Reagan Raised Taxes At Least 7 Times, Including the Biggest Corporate Tax Hike Ever

Jon Ponder
Pensito Review
Jul. 2, 2010

Republican former Sen. Alan Simpson — who was a friend of Pres. Ronald Reagan and who was conservative enough to be elected to the Senate three times by voters in Wyoming, Dick Cheney’s home state — is fed up by what the called the “myths and misconceptions and the distortions” about Reagan’s record on raising taxes.

Simpson, who serves on the federal commission charged with finding solutions to lowering the national debt, spoke out during a recent public hearing.

Transcript:

SEN. SIMPSON: Now if we’re going to work through the myths and misconceptions and the distortions, and as one president said, “plain damn lies.” I forget what president — I think it was Harry [Truman]. Uh, I’m going to say one.

Some groups seem to bring up Ronald Reagan. We’ll hear from those this afternoon — with a deserved reference, which is very appropriate. Uh. In the words memorialized in the vice presidential debate, I knew Ronald Reagan. They are not Ronald Reagan “knowers.”

In his diary books, I’m proudly mentioned many times. He was a dear friend, and a total realist as to politics.

I didn’t come to this commission to raise taxes. That’s the myth. But I’ll tell ya, they’ve got to be on the table and they are on the table. So I’ll get my share of crap on that one.

(Video here.)