There is no question that the recession took its tool on Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT). The company saw its stock plummet from mid 2008 through March of this year. Along the way the company was forced to layoff employees to help lower costs, but it announced today that it would be rehiring 550 of its laid off workers.

Chief Executive Officer Jim Owens announced the news and stated that the company was pleased that "signs of recovery in the global economy" is allowing it to bring back some employees.

As the ever-increasing stench of socialism wafts from the halls of our legislative branch, one must take pause to wonder exactly how we got to where we are today economically. Yes, I know that there has been a lot of pausing and wondering going on lately. What ticks me off is that it seems that very few of those who are pausing and wondering seem to be able to form the words to express the reality of what they have determined to be true, which is: that the single most significant root cause for today's economic dilemma is the erosion of income for the American middle class private sector.

For the purposes of this piece, I'll state that I consider the "middle class" to be those workers who earn between $14,000 and $125,000 per year. That covers just about every worker from entry level manufacturing to first tier management. We create the bulk of real wages that move throughout this country. We also pay virtually all of the taxes in this country. Never mind that corporations pay huge sums in corporate taxes every year, because the fact of the matter is, they collect those sums from us at the consumer level. Yes, we pay those corporate tax bills, and we know it.

From today's (subscription required) Wall Street Journal:

Employers who provide health insurance often use financial incentives, such as contributions toward premiums, to encourage workers to participate in wellness programs like smoking-cessation courses.

Now some employers are wielding a stick as well as a carrot. Employees at some companies who are overweight, smoke, or have high cholesterol, for instance, and who don't participate in supplementary wellness programs, will pay more for health insurance. In extreme cases, employees' insurance deductibles could rise by $2,000.

Of course, this is generating some scandal and talk of possible lawsuits.

It reminds me a little bit of my favorite scene from favorite scene from Spinal Tap, where Nigel Tufnel explains to an observer that the band's amps go to 11, rather than 10. The incredulous man asks how that really makes them go louder -- they only go to a certain volume, regardless of what number it's labeled.

Similarly: Charging a premium for engaging in an unhealthy behavior is not different from offering a reward for not engaging in the same behavior in any sort of meaningful way.

This seems like one big labeling issue, but it should give trial lawyers something to keep them busy.

Much has been made of the idea that the United States is falling behind global competitors: Manufacturing jobs are disappearing, there is more of a focus on academics in Asian schools and now, according to a United Nations report, we also don't work very hard.

Fortune's Geoff Colvin writes that only 18% of American workers put in more than 48 hours per week, which is better than the Netherlands, Norway and Japan. But workers in developing countries are, predictably, putting in a lot more hours. In South Korea and Peru, 50% work more than 48 hours. Meanwhile, Americans have more leisure time than ever. Colvin writes that "researchers figure we're getting about 117 hours of leisure per week (including sleep), vs. 110 hours in 1965. That's more than 360 additional idle hours per year. We are a couch-potato nation."

What's disappointing is that, with all that free-time, Americans aren't really improving themselves. People are fatter than ever before, and few people read frequently. Are we devoting an extra 360 hours per year to eating junk food and watching reality television? If so, can that really be called a quality of life improvement?

But maybe there is some silver-lining here. With many Americans suffering with large debt-loads and subprime loans, this study may point to the answer: Perhaps people should just work harder.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) topped Fortune's list of the best places to work. This is something that investors should note because a happy workforce is a productive workforce. Google gives workers generous perks like free meals, a swimming spa and on-site doctors along with shuttle-bus service from local train stations and -- get this -- free haircuts and on-site notaries. Of course, Googlers need to work hard to enjoy this largesse.

SC Johnson & Son, Container Store and Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ:WFMI), Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO), QUALCOMM Inc.(NASDAQ:QCOM) and Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ:SBUX) were among the companies that also made the cut.

Another company I wanted to point out on the list that many people outside the Northeast may not have heard of is Wegmans Food Markets. The level of service that you get by walking into one of the chain's supermarkets is unbelievable. When is the last time a cashier at a grocery store asked you whether you wanted your bags packed heavy or light? There are also great prepared meals. Wegmans prices for run-of-the-mill stuff such as milk or bread are competitive.

This list is a very clever marketing promotion for Fortune magazine. What company wouldn't want to be noticed for treating their workers well? Moreover, what company wouldn't want to crow about it?