The NYT tells us that "many economists say [the falling dollar] has helped drive up oil and food prices." It doesn't tell us how or give us any names of economists who hold this view. Again, this one is not very complex -- suppose that shoe prices were falling. Then the price of oil and food measured in shoes would be increasing. However, anyone who did not use shoes to buy their oil and food would not be affected by the fall in the price of shoes. it is the same story with the dollar. If the NYT or any economists have a different view, it would be interesting to see it presented.
--Dean Baker