I think the answer is deeper than just the MSM midleading the public - which they are, certainly, but a lot of us are now savvy to being mislead, and that should take the sting out of the propoganda. Here's what I see: a lot of my colleagues are middle-aged people between 30 and 60. These are the prime earning years for most of us. Some of us spent time being broke or in poverty, and we save and spend our money wisely. We don't max out the credit cards and go deep into debt. On the other hand, I know people who are just buying things left and right and running their debt right up to their limit to pay off the bills - in other words, they're choosing to create their own financial problems. I know people earning $60,000 annually who have four times that in debt with homes, boats, trucks, new cars, and cards filled to the limit. No wonder that person feels like "it's not a good economy." That poor slob gets fired, or the price of gas moves up just a little, and they've got no room to adapt. Personal choice plays a role in all this. Just my two cents.
People buy into the notion of easy credit. Spend beyond their means. The creditors show up demanding payment. To that they say, "Boy the economy sucks!"
"I know people earning $60,000 annually who have four times that in debt with homes, boats, trucks, new cars, and cards filled to the limit."
Slackers....