inflationwalloped americans are largely prepared to withstand the economic pain imposed by russia’s ukraine invasion that may be little solace for president joe biden’s democrats who will pay a price at the ballot box for the surging cost of living if history is any guide consumer prices were already rising at the fastest pace in four decades even before the hit to energy and food supply chains caused by the war and sanctions imposed by the us and its allies on russia gasoline prices are already up about 20 this month reaching an unprecedented 433 a gallon in recent days contributing to the weakest consumer sentiment in more than a decade