[expat_panama]

Todd, what's happening here is that you and I like to take measurements of specific quantities --like manufacturing employment, stuff like that-- and then afterwords we decide whether we like what we're seeing or not.  

Our colleagues here seem to have decided that America's situation is horrible, and any measurement that agrees is right and any that doesn't is wrong.

There's got to be a way through this, and logic is not the answer.  How about we offer to pay them to agree with us?

[1rudeboy]

Well, let's go through the list:

1. offer them money (your idea),
2. appeal to their ideology (not likely to work, given your observation),
3. coerce them somehow (no threats or violence allowed, sorry), or
4. appeal to their egos ("my, your font is handsome today").