As Politifact rated as “mostly true” – the increase in government spending under President Obama has increased at the slowest rate in nearly 60 years (source).  And that’s actually hurting the economy; if government spending grew at the same rate that it did under Bush Jr. or Ronald Reagan – unemployment would have been below 7% by election day (source).  So – President Obama is managing a real balancing act here between addressing the long term debt, negotiating with Republicans intent to sabotage the economic recovery and still growing the economy via Keynesian economics means.  That’s a tough needle to thread.