Tea Party Crowd Boos The Fact That Reagan Increased Deficit
Check out this YouTube of Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-OH) being ambushed by a Tea Party crowd at his town hall from two days ago, and how they reacted when he committed an unpardonable sin -- criticizing Reagan!
At the 2:30 mark here, a woman got up and made the extraordinary claim that Reagan tripled federal tax revenues by cutting the top marginal rate from 70% down to 28%:
After the cheering calmed down a bit, Driehaus pointed out: "What we saw is also a tremendous increase in the deficit." Apparently, the crowd then began yelling back that no, Reagan did not increase the deficit.
As you can see, the crowd also chanted "Vote for Chabot!" as Driehaus left -- a reference to the former Republican Congressman that Driehaus unseated in 2008, and who is now mounting a comeback bid.
Note: Tax revenues did not triple under Reagan -- the most generous method of counting, without taking into account population increases and inflation, is 80%. Driehaus could have stated that, but look at how badly the crowd reacted to the Reagan-deficit link.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Articles from Firedog Lake HERE and and article from Krugman HERE pretty much squash that Reagan generated more revenue baloney.
August 5, 2009 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hah. I didn't notice you had linked to that Krugman blog. heh
August 5, 2009 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's alright Mike, thanks for the links.
Alas, though, anything that doesn't coincide with their Fantasy World, a world where Reagan shrunk government, tripled revenue, lowered taxes, Iraq had something to do with 9/11 and George Bush was a popular president, they will boo and jeer. They can't stand to hear reality. They are a crazy, lunatic fringe that somehow has an entire media organization propping them up.
August 5, 2009 2:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
They felt it wasn't true!
TRUTHINESS LIVES!!
August 5, 2009 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
the republican party isn't even the party of conservatism anymore. it has just devolved into the party of greedy ignorant taxophobes. just as the republicans in the senate finance committee are watering down a bill they will never vote for anyway, it doesn't matter how low you cut taxes, because they are so untethered from reality and facts, republican voters will still want them to be lower.
their america the beautiful steadily turns into a dysfunctional craphole with crumbling infrastructure (greatest country in the world!). and the middle class disappears as wealth and income becomes increasingly disproportionately redistributed into the offshore bank accounts of the top quintile. and they pay more and more for healh care while getting less and less in return (best health care system on the planet!). and the only argument these tools of the man have to offer: cut taxes!
August 5, 2009 11:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
At the 2:30 mark here, a woman got up and made the extraordinary claim that Reagan tripled federal tax revenues by cutting the top marginal rate from 70% down to 28%:
Sean Hannity makes a similar claim and also states that under Raygun, 21 million new jobs were created in 8 years. That's the correct number for Clinton, for Reagan, the real number is 15 million,
August 6, 2009 7:01 AM | Reply | Permalink