"Prices are coming down but that increase is still fresh in people's memories," he told Newsweek. "Governments all over the world are being punished for that bad experience, and I think that's part of what's happening in the U.S.," Van Reened added. "It's ironic, because, compared to other advanced countries, the U.S. is doing fantastically well in terms of growth." Many Americans, however, don't see it.