When Did the Great Recession Start?

Rick Gorka as spokesperson for the Romney campaign claimed:

Under this President, unemployment has risen to 8.2% and his administration has been unable to propose any new ideas that can turn around our economy. As President, Mitt Romney will reform our tax code, cut bloated government spending and promote pro-growth policies that will create jobs for middle class families.

Really? Our graph does show that the unemployment rate was 8.2% as of July 2012 but it also shows how its surge began well before Barack Obama became President. The President passed an initial stimulus that was too little and has turned unfortunately to austerity in part because Congress has not followed up on any of the other stimulus proposals from the White House. We can and should complain that this President has not pushed Congress harder but I’ve yet to hear anything from Team Romney other than the usual Republican spin, which alas in Gorka’s own words is a push for more austerity. So why does Team Romney continue with this spin? Maybe because they know the press isn’t going to call them on it.