There Goes The US Consumer: Card Data Reveal First Drop In Household Spending In Two Years As Upper-Income Wages Tumble, Unemployment Benefits Soar

The US economy has a few mysteries. If you believe the government data collection agencies, how can the US consumer remain so strong at this point in the business cycle? (Actually, if you look at recent statistics it is not hard to see why).

Credit card debt reaches near-record levels

Explain everything...

.... (but for the sake argument, let us pretend that we are confused).