Not because we actually are, mind you, but because it’s politically convenient.

(CNSNews.com) – Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and leading Senate Democrats told CNSNews.com on Tuesday that the U.S. economy is in a recession despite the fact that the economy grew by 3.3 percent during the second quarter of fiscal year 2008.

Congressional Republicans, however, said that the United States is not in a recession, and one congressman suggested that Democrats are downplaying the state of the economy to increase their chances in the elections in November.

“I think if you ask the average middle-class American, they would clearly say we are in a recession,” Schumer told CNSNews.com.

Sen. Robert Casey Jr. (D-Pa.) said, “Oh, I think we have been in a recession.”

“Absolutely – we are absolutely in a recession,” Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) told CNSNews.com. “In Michigan we have 8.5 percent unemployment.”

That last comment from Stabenow, specifically, is pretty hilarious.  Michigan doesn’t have 8.5% unemployment because of the economy.  Michigan has 8.5% unemployment because it has one of the most unionized labor forces (not to mention one of the most heavy-handed business tax environments) in the nation.  You want a better economy?  Put the free market to work.

But in general, it’s really pretty irksome how these Democrats seem to think that if they repeat a lie long enough it will become true.  The accepted definition of an economic recession is two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth.  We’ve yet to hit even one quarter of negative growth.  Thus, no recession.

Which isn’t me trying to be pollyannish about the economy.  I realize that national unemployment is up.  I know that economic growth has been slowing.  And I also know that it’s going to take a hell of a lot more than those “economic stimulus” handouts to get us out of this funk.

But there’s no reason to be scared.  If we eventually do enter a recession it will end the longest streak of non-recessive economic activity this country has ever seen.  The previous record was 11 years.  We’re now at something like 18 years.  So if a recession comes, we were due for it anyway.

The Democrats want us to be scared, though.  All the better to then justify their power-grabs and expansions of government in the name of “creating jobs” and “righting the economy.” In reality, what we need is for our government to be less burdensome on the economy.

America has the second highest business tax rates in the world (when averaged out among the various states).  Business drives the economy and creates jobs.

You do the math.