At least farmers are getting the money instead of some sheik. Think about it ,that farmer is more likely to buy that house you can t pay for than that sheik

Jack, no it's not a problem let's talk about Rev. Wright he can lower the prices.

I don't think Americans will have a problem finding food, just finding food they really like. The price increase means I'm back on my staple student diet of ramen noodles. Not the best thing for my body or appetite, but what choice do I have if I want to eat? Hard to beat fifty cents for a pound of noodles...

Jack, when people stop subscribing to their cable service so they can buy food and gasoline, you'll know it is time to worry. Unfortunately we won't be able to hear your thoughts on it.

Barack has a tough road going head to head with the Clinton Dynasty and the Clinton Democratic machine. As far as wooing the blue collar workers and older women, that is why the candidates choose a
V.P. candidate that will bridge this gap.

I am a senior citizen, female, and would NEVER vote for Hillary Clinton. I would not vote for McCain either. So if the Democrats really want to lose, they will back Hillary. If the choice is between McCain and Hillary, I will not vote.

Who has to worry abot rising food costs when you cannot afford to fill the car to go shopping?

I've been poor before! Learned along time ago you can live on alot less than you think without going on foodstamps.

Roy-Id

jack,i am concerned about those people on fixed incomes with the rise in prices on almost everything.food,health&shelter are basic necessities of life and this administration has done nothing to help.

Unfortunately, it's a question of race. Obama carries 9 out of 10 of the black vote, but that's it. He can only really win states with large black populations. If Obama wins the nomination he won't be able to carry enough of the non-black vote, therefore he will fail and McCain will be the next president. If Hillary wins the nomination, she will appeal to the non blacks and at the same time blacks will reluctantly vote for her rather than the GOP candidate, and Hillary will become the next president.

James Lee
British Columbia

The cost of food is bothering me so much that I am trying to grow a vegetable garden. To cut my food bills this summer. And possibly winter.

Alicia
SC

Food prices concern me enough to do most of my shopping at Costco and BJ's. While prices are definately going up even in the warehouses, they are still much, much better than what I'd pay going to the grocery store.

What really irritates me though is that this administration has made disasterous decisions that are affecting most of our lives, and they along with many of their cronies will be laughing all the way to the bank in a few months – when they are rewarded by those they have helped like the oil and energy companies that are pillaging this countries resources and giving nothing back.

We're going to be ok for two reasons:

First, the new National Healthcare Plan is a preventative strategy. Make food to expensive to eat, and put the Obese Nation on a forced diet.

Second, for the rich to get richer, the lesser classes won't be allowed to run out of money to spend, so consumers will be given lots of credit to buy food.

Our government and our corporations are taking very good care of us.

Here is my question to you. If I can buy cat, dog, horse, bird, reptile, and fish food that is balanced, cheap and healthy, why isn't there is people food that provides the same things.

Jack, rising food costs along with everything else scares the hell out me. I'm growing a "Victory" garden and suggest everyone, with a little land, do the same. The main reason, for the dramatic increase, is gasoline. The relentless uncontrolled greed, of oil company exeutives is destroying our way of life and must be regulated, by a transparent utility commission. Pray for the people in India, Pakistan and elsewhere.

The rising price of everything bothers me but if disposable cash is a problem, try drinking tap water. If most people would stop buying bottled water, they could afford more for staples. For those of us that have never drank bottled water, we have to work a little harder. Increasing prices are always hard to deal with. Especially for those on fixed incomes.

Worry isn't the word....plaguing is more appropriate. Everytime you go, it is more costly. I remember the great inflation in Brazil many years ago and we are headed in that direction. The government's failure has led to a weak dollar and world disrespect and internal paralysis.
We must change now.

Not much of a concern Jack, considering I can't even afford to drive and get the food. I guess we should all just start filter feeding like the fish do.

Jack,

Rising prices on everything is a worry to me. The only thing not being traded as a commodity is my Paycheck!

