1. Command

$ npx news economic-data-integrity --level=CRITICAL --show-diff --verbose-logging

2. Output

INFO: Initializing economic data parser and sentiment analysis modules...

INFO: System detected primary objective: Evaluate current administration's stance on 'affordability crisis'.

WARN: Presidential statement identified 'affordability' as a "hoax" perpetrated by partisan actors. This declaration was made during a public address in Mount Pocono, Pa. (Source: President Trump, Mount Pocono speech, December 2025)

ERROR: Critical inconsistency detected: Raw economic metrics and public sentiment logs directly contradict the 'hoax' assertion. Data integrity warning issued.

DEBUG: Annual inflation rate recorded at 3% for the 12 months concluding September. This rate mirrors the inflation observed in January, during the final month of the previous administration. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

DEBUG: While some specific data points, such as gasoline prices, have shown minor fluctuations, the aggregated cost of living continues an upward trajectory. This implies localized deflationary pockets do not reflect the general economic climate.

INFO: A detailed analysis of consumer spending reveals significant increases in essential categories. Grocery costs have risen by 2.7% and electricity expenses by over 5% for the year ending September. These are not trivial increments for average households. (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

+---------------------------------------------------------+
| SYSTEM ALERT: REALITY.CHECK FAILED [Severity: HIGH]     |
| MODULE: public_perception.economics_middleware          |
| STATUS: Mismatch between 'HOAX' assertion and           |
|         verifiable consumer expenditure data.           |
| SUGGESTION: Immediate review of input parameters or     |
|             recalibration of official narrative required.|
| DETAILS: Data from Bureau of Labor Statistics is robust. |
+---------------------------------------------------------+

INFO: Expert economic analysis from Betsey Stevenson, a professor at the University of Michigan, strongly supports the data. She unequivocally stated, "You can't tell people that prices aren't up when they're up." This highlights a fundamental challenge in communication. (Source: Betsey Stevenson, University of Michigan)

INFO: Public opinion polling data further exacerbates the narrative discrepancy. A recent Harvard CAPS/Harris poll indicates that 57% of surveyed voters believe the Trump administration is "losing the battle against inflation." This is a significant majority.

INFO: Concurrently, an AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll from October revealed that a staggering 68% of respondents categorize the current economy as either "poor" or "very poor." This widespread dissatisfaction poses a substantial political challenge. (Source: Harvard CAPS/Harris poll, AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll)

WARN: Political forecasting module projects increased risk for the incumbent Republican party in upcoming midterm elections. Recent odd-year races demonstrated success for Democratic candidates campaigning explicitly on affordability issues across key states like New York City, Virginia, and New Jersey.

DEBUG: Political consultant and pollster Frank Luntz emphasized the critical role of perception in economic sentiment. He warned that dismissing consumer experiences as a "hoax" when real costs are increasing could lead to the administration appearing "out of touch." (Source: Frank Luntz, NPR's Morning Edition)

ERROR: Analysis confirms that the administration's embraced economic policies, particularly the widespread implementation of tariffs, are directly contributing to upward price pressure. This policy contradicts the goal of lowering costs for American consumers. (Source: Betsey Stevenson)

INFO: While tariffs generate substantial revenue, approximately $30 billion per month for U.S. coffers, they simultaneously impose new import taxes. These taxes demonstrably increase prices on a diverse range of items, spanning food, clothing, and even furniture. (Source: Administration officials, various economic reports)

INFO: Despite the broad impact, the administration has taken limited steps to mitigate adverse effects. Last month, tariffs on certain non-domestically produced items, such as bananas and coffee, were rescinded. This offers minor relief in specific sectors. (Source: Administration announcement, November 2025)

INFO: Additionally, a one-time payment of $12 billion was announced for U.S. farmers. This measure aims to offset their rising business costs, which are partially attributed to trade policy impacts. (Source: Administration announcement, December 2025)

DEBUG: Economists, including Stevenson, highlight that purposefully restricting supply through tariffs is a foundational mechanism for increasing prices. This is a basic principle taught in introductory economics courses, suggesting a calculated trade-off. (Source: Betsey Stevenson)

CRITICAL: The sustained blame-game strategy, initially effective during the campaign, is now approaching its expiration date. Public expectation is shifting towards accountability for the current administration's economic performance. (Source: Frank Luntz)

3. Stacktrace (If This News Were Code)

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "economic_reality_module.py", line 127, in <module>
    initialize_system_check(current_administration_narrative, consumer_data_feed)
  File "policy_interpretation_engine_v3.0.py", line 85, in initialize_system_check
    validate_narrative(statement=current_administration_narrative,
                       data_sources=BureauOfLaborStatistics.API(),
                       sentiment_feeds=HarvardCAPS.API(), APNORC.API())
  File "data_validation_utils.py", line 42, in validate_narrative
    raise DataIntegrityError("Narrative Mismatch: 'Affordability Hoax' vs. Objective Data Streams")
DataIntegrityError: Narrative Mismatch: 'Affordability Hoax' vs. Objective Data Streams: Data confirms 3% inflation, 2.7% grocery cost increase, 5% electricity cost increase.

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:
File "economic_reality_module.py", line 130, in <module>
    emergency_shutdown_protocol(e, reason=USER_PERCEPTION_FAILURE, impact=CRITICAL_IMPACT_ON_ELECTIONS)
  File "logging_system.py", line 60, in emergency_shutdown_protocol
    SegmentationFault: Public_Perception_Module unexpectedly terminated. Users are experiencing real-world cost increases despite official declarations.
PANIC! Unhandled exception in core 'Reality' thread. System unable to reconcile 'hoax' declaration with observable market conditions. Immediate debugging required before midterm elections.

4. Patch Notes

• - Fixed: Select tariffs on non-critical, non-domestically produced goods (e.g., bananas, coffee) were identified and removed, offering minimal consumer relief.
• - Added: A $12 billion emergency aid package for U.S. farmers was introduced to partially offset increased business costs, likely influenced by current trade policies.
• - WARN: Core economic messaging (is_affordability_problem == False) remains fundamentally divergent from BureauOfLaborStatistics.getInflationRate() and ConsumerCostIndex.calculateAverage(). Requires immediate sync.
• - WARN: PublicSentiment.getConfidenceIndex() continues to return significantly negative values. This directly impacts MidtermElectionForecast.predictOutcome().
• - DEBUG: Tariff policy (policy.trade.import_taxes) configuration confirmed to be a net positive for government revenue but demonstrably negative for consumer purchasing power. Refactoring of economic incentives module is urgently recommended.
• - CRITICAL: The persistent perception_vs_reality_gap is causing severe runtime errors within the PublicTrust module, leading to decreased approval ratings and electoral vulnerability. This is not a drill.
• - NEW FEATURE: Introduction of "Blame Game v2.0" module during initial campaign phase showed high engagement but diminishing returns in post-election environment. Requires deprecation.