DID SOMEONE SING, "HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN"? – AT 7:31 P.M. ET:  Well, not recently.   That used to be the Democratic Party's theme song, starting in the FDR era.  Haven't heard it in a long time.

The economic situation is one reason why.  The latest reports are deadly grim:

WASHINGTON (AP) - Fears that the economic recovery is fizzling grew Thursday after the government and private sector issued weak reports on a number of fronts.

Unemployment claims are up, home sales are plunging without government incentives and manufacturing growth is slowing.

Meanwhile, 1.3 million people are without federal jobless benefits now that Congress adjourned for a weeklong Independence Day recess without passing an extension. That number could grow to 3.3 million by the end of the month if lawmakers can't resolve the issue when they return.

All of this worries economists.

You think?

As jobless claims grow and benefits shrink, Americans have less money to spend and the economy can't grow fast enough to create new jobs. Some are revising their forecasts for growth in the third quarter. Others are afraid the country is on the verge of falling back into a recession.

"We find the level and direction in jobless claims somewhat troubling and the increase is likely to feed double-dip fears," said John Ryding, an economist at RDQ Economics in a note to clients.
New claims for benefits jumped by 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 472,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. The four-week average, which smooths fluctuations, rose to 466,500, its highest level since March.

COMMENT:  A double-dip recession, right before an election?   Well, we know who to blame, don't we?  It's CHENEY (!!!!), and his daughter, Liz (!!!!!!).  They're the ones.  Pass it on.

Given conditions in this country, and a foreign policy without a single success, if Republicans mess up this election they don't deserve to be a party.

July 1,  2010