Of course, much of the confusion about who’s a big spender is easily resolved by looking at government spending as a share of GDP, which is the most reliable calculus since it measures government’s claim on the entire economy.
In Obama’s first term, federal spending will average 23.8% of GDP, according to the CBO.
For those keeping score, that’s higher than it’s ever been since World War II. And it’s more than twice as high as it ever got during the Great Depression.
via Memo to the Media: Obama is a Spendthrift—And Here’s the Proof – Investors.com.