27- IMPORT RESTRICTIONS, AND THE COST OF REGULATORS AND REGULATIONS THAT ADD AN ESTIMATED $660 TO THE COST OF AN AUTOMOBILE AND COMPARABLE INCREASES IN A WIDE VARIETY OF GOODS AND SERVICES. THESE FACTORS IN TURN TEND TO TRIGGER COLA OR COST-OF-LIVING CLAUSES IN LABOR CONTRACTS AND THE RESULTANT WAGE INCREASES ADD FURTHER MOMENTUM TO THE UPWARD PRICE SPIRAL. THE DECLINE IN THE DOLLAR IS ALSO INFLUENCED BY GOVERNMENT POLICY AND ALSO FURTHER FUELS INFLATION BECAUSE THOSE THINGS THAT WE MUST IMPORT BECOME MORE EXPENSIVE IN TERMS OF U S. DOLLARS. CURRENCIES CHANGE IN RELATION TO EACH OTHER WHEN THE RELATIVE RATES OF INFLATION IN THE RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES DIVERGE AND WHEN TRADE IMBALANCES OCCUR. THE UNITED STATES IS EXPERIENCING BOTH, OUR INFLATION RATE IS FAR HIGHER THAN THAT OF WEST GERMANY OR JAPAN,