Where is George Bush when we are left to all this mess. We are suffering. We don't know if we have one last paycheck to go and will it be enough to cover gas and put food on the table. I didn't vote for him, but I simply can't believe a man in his position is that incompetent. The people around him could prop him up. The president has power. The president can do something. Why won't he? Does this administration enjoy seeing people suffer? We are starving and losing out homes. Step up Bush or step OUT! At least save some face and try to repair some of your damage before you dump in on the next president.

Not very much if McCain wins anyway. Then I just need to hold out until my one-way travel reservations for Sweden.

Worries me alot Jack. How can i pay for expensive food and Direct Tv in order to watch The situation room and see my blogs read!

As much as rising medical costs, rising prescription prices, rising gas prices, rising clothing prices, rising admission prices (to movies/zoos/etc), rising airfare prices, rising .... Well I guess you get the picture. But good ole' Gerogie just says we're in a slowdown and there isn't anything to worry about. Like the old song says; Don't worry! Be happy! What a putz!

Well, since we are on a fixed income and since we have to eat, we are very concerned. Besides the cost of fuel there are many other considerations. The higher prices go the less customers buy. The grocery stores then throw more produce out because it spoils. They then raise the price on the next batch to cover the loss and there we go again. Look on the bright side though; obesity may no longer be a problem.

face it jack it already is ugly out here where we have to choose between putting gas in the car, or putting food on the table. then we have to decide whether to take the baby for a check up or put gas in the tank, OR put food on the table. Then we have to decide whether to get the check up, OR the gas, OR the food, OR the medications, OR pay the light bill, OR........

Yes, it worries us. We have not seen food rationing in this country since WWII, but it may be coming. Bush will use the war as an excuse.

Jack

I am currently not concerned that my family of 6 will go hungry as my wife and I both have good jobs. What scares the heck out of me is that our "disposable" income has become non-existent due to food and gas prices and all that money we and other families like ours put into the economy is now going to anyone with money invested in oil futures. I fear for all the people our "disposable' income supported and who used their income to buy product from the company I work for. In the end we'll find out we really are all in this together.

Brad
West Lafayette, IN

Not much. I need some motivation to lose a few pounds anyhow. Now gas prices is another thing.

Jack, How much was a glass of soda fountain Cola when you were a child? What does the same volume cost a your local fast food joint now?

The America's have had it good with the free ability to harvest relatively untouched natural resources, but first world advancements in technology have slowed down, and as those second world nations catch up and equalize and thus consume their equal share in standards the boon granted to those of us who live in this resource rich western hemisphere will lose ground on an average in our standard of living. This requires population control and a greater global ability to generate goods, services, and materials.

Equality is only a bad thing for the final exploiters, I have heard it said that: "you can't always get what you want, but..."

Adapt for the benefit of a global humanity.

Soon America will be a third world country if this continues.........

Jack, I'm on social security disability and with rising gas and food costs (not to mention the recent rise in my local real estate tax) I am getting nervous financially. I pray I don't lose my medical coverage. I couldn't afford the 20% Medicare doesn't pay. I thank God I have a fixed rate mortgage on my house or I'd be at wits end (AKA SOL).

I guess the Bush tax cut will help out those billionaires unable to afford to buy rice and bread. Well the bush tax cut does not seem to help me. So much for the republican answer.

They are worrying me sick! Winter heating bills and electricity have left me owing lots of money, I had to borrow last week to fuel my car, and can't afford anything but pasta and generic cereal for the next two weeks.
I simply don't know what I'm going to do. Many saw this coming with the bio-fuel law that was shoved through the Congress. It is killing us and many many will go bankrupt and end up on welfare. Our dreams are dying, bread is over three dollars, BREAD, the most basic of food staples!
Many of us are depressed and worried. There only seems to be one person running for office who wants to stand for people that worry about things like food and gas costs, and she is getting slammed for fighting for us. Something has got to give. Our Country must stop sending so much money to these other poor countries and give more to help the poor here!

Can I write you back on this after my family finishes fighting over the one can of dog food that's our dinner.

I myself are very fond of three bean chili easy on the meat. Peanut butter similarly provide a large portion of the daily need for protein. Go to the super market and choose the vegetable of the day. Cabbage is incredible for you and very inexpensive. Carrots are also another GREAT. You probably eat to much bad food anyway.

