In response to:
Wasn't that (2009) after the Ds had control of the purse strings (Congress) for two years?
Since most of the data in post-election polling has offered little beyond a parade of ugly news, here's a glimmer of hope from Gallup:
For the first time in Gallup trends since 2000, a majority of Americans say it is not the federal government's responsibility to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage. Prior to 2009, a majority always felt the government should ensure healthcare coverage for all, though Americans' views have become more divided in recent years...Republicans, including Republican-leaning independents, are mostly responsible for the drop since 2007 in Americans' support for government...
In the 90's Clinton and Gingrich repealed Glass-Steagall, and in the 2000's Bush and Pelosi let the banks invest trillions in bad mortages.