I keep hearing the economy is booming?

[JayhawkSD]

35. Given that almost 40% of the work force is not working...

...I would certainly agree with you. But in asking why oil prices are going up and why grocery prices are high you are not successfully making the point you claim to be making, because both items are actually the sign of an improving economy.

To make the point wish to make, you might instead point out that some 38% of the working age population are not working but are not counted as "unemployed" because they are counted instead as "not in the work force." That allows us to have an unemployment rate of 4% and to maintain the pretense of "full employment" and a booming economy.

Or you might point out that, while wages have risen by 2.3% in the past months, inflation has risen by 2.5% in the same period, which means that in real terms wages have declined by some 0.2% which is not an improving economy in terms of standard of living for the working class.