Economic indicators are funny things. If you measure the right thing, they can tell you that even in bad times for most Americans that things are going well. In my previous diary, I discussed the great risk shift from multinational corporations to the average American citizen. Now, I would like to take the discussion in a different direction by looking at why we do not notice this great risk shift. One of the reasons we do notice the shift is the use of GDP as the primary indicator for the state of our economy. Indeed, right now, the GDP has begun to grow for the first time in a year. It stands up 3.5 percent.

The problem, however, in the number is several folds. One it does not address job creation, kind of jobs created or wage stagnation/deflation. Two, it does not address what is being left out of the equation, which is the subject matter of this diary. Thus, the GDP is as interesting for what it leaves out as what it  puts into the equation. However, we rarely have that discussion in America. For these reasons, I advocate that we look at the Quality of Life Index to see where our country really is for the bulk of Americans in our economy.

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This post was written for the family at My Left Wing.  I believe what occurs there is universal.  Thus, I think sharing it here is apt.  We all struggle to communicate well, to get along with our neighbors.  Kos, My DD, Booman, and the Village Blue too are diverse communities of people with similar focuses; yet, at times, our differences are more visible.  Therefore, I think people here might be as interested in inviting a dialogue as individuals are elsewhere.

This was intended to be a short statement, a response to a discussion. I was writing a missive on the subject, similar in scope, though not in tone.  My intention was to offer a well thought out essay.  I was going to present political posturing as evidence for what we as humans do.  However, once the comment was complete I concluded the personal might be more effective.  

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