--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Reagan is held up to us as an example of…" description: "\"Reagan is held up to us as an example of never raising taxes. Correction: Reagan raised taxes six of his eight years as president. Why? He was a pragma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8d/eugene-jarecki-16452_changed_reagan-is-held-up-to-us-as-an-example-of_1769976.jpg" --- # Reagan is held up to us as an example of never raising… ![“Reagan is held up to us as an example of never raising taxes. Correction: Reagan raised taxes six of his eight years as president. Why? He was a pragmatist, not doctrinaire. He saw problems emerging, and when his policies faltered he changed his views. Flexibility, not rigidity.” quote by Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8d/eugene-jarecki-16452_changed_reagan-is-held-up-to-us-as-an-example-of_1769976.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8d/eugene-jarecki-16452_changed_reagan-is-held-up-to-us-as-an-example-of_1769976.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8d/eugene-jarecki-16452_changed_reagan-is-held-up-to-us-as-an-example-of_1769976.jpg) > “Reagan is held up to us as an example of never raising taxes. Correction: Reagan raised taxes six of his eight years as president. Why? He was a pragmatist, not doctrinaire. He saw problems emerging, and when his policies faltered he changed his views. Flexibility, not rigidity.” [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reagan's tax record shows he raised taxes in six of eight years, showing his pragmatic flexibility over rigid ideology. **In simple terms:** Reagan raised taxes often, showing flexibility. Key Takeaway Value adaptability over strict doctrine. Themes politics policy flexibility Mood thoughtful balanced Type historical political When to use this quote - voting decisions - policy analysis - historical study Key Concepts tax policy pragmatism leadership Questions to Reflect On - What drives a leader to change policy? - Is flexibility always beneficial? A Different Perspective Some may argue tax increases were politically necessary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flexibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flexibility/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems/) [Raising taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raising-taxes/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) ## Related quotes > [Anti-Tax fetishist Grover Norquist owns a bust of Ronald Reagan, who raised taxes 11 times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fugelsang/anti-tax-fetishist-grover-norquist-owns-a-bust-of-ronald-reagan-who/) [John Fugelsang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fugelsang/) > [There once was a man name Barack, Whose re-election came as a shock. He raised the taxes I pay, And then turned marriage gay.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/there-once-was-a-man-name-barack-whose-re-election-came-as-a-shock-he/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [In Michigan, a liberal democrat raised taxes and kept their government programs at the same level. And guess what? Their economy continued into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/in-michigan-a-liberal-democrat-raised-taxes-and-kept-their-government/) [Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/) > [Congress has changed the Social Security system over time, and over 20 times in the past Congress has raised taxes on Social Security in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chocola/congress-has-changed-the-social-security-system-over-time-and-over-20/) [Chris Chocola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chocola/) > [We're in a very Orwellian situation where when we - we've slashed defense. And we've raised taxes. And we consider $600 billion annual deficit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/we-re-in-a-very-orwellian-situation-where-when-we-we-ve-slashed/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [Raised some taxes based on court orders and voter approval.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/raised-some-taxes-based-on-court-orders-and-voter-approval/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [Please give reason. Raised taxes; marching us off to war again; approved more NSA snooping. WHO ARE THEY?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-drudge/please-give-reason-raised-taxes-marching-us-off-to-war-again-approved/) [Matt Drudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-drudge/) > [ \[George Bush\] has raised taxes on the people driving pickup trucks and lowered taxes on the people riding in limousines. We can do better. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/george-bush-has-raised-taxes-on-the-people-driving-pickup-trucks-and/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [“The Boston Tea Party was a protest against an unelected leader who raised taxes, while Obama was an elected leader who had just cut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mayer/the-boston-tea-party-was-a-protest-against-an-unelected-leader-who/) [Jane Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mayer/) > [That's an important Obama accomplishment: he raised taxes back to Bill Clinton levels, and made a major dent in inequality doing so. That's certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/that-s-an-important-obama-accomplishment-he-raised-taxes-back-to-bill/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) > [Imagine his delight after it 'leaked' that he will propose raising taxes on the wealthy by $320 billion over the next 10 years, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/imagine-his-delight-after-it-leaked-that-he-will-propose-raising/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [What I have proposed would be paid for by raising taxes on the wealthy, because they have made all the gains in the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/what-i-have-proposed-would-be-paid-for-by-raising-taxes-on-the/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Governments don't reduce deficits by raising taxes on the people; governments reduce deficits by controlling spending and stimulating new wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/governments-don-t-reduce-deficits-by-raising-taxes-on-the-people/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Having billions of dollars immediately available to plug budget holes without raising taxes is very appealing. And to the delight of Wall Street investors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/having-billions-of-dollars-immediately-available-to-plug-budget-holes/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [What we need is more money back in the hands of Americans of any economic standing and so raising taxes right now doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-yoder/what-we-need-is-more-money-back-in-the-hands-of-americans-of-any/) [Kevin Yoder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-yoder/) ## More by Eugene Jarecki > [If we went back to the imprisonment rate we had in the early '70s, something like four out of five people employed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/if-we-went-back-to-the-imprisonment-rate-we-had-in-the-early-70s/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [The whole idea of a democracy is that we ourselves, the people, are supposed to make a path of our politics, and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/the-whole-idea-of-a-democracy-is-that-we-ourselves-the-people-are/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [War is party-blind. It doesn't care who is in the Oval Office. The forces that drive us to war don't care whether it's Republican,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/war-is-party-blind-it-doesn-t-care-who-is-in-the-oval-office-the/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [The prison industrial complex, to put it in its crassest term, is a system of industrial mass incarceration. So there's what you call bureaucratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/the-prison-industrial-complex-to-put-it-in-its-crassest-term-is-a/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [As I was growing up, you know, I'm a white Jewish American born to Holocaust parents. My father fled Nazi Germany in 1939 and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/as-i-was-growing-up-you-know-i-m-a-white-jewish-american-born-to/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [You can't have a discussion about politics without mentioning Ronald Reagan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/you-can-t-have-a-discussion-about-politics-without-mentioning-ronald/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [There are people who are trying to advance themselves by wrapping themselves in Reagan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/there-are-people-who-are-trying-to-advance-themselves-by-wrapping/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [I have criticisms of Ronald Reagan, but he lives in another universe from the kind of political theater that is represented by people, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/i-have-criticisms-of-ronald-reagan-but-he-lives-in-another-universe/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [If you watch the evening news, Dr. Kissinger is very often brought on to sort of be the statesman of his age and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/if-you-watch-the-evening-news-dr-kissinger-is-very-often-brought-on/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [The thing that happens is that politicians run on tough-on-crime rhetoric. 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I asked him if he was a mama's boy and he said no, more of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/ron-reagan-amazingly-qualifies-as-an-honest-broker-i-asked-him-if-he/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) > [Reaganism as a political movement has enormous resources behind it and it seeks - through stagecraft and through a tremendous level of effort toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-jarecki/reaganism-as-a-political-movement-has-enormous-resources-behind-it/) [Eugene Jarecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) [Explore all 39 Eugene Jarecki quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-jarecki/) ## More Changed quotes > [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. 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I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Faith is the avenue to salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/faith-is-the-avenue-to-salvation-not-intellectual-understanding-not/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [When I became Miss World, I couldn't believe I had won it. 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