The Takers to Makers Ratio is Increasing

If you want a simple explanation of why the economy is not going to be roaring back anytime soon, this chart sums it up. It's the percentage of the population that is employed -- i.e. producing all the money that government wants to spend or redistribute to the non-working. Some of this is related to the aging population profile. Some of it is due to the fact that we have increased subsidies for those not working. Irrespective of the reason, it's pretty hard to grow production with this many fewer people working.