By Thom Hartmann *“\[T\]he monopoly which our manufacturers have obtained against us … like an overgrown standing army, has become formidable to the government, and upon many occasions intimidate the legislature\.” — Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, 1776There’s lots of speculation about what may be causing today’s terrible inflation to continue to rise. Is it rebound demand from Covid? Too much “quantitative easing” stimulus from the Fed? Chinese botched-Covid supply chain issues? Saudi Arabia withholding oil from world markets? Russia’s terrorist campaign against Ukraine? Obviously, all are…