Have to disagree with your statement.  When Bill Clinton was voted in, he faced a deficit that the previous president a Republican had left behind.  He left office with the gov't having a  surplus.
When Bush Jr took over, he turned that surplus into a deficit.
Obama inherited a mess, a deficit & an  economic crisis.  I think he did a decent job.  I remember when people around the world were in a panic:(  Even in Spore people were worried that the banks would collapse