Exactly. A third? Skimp on quality. Substitute inferior cuts of meat/ingredients/materials for the cheap shit. Melamine in the milk, is a good one. Fly ash in the dry wall, another.
IMO, the jury is out on whether we get a deflationary spiral. Investors underestimate the FED's awesome power to maintain price and market stability. I know I did. A deflationary route would end American hegemony, as we know it. Sure, the evils of inflation are real, but the political, military and social consequences of a deflationary crash are simply untenable. People don't appreciate the chaos that would ensue. Even the staunchest Republicans blinked when faced with a default. Americans overwhelming supported a ceiling compromise (translation: add more debt!). Nobody wants to take the pain, if it means their ass gets put in a sling. This is why we will never see the type of deflationary collapse, that under normal free market conditions, is totally expected. In my opinion, the FED will inject endless bouts of QE until finally, a run on the dollar happens. I don't see it as smooth process. But one where underlying weakness begets major sell-offs, then mini-crashes and terrible headline numbers, whereupon, all the pansies will demand the Guv "DO SOMETHING" to save their 401k's, and they will. Markets will stabilize, appreciate, range, withdraw QE, then begin the cycle anew. Europe is fading especially quickly. The notoriously hawkish ECB just threw in the towel, and will monetize Italian debt. A watershed moment for the ECU. Gold spiked 50 bucks. We're nearing the end of our fractional reserve money system. It'll be interesting to see how long Central Bankers can hold this together before a run on fiat currency happens. That's the end. The FED can control markets/jobs/aggregate demand via stimulus and QE, but not the value of the dollar. At least, not at this point.