http://www.tnr.com/blog/jonathan-chait/75128/the-stigmatization-bush-blaming The financial crisis of 2008 made it inevitable that unemployment would rise sharply through 2009. It also caused the budget deficit to skyrocket: Most voters, of course, don't follow these issues closely enough to gain a detailed understanding of cause and effect. They just tend to notice that unemployment and the budget deficit have risen while President Obama has held office. Republicans have worked assiduously to blame these conditions on Obama's policies even though they were obviously caused by conditions he inherited.