The next U.S. president will be confronted with slow growth, high unemployment and an economy teetering toward recession, say 51 private economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal.

If they are correct, pumping up the economy will the first challenge facing either Democrat Barack Obama or Republican John McCain. That is likely to place tax cuts and government spending high on Washington's agenda, and push back costly measures such as reforming health care and fighting global warming.

The...