Unemployment remained high, at 7.8% at the end of 2012, and there has been almost no real wage growth over the last few years. Median household income in the US is still below its 2007 level – indeed, close to its level two decades ago – and roughly 90% of all US income gains in the post-crisis period have accrued to the top 1% of households.
但金融市场的欢腾与政治和实体经济指标并不相符。在美国，2012年的经济表现只是略有好转，GDP增长率从2011年的1.8%增至2.3%。失业率仍然很高，2012年末水平为7.8%，且过去数年来真实工资几无增长。美国的中位家庭收入低于2007年水平——事实上，与20年前的水平差不多——危机前美国收入增长总值的约九成落入了最顶端1%家庭的腰包。