Reagan raised taxes 11 times

“Congress consistently brings the government to the edge of default before facing its responsibility. This brinksmanship threatens the holders of government bonds and those who rely on Social Security and veterans benefits. Interest rates would skyrocket, instability would occur in financial markets, and the Federal deficit would soar.”

- Ronald Reagan

I'm not saying raise taxes. I'm not saying who's right and who's wrong in this debt ceiling argument. I'm saying Reagan raised taxes 11 times.

Taxes were still lower when he left office than when he came in, due to a major cut shortly after his first election. But I think it's fair to equate that initial cut with the Bush tax cuts, and President Obama's agreement to re-up them.

The point is, this idea that there is never a right time to raise any taxes (see Grover Norquist's comment starting at 5:18), is just as foolish as that kind of always-say-never philosophy generally is.

And the abdication of the responsibility to compromise that comes with being a member of Congress is really starting to upset me. U.S. corporations are sitting on $2 trillion in cash and certainty seems to be what everybody wants.

So give us some certainty. Pass a debt ceiling deal. Like we did 17 (or 18 - I've seen both figures) times under President Reagan. Include significant spending cuts and tax reform if you can, but at the very least, please stop driving the economy down over an arbitrary line in the sand.

Update: The GOP put this video out recently in a push back against Democrats trying to co-opt Reagan's reputation. I include it in the interest of representing different views, but it doesn't change the fact that smart and reasonable people do what needs to be done based on reality.