For the last couple of decades, people's quality of life have been decreasing while productivity numbers are still going up.

Trickle down supply side economics has completely failed. Taxing the wealthy and moving people from the marketing bullshit scam sector of the economy back towards manufacturing would put those increased productivity numbers to better use which would mean we could maintain the current quality of life while building infrastructure needed to have a better future.

The status quo is maintaining our current slow decline out of fear of change. The economy is shit for anyone but the wealthy right now, so why should we be afraid of changing things? Because the wealthy are telling us to be afraid?