[One] of the most heartening signs we have had in this brief administration is the recent poll which indicates most of our citizens favor our [$1 billion tax hike] revenue package and, of those who favor it, 70 percent do so because they see the need to balance the budget. Perhaps the Federal government could take note of this.

— California Gov. Ronald Reagan, in 1967, advocating raising $1 billion in taxes to balance the state budget. Despite tea party mythology, Reagan had few qualms about raising taxes. He did it at least seven times as president, including the largest corporate tax hike ever.

Via George Skelton, Los Angeles Times