Jobs: "A long way to go," ad infinitum

Over the past five years America has lost a lot of jobs, gained a few back, lost some more, gained a few back, etc., etc.  The job losses began during George W. Bush's last year in office and we've yet to see a strong, sustained recovery for the American worker. Year after year we keep hearing "we've still got a long way to go."

After the November 2009 jobs report, President Obama said, "We've still got a long way to go."

After the March 2010 jobs report, economist and presidential adviser Larry Summers said, "We've got a long way to go."

After the June 2011 jobs report, President Obama said, "We still have a long way to go."

After the May 2012 jobs report, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said, "we have a long way to go."

After the January 2013 jobs report, Jill Schlesinger, Editor-at-Large for CBS MoneyWatch, said we "still have a long way to go."

Considering our highly dysfunctional Congress, as well the continued exportation of American jobs to cheap foreign labor markets, at what point does "a long way to go" translate into "this is the new norm folks, get used to it"?

(Image above courtesy of http://www.dream-wallpaper.com/)