As someone who understands American labor *statistics
Its not more confusing than the american statistics. Who really know how many people are out of work in the US. When people have been unemployed for more than a year the disappear from statistics. Also how many millions are not registrated living in the US? Its easy to increase GDP when you run hugh deficits. Most money goes to military equipment and not to the average American. From 1975 almost all the economic gains have been "given" the top 20% of the population. I know German runs deficits too, but most of this trouble comes from the problems with former East Germany. Before the unification West Germany was doing really good.
I would say the US has hughs problems too. Atleast compare to Norway that runs hugh trade surpluses and bugdet surpluses.