A new national poll shows that 74 percent of Americans think the economy is in a recession, and one wonders where the other 26 percent are living.

That 74 percent figure is up from 66 percent last month, 61 percent in January and 46 percent in October. Not exactly a positive trend.

It’s no surprise then that the economy remains the key issue in the public’s mind, according to the survey conducted by CNN last week.

By a 2-1 margin, the economy tops the Iraq war as the No. 1 issue for Americans in their choice for president in the 2008 election.

A majority of those polled, 53 percent, say the recession will last more than a year, 18 percent say it will continue for 6-12 months, while 2 percent believe that the economic downturn will be over in less than six months.

SIDE NOTE: How can you believe we’re in a recession, yet think it’s going to reverse itself by October? Can you even call it a downturn then? Whatever.

With gas prices - as well as various other commodities - reaching record highs, and a single Euro now worth $1.59, the signs of economic worry are piling up.

Here’s the kicker of this new poll, though - 9 out of 10 Democrats said the economy is in recession, while only 54 percent of Republicans agreed.

This is because economic recessions are, in many ways, class-conscious, most adversely affecting those who can least afford them.

Without question, it’s been building for some time now, beginning with the erosion of community values in an age of corporate greed and deception.

How bad it gets remains to be seen. But this era of highly leveraged U.S. economic expansion is on the brink of collapse, and you can count on the GOP to make out like bandits if it does, writes the Existentialist Cowboy…