Despite persistent inflation concerns, the economic data reveals a story of resilience: record job creation, rising wages, and unprecedented wealth gains for middle-class Americans. While many voters remain focused on higher prices at the grocery store, a deeper analysis shows that the economy has not only recovered from the pandemic but is actually outperforming pre-pandemic projections. Heather Long from the Washington Post digs into how this disconnect between economic data and public sentiment has influenced how we measure progress and prosperity in modern America.