Inflation’s Second Wave Is Already Forming—But Is Washington Ready?

The Headline Lie: “It’s Just Gas Prices” The official narrative is neat, digestible—and wrong. Yes, gasoline prices surged. Yes, that surge drove most of the latest inflation spike. Strip energy out, and inflation looks manageable. That’s the talking point being pushed to calm markets and buy time. But energy is not some isolated line item you can casually subtract from reality.   It is the bloodstream of the economy. When fuel prices jump, they don’t sit quietly in one category. They move—through transportation, production, logistics, and ultimately into every shelf price Americans see. What we’re witnessing now is not an inflation spike. It’s ignition. The Chain Reaction Has Already Started Inflation doesn’t hit all at once. It spreads. First comes…