By using racism and dishonesty the Clinton's and some of their supporters, have proven they would rather cut this baby in half rather than hand it over to it's rightful owner.

I also want to add that I'm so worried about the cost of food every week, and how we can eat healthy, that I don't care about the rest of the world like I used to. For that I resent our government, for them allowing this crisis to get to this point that it has affected my compassion for others.

Food is increasing
Taxes are increasing
Gas is increasing
Medical is increasing
Salary – Four out of five anyway

Jack, this increase in food prices scares me. I'm single and doing fine for now, but considering I've already cut meat and most prepared, packaged foods from my diet, I've got no wiggle room should prices continue to rise.

What's more, high food prices will fuel the obesity epidemic in this country. When produce and dairy are too expensive, hungry families reach for cup-o-noodles or the nearest McDonald's 99 cent menu. It's digusting, it's killing us, and it's got to stop.

Boise, Idaho

I want to know if it is true: The United States is shipping gasoline/oil to Iraq where the gasoline is selling for ONE DOLLAR A GALLON. If this is true, lets get them to ship some of the Iraqi oil/gasoline back at their price and we'll be fair, right? NOT

Jack, it's getting Super Ugly, even CAT food has gone up. That $ 600 check that is in the mail, I owe it in food and gas bills already.

I'm about to graduate college. I'll probably get a job that pays me 3 times what I've been earning before now. I guess pretty soon I'll be back where I started.

The 3 necessities of life..... food, shelter and clothing. A lot of people are in danger of losing their shelter, food is skyrocketing, and all that remains is clothing, and Goodwill is noticing a sharp drop in donations. All that remains for us to start down the path to being a 3rd world country, is to be governed by some nut job and his cronies.

Uhoh!!!

Harry
Ky..

The price of food goes up, the price of gas goes up, the wages and benifits go down or dissapear. Is it really nessassary to ask how this is effecting anyone? Obviously you are getting paid too much if you dont know the answer already..........

of course hillary is to blame. i still dont understand why people vote for a liar. one thing that ticked me off and still does is that she was never questioned on her lying during the compassion forum. doesnt that go against all religions. Thou shalt not lie!!!!!!!!!

Not much. It's good for my diet. I have lost 10 pounds and have 20 to go. But globally it is bad for international stability and we are already streched thin in Iraq.

Hi Jack:
Sure,Hillary has been very negative and has to be blamed,just look at the ad she recently ran with Bin Laden fear tactics.
Hillar is owing Thousands of dollars on her campaign then how can she look after or fix the country economic problems. she cannot be trustedand she will stoop low to destroy Obama.She says Obama can't close then why can't she do so herself.She is running on Bill's performance,he is not in the race.Wake up America,see who is telling the truth (Bosnia),MISSPOKE more than one time?
SC.

Jack, your darn tooting I'm worried about the price of food, not only because it's sky high. but because it's going higher with no end in sight.
It's a shame that in this country we have people who literally use $20 bills to light $100 cigars while drinking $500 bottles of champagne, and on the other side of the tracks we have people who can't afford a healthy diet for their children or themselves. Why?
Because the suppliers know that someone will pay the prices they charge for basic food items. If the poor in this country can't afford to pay that's too bad.
Allen
Hartwell, Georgia

Jack,
Innovation is key. Why worry about hardship and increasing food prices when farming could be taken up as a hobby and then everyone will have a yam barns and cassava in their backyard. A pump price of $4.00 is nothing compared to being on a queue for 5 hours in a gas station. Gas scarcity is a true sign of recession. When that happens, people can sell everything they have so they can attend coping strategy sessions. Americans will need to learn to adapt. Tarzan did it in india!

Atlanta, GA

I worry alot about food and gas prices. the rich get richer and the middle class gets poorer.

Jack, the cost of rising food prices worries me a great deal along with these horrible gas prices. Things will chnage for the better when Hillary becomes President of the United States. Is it not funny to you that Obamas' camp makes excuses for his losses and people are losing faith in him. He also has become a regular politician now by going Negative!!! I thought he was above that?????

