One of the hallmarks of communism was complete phony numbers in every category from employment, to defense, industrial production, agriculture, and inflation. The West distinguished itself with transparency and honest number. No more. We are looking like the old Soviet Union more and more with each passing day.
Even though the USSR is no more, we still have this in China btw. They have a totally hollowed out potemkin economy that will shock everyone when it collapses, probably before ours does.