Washington "austerity"

Here is today's offering from The Washington Post's editorial cartoonist Tom Toles:

Welcome to the new Washington meme: the slowing economy is due to Republican budget cutting. If only. According to this site, total government increased by over $300 billion from FY 2010 to FY 2011. FY 2012 meanwhile will see a decline of only $13 billion. Federal spending next year is projected at $700 billion more than FY 2008.

Of course, grappling with the reality that the economy has slowed despite rising government spending may be too much for some in Washington.