They are disowning Bush because Bush has steady 30% approval and he is a liability during the midterms. The Republican Party doesn’t want to be known as the Bush Party, but that’s too bad. They own him. They can’t disown him now.

Also, I too have always been amazed by the Reagan mythology. Did you know he single handedly ended the cold war? But, then I come across a lot of Clinton mythology too. Did you know that during the Clinton admin it was a time of total peace and prosperity? I guess when you’re likable and have that TV something, people will want to make it seem like you were responsible for all the good in the world and you were fighting all of the bad. Eh…

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy06/pdf/hist.pdf#page=33

Individual and Corporate income taxes.

1981——-$347054 Million
1988——-$495689 Million

Increase of 42.8%

Social insurance / retirement receipts.

1981——-$182720 Million
1988——-$334335 Million

Increase of 83.0%

Percentage wise, nearly twice as much growth in revenue where the tax rates increased compared to where the tax rates were reduced.

Regarding Social security/ Medicare taxes , from:
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/ProgData/taxRates.html

Rates for employers and employees (added)

1979/80— 12.26%
1981——– 13.30%
1982/83— 13.40%
1984——– 14.00%
1985——– 14.10%
1986/87— 14.30%
1988/89— 15.02%

Rates for self employed people

1979/80—–8.10%
1981———-9.30%
1982/83—- 9.35%
1984——– 14.00%
1985——– 14.10%
1986/87—-14.30%
1988/89— 15.02%

If you look at federal revenues/composition of receipts by source, you will find the following data:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy06/pdf/hist.pdf#page=35

YEAR INDIVIDUAL CORPORATE SOCIAL INSURANCE/
———–TAXES————TAXES———RETIREMEMT RCPTS

1981—47.7%———-10.2%———–30.5%
1982—48.2%———–8.0%———–32.6%
1983—48.1%———–6.2%———–34.8%
1984—44.8%———–8.5%———–35.9%
1985—45.6%———–8.4%———–36.1%
1986—45.4%———–8.2%———–36.9%
1987—45.9%———–9.8%———–35.5%
1988—44.1%———-10.4%———–36.8%

So by 1988, the percentage of federal revenues from Individual and Corporate taxes decreased by 3.4%
while the percentage of federal revenues from social insurance and retirement receipts increased by 6.3%

Rates for employers and employees (added)

1979-80 12.26%
1981 13.30%
1982-83 13.40%
1984 14.00%
1985 14.10%
1986-87 14.30%
1988-89 15.02%

Rates for self employed people

1979-80 8.10%
1981 9.30%
1982-83 9.35%
1984 14.00%
1985 14.10%
1986-87 14.30%
1988-89 15.02%

If you look at federal revenues/composition of receipts by source, you will find the following data:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy06/pdf/hist.pdf#page=35

YEAR INDIVIDUAL CORPORATE SOCIAL INSURANCE/
TAXES TAXES RETIREMEMT RCPTS

1981 47.7% 10.2% 30.5%
1982 48.2% 8.0% 32.6%
1983 48.1% 6.2% 34.8%
1984 44.8% 8.5% 35.9%
1985 45.6% 8.4% 36.1%
1986 45.4% 8.2% 36.9%
1987 45.9% 9.8% 35.5%
1988 44.1% 10.4% 36.8%

So by 1988, the percentage of federal revenues from Individual and Corporate taxes decreased by 3.4%
while the percentage of federal revenues from social insurance and retirement receipts increased by 6.3%

First , lets look at federal revenues in constant dollar terms.

from : http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy06/pdf/hist.pdf#page=29

Lets start with 1981, rather than 1980, because Reagan didn’t take office until Jan20, 1981.

YEAR ———REVENUE(in billions of dollars)
1981———-1077.4
1982———-1036.9
1983———–961.7
1984———-1016.8
1985———-1082.6
1986———-1107.3
1987———-1196.1
1988———-1235.6

so in real dollar terms, the TOTAL revenue to the treasury went from
1077.4 Billion to 1235.6 Billion over Reagan’s term.( an increase in revenue of 14.68%)

Not the “doubling of revenue” that some (including Hannity) would like us to believe. Also notice that total revenues in real dollar terms dropped from
1981 thru 1984. Did the decrease in tax rates cause this to happen? We know that later in his term Reagan increased taxes, perhaps that is what caused revenues to grow during the last half of his term.

Lets compare those numbers to what happened under Clinton Who we all know RAISED the top tax rates(again using constant dollar terms)

YEAR ———REVENUE(in billions of dollars)
1993———-1323.1
1994———-1413.9
1995———-1482.3
1996———-1557.7
1997———-1661.0
1998———-1793.0
1999———-1874.7
2000———-2025.2

So in real dollar terms, the TOTAL revenue to the treasury went from 1323.1 Billion to 2025.2 Billion over Clinton’s term. (an increase in revenue of 53.06%)

Lets see, 53.06% versus 14.68% , apparently raising tax rates does a better job of increasing revenue into the treasury.