If I understand it correctly, the reason for decreasingly smaller C.O.L.A, figures over recent years is because of changes made to goods and services the government uses to adjust the annual C.P.I. to allow for changes in inflation.
Some believe the methods, goods, and services govt. uses to calculate C.P.I. have been changed purposely to downplay the true inflation rate and don't actually reflect what the average consumer normally buys.
Government pay raises can break a guy. I remember in the the real early 70s I was an E-4 in the navy with a wife and one kid. W got an across the board pay raise. It was big news all over Hawaii where I was stationed at the time. My rent went up something like 25 bucks and milk at the commissary went up a quarter a gallon. My raise was less that five bucks. It sure was a big help.