We shop wisely, carefully and for locally produced foods.

I guess the World will just have to starve so we can ship exotic foods to our grocery-stores. Between turning all the corn crops into ethanol and people in land-locked areas wanting lobsters, we will all pay for this stupidity before we will learn our lesson.
Ask yourself if it makes sense to SHIP North Pacific Salmon to Korea to be processed and canned and SHIPPED BACK to be sold in North American grocery stores? That's roughly 16 thousand miles of diesel fuel just to ship the product! Can't we North Americans catch, process and can fish caught in our own waters OURSELVES?
Now ask yourself who do you have to thank for this wonderful "global trade" treaty?
Global trade or fuel conservation and jobs...you decide which makes more sense and then ask a politician to explain it to you.

How much do I worry??? It's Dog Pile on the middle class! Groceries have never been cheap, and now they're just offensive. While a few oil exec's get filthy rich, and oil producing countries get rich fighting a war on our economy...the rest of us are footing the bill. I know a few oil exec's and they can't believe their profits!! Hmmm.....Do you think as long as big oil is in the whitehouse groceries and gas are going to go down soon???

The oil and energy companies have jacked the price of energy up so high by manipulating the market and the bush/cheney regime to benefit themselves at the expense of everyone else. Now the agri-businesses are using the same tactics to enrich themselves. By backing a farm bill that contains billions of dollars in subsidies,agri-business taking hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland out of production by selling it to developers and instead of growing food,they grow fuel. Food is going to become more scarce and hard to come by. The wars of the future will be over food and will be more deadly than all the rest combined.

I'm so grateful that my mother, who lived through the great Depression, taught me how to cook. And I'm glad I became a vegetarian a few years ago. It's a lot cheaper. So I manage–so far. I feel very sad for people who are getting hungry– also very angry at the ignorant Republican and Democratic parties. I always knew when those free trade agreements began that the "price" of 3rd world countries' prosperity going up would be linked to our prosperity going down. But I never thought it would get this bad and that we would have real hunger, homelessness and unemployment. I was born after the Depression. Maybe I'll get to re-visit it, after all!

It's very difficult to eat healthy cheaply yet good,healthy eating is much better to prevent being sick and getting medical treatment,especially if you don't have health insurance. Yes,I do worry about increasing food prices.

On a scale of 1 to 10 it's a 50. I have 4 children, two of which are in high school sports. One son is an offensive lineman and another plays center on the basketball team. I am reminded of the Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda movie, "Yours, Mine and Ours" every time I go to the grocery store.

Perry
Houston, TX

Jack,

The other day they were rationing the rice they sell at Costco in Northern California. A chicken costs over ten bucks!

hey Jack! Love the book! My husband and I watch you every night. I never in my life thought that I would be paying $3.69 a gallon for gas. As a nation, we should all boycott buying gas on May 10 and May 11 just to show the oil barrons that we are mad as hell and we"re not going to take it anymore!

Hillary is the way to go obama is a poster boy for the democratic party that has skeletons in his closet and if we are not careful we will hand over the country to someone who has had a racist pastor for the past 20 years. hillary is the right choice.

Rising food costs are a huge problem. I feel especially badly for the elderly people that I see in the markets who are obviously not buying what they need and buying minimum amounts and yesterday's products- their available income has fallen so drastically over the last years. I also feel badly for the parents that I see who cannot sometimes buy even the basics for their children -it is heartbreaking. I personally can shop for groceries even at these prices but feel that it is imperative that the country do something to make sure that the most vulnerable in society do not starve. How much of the rising costs in the US is due to the costs of fuel?

If we would stop paying farmers to stop growing food and start letting them earn their pay, we could grow enough corn to give us our fuel and still feed us. Also it is time we stopped feeding the world, with the price of deisel we can't afford it. Plus the fact if these developers would stop buying up the farms to build houses noone is buying and useing up the land for sprawl instead of farming. Got anymore questions?

ID-Bell