From groceries to gasoline, prices are higher almost everywhere these days. Last month, the consumer price index rose 5% from a year earlier, which is the highest jump since 2008. There are a variety of reasons for these rising prices, many of which are industry specific. However, it’s important to remember that big government spending is only making the problem worse.

Having been a real estate developer for around 40 years, I see firsthand the effect inflation has had on residential construction, for example. According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, home prices have risen over 12% in the year ending in February, and there are currently more than 240,000 authorized homes that have yet to begin construction. Demand is through the roof, no pun intended.