Apparently we are not part of the current American culture any more.
My region has very low unemployment and is running on the high side of the positive end of things. We need more workers not more work. Plus we as a state are investing economic expansion and gaining from it not falling back.
I think we have sort of become the anti California in the present American sense of doing things.
But yes unfortunately we only represent one of a very few positives in the American mess.