This is not a criticism of your phrasing, but you bring to mind an interesting idea. I'd love to see a loop of video of all the "experts" claiming in the Summer of 2009 that "green shoots" were showing up in the economy. It would perfectly illustrate the stagnation this country has endured for all of Obama's tenure.
That is why I used the phrase as irony.
The green shoots that I see is Obama’s campaign running against profit and for spending.
Most people realize the utter vacuity of this approach. There is no there there. Just an empty suit with a teleprompter and some foam greek columns borrowed from a local bath house.