Our congress critters are so badly educated that they actually think money comes from places other than the consumers. AKA you and me.
This has been clearly shown over the last year or so as expert after expert has come up with plans to “jump start”, “reset”, “help” the economy. Money poured into the top of the system, the bailouts, did nothing because the consumer, at the bottom, didn't get anything. So, he didn't have money to spend so he didn't spend any so those above them couldn't do anything, so the economy didn't move at all the stock market numbers to the contrary).
Add to this the extremely temporary nature of all the efforts, nothing lasted for a year much less the multiple years required for a sustained turn around, and you see why things haven't been turned around.