The last 2 comments have it correct.
GDP is a very poor way to "measure" economic gain since all it does is track money.....which in and of itself is a poor way to represent true wealth or productive endeavors.
All the last boom was about was taking from Peter(the future) to pay Paul(the present).
Just a big swindle.
Not only did the activity not represent capital investment but it was misreported deliberately by showing "profit" and hiding losses.
This has been the crime of the century and should not even be discussed in the manner of business practices.
I hear "Oh it was human fallibility this and we didn't see it coming this." BS everything was obvious as it was occurring and it is an easy conclusion to draw that criminals have gained control of all the institutions both public and private and systematically looted any and all treasure of the Nation.
Our financial and monetary systems are jokes and need to be destroyed and replaced by a system that does not allow concentration and control.
The absolute worst thing that we can allow to occur is a system based on plastic cards as the medium of exchange and hence a non private system.
That would enslave all to the whims and caprice of the handful of aberrant megalomaniacs that mean to rule the masses.