Thanks to Obamanomics as it pertains to business, companies have been forced to live with less...Less sales/product volume translates to needing fewer/less employees which requires less overhead (paying them) = more profit.
Of course there are side effects...
How much debt do these companies have?
The fraying Social Compact the Times fears for can be translated as “the Democrat social engineering plans”. In other words we can’t afford the Democrat Party’s promises anymore.
You forgot to mention more regulations.