Scary Ass Numbers

The number of folks who expect another Great Depression within a year is up to 45% in CNN's latest poll.

"Will the Great Recession turn into another Great Depression? A growing number of Americans think it might," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Last December, 38% said a depression like the one the U.S. experienced in the 1930s was likely in the next year. Now that number is up 7 points."

Of course if you asked Americans "Do you think Admiral Adama is a Cylon?" 45% of them would say yes too. Still, these are scary numbers no matter how you look at it. Confidence is pretty damn low right now.

The poll described the 1930s' Great Depression as a time in which roughly one out of four workers was unemployed, banks failed across the country and millions of ordinary Americans were temporarily homeless or unable to feed their families.

Nearly nine out of ten people questioned in the survey said economic conditions in the country are poor today, with only 11% suggesting that conditions are good.

And the poll indicates that Americans think it will take time to rebound from the recession, which began at the end of 2007.

"Only one in ten say recovery is likely within a year; one in five predict it will take longer than four years for the country to get back on its feet," Holland said.

And the people will shout "Helicopter Ben, save us!" And Helicopter Ben will whisper, "I think we've averted that risk. I think we've gotten past that."

We'll see. Me? Yeah, count me in that 45%.