They are lying with statistics.
There was a huge one-year jump in spending between 2008 and 2009 due to numerous factors including TARP and massive job losses. Obama, Pelosi and Reid then locked in this higher 2009-level spending over the subsequent three years, 2010-2012.
The left blames the 2008-2009 spending jump entirely on Bush (ignoring that the ‘Rats controlled Congress and that there was a massive recession and the banking crisis) and claim that Obama has bravely held spending steady since.
However if you compare average annual spending for the four years of Obama’s term (2009-2012) to the average spending during Bush’s eight years (2001-2008) Obama’s is something like 20% higher.
Damned lies and statistics.
Obama is blaming the 1 trillion increase on Bush, and then claiming that he’s increased spending less than anyone else in the past 60 years. Even though he’s got that same trillion to spend again & again every year.