Pundits have taken to calling the 2008 financial meltdown the "Great Recession," hinting at the idea that this was the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s and 40s. This is a clever name. Not only does it have a nice ring to it; it also provides cover for the current resident of the White House, as it allows him to blame the anemic recovery/ongoing recession on the terrible economic situation he "inherited."