NO ONE HAS IT HARDER THAN THEIR FATHER DID:

The "Misery Index," an economic measure invented by former Brookings economist Arthur Okun in the 1970s that combines the unemployment rate with the inflation rate, has been at its lowest levels over the past year since the 1950s according to calculations by Senior Fellow Gary Burtless. In recent year-end commentary about the job market, Burtless, the John C. and Nancy D. Whitehead Chair, explained that "Back when politicians and voters cared more about inflation than they currently do," Okun proposed this indicator "to summarize the dual hardships of inflation and unemployment." The Index stood at 5.5 in November 2015 and averaged 5.37 over the period January-November 2015. It reached an all-time high, 21.98, during the final year of Jimmy Carter's presidency.

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