Why do republicans get credit for COMPLAINING about an issue that republicans often created or made worse?

Republicans authored giant deficits under reagan, gwb and trump. Dems massively reduced the giant republican deficits. But at least under Obama, republicans were trusted more on the budget. Because they complained about the issue republicans created?

Republicans have blocked every effort to deal with the border and immigration, but are trusted more on the border? Why? Because they complained about the issue whose solutions republicans blocked?

Trump (and republicans in general) was terrible for the economy. Dems (and Biden specifically) are far better. But Trump is trusted more on the economy? Why? Because he falsely claims he authored a good economy, despite tanking the good economy he inherited from Obama?

The american people are idiots, it seems.
Stop accepting right wing bullshit rhetoric and look for RESULTS.
Republicans are liars and are shit at governing.
Stop being taken for fools.