More than half of Americans think that the United States is in an economic recession, although gross domestic product has been increasing for the past several years. According to a new Guardian/Harris poll, 56% of respondents said they believe the U.S. is in a recession and 58% say that President Joe Biden is responsible for what they see as an economic downturn. A recession is an extended period of economic decline, usually designated when GDP has declined for two or more consecutive fiscal quarters. Under those terms, the U.S. is definitively not in a recession. GDP grew by 1.6% in the first quarter of 2024. ... (full story)