For the average worker, the increase in medical insurance and gasoline prices, by themselves, more than wipes out any wage increase. That's why most people don't think the economy is doing as great as those who watch the stock market or corporate profits to determine how well they think the economy is doing. Workers are offsetting this reduction in real income with huge increases in debt, especially credit card debt. The only way this can be sustained is for inflation to increase enough to force wage increases that will allow previous debt to be paid off with devalued dollars. Of course, this cannot be sustained forever and the sine wave will not be denied.
Welcome to my world
The reality, which is not being mentioned by the libs’, is that the spending on the war on terror is added into the GDP, and makes the economy look good, even though our standard of living has not substantially increased. But that is a choice that the American public (including the Dems) has made. They would rather be safe than have another chicken in the pot. And I can’t disagree with that choice. If you want to blame someone for the stagnating standard of living, blame the Islamacists who made this necessary.