I'm not missing the point, you are missing mine. > Whether or not the US is in recession is a very complex decision No, whether or not some government departm

I'm not missing the point, you are missing mine. > Whether or not the US is in recession is a very complex decision No, whether or not some government department proclaims the US to be in a recession is based on that "very complex decision". That does not make the other more widely used and known definition of the word wrong or less valid. "The US is in a recession". Perfectly valid and reasonable statement and any economist and most people vaguely interested in economics and politics will know exactly what is meant if they heard that today.