Yep. The only way the current economic situation becomes acceptable to the people is if people are willing to settle for the ‘new normal’. Offices, stores, and restaurants have been closed by the dozens in the past three years. Companies have downsized and shrunk to meet lower demand. Only the big businesses are still in decent shape because they can reshape to maintain the same profits in a way small and medium size companies cannot. We are severely contracted as an economy.
It DOES show up in Unemployment Stats. It can be tracked by comparing a STEADY figure for Unemployment. It can be traced by seeing that unemployment figure NOT going down.
Also, “very disappointing” report of NEW JOB CREATIONS.
For every month that store, office, restaurant, beauty parlor, etc remains CLOSED, there are no new jobs.
Also, there is the small business owner who WILL NOT ALLOW HIS BUSINESS, IN SELF DEFENSE, TO GROW.
Government sets a threshold, above which, you become a target. It is rather simple to avoid being a target when employing above a set figure grows your business and sets the government regulators onto your back. Wonderful.