Suppose you are a senator writing a bill to index Social Security and federal pensions. That is, your bill will adjust these benefits to offset changes in the cost of living.

Will you use the GDP Deflator or the CPI? Explain why

Answer: The answer is consumer price index (CPI)

Explanation:

The consumer price index is the most popularly used price index to measure the level of inflation in the country. it is a measure of welfare which shows the amount of money needed by the people to provide for themselves a good standard of living. The consumer price index is based on the quantity of goods consumers are buying in the market, because it measures the level of changes in the consumer goods in the economy at a given period of time. It is used to measures the level at which family can afford to buy food, clothing, and live a comfortable life in the country. The consumer price index shows the percentage increase or decrease in the prices of consumer goods in the period in which it is measured. It is calculated as

CPI = current year price index / base year price index * 100%

Therefore, to adjust the social security and federal pensions to offset changes in the cost of living the consumer price index is the most appropriate measure of welfare to used. In the sense that the cost of living is the amount of money an average family will need to provide themselves with the basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, and shelter. The consumer price index is the most appropriate to know the effect of increase or decrease in the prices of these goods on the low income earners in the country such as the people who receives social security benefits and the pensioners in the country. During inflation the purchasing power of the people in these categories is reduced which tend to have an effect on their standard of living.