Then and now

In the 1930s, FDR had government chronicle the economic depression with thousands of photos. One example, shot by the Farm Security Administration in 1936:

Family between Dallas and Austin, Texas. The people have left their home and connections in South Texas, and hope to reach the Arkansas Delta for work in the cotton fields. Penniless people. No food and three gallons of gas in the tank. Father is trying to repair a tire. Three children. Father says, "It's tough, but life's tough anyway you take it" - FSA Photo and caption via Library of Congress

The Obama administration, on the other hand, pretends economic recovery is rolling forward, and touts every new part-time temporary job as a significant event.