I still see a lot of larger office buildings with giant FOR RENT signs on them. It seems blue-collar jobs have come back to "normal" levels, but "office cubicle" jobs are stuck in a recession.

The only real explanation seems to be offshoring of office work. No other recorded recession has kicked white-collar jobs this hard without also kicking blue-collar.

Offshoring seems to be the only thing to explain the blue/white counter-historical difference and all these empty offices. Convert the offices into housing at least. That will give people a place to put all the cheap imports they can get at WalMart.