Let's not forget that, in the middle of that (between 2006 and now), proposals to increase revenues (allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire) were torpedoed last year.

Interesting that the cuts expired two years after the end of Bush's last possible time in office. Not saying there's a conspiracy - but if they'd expired BEFORE the GOP/TeaParty took back the house, do you think they all would have been kept? Certainly not the rates for those making $250K and up.

Once Obama lost THAT fight, my personal opinion is that the Republicans smelled blood in the water and he (the President) didn't have a chance in the debt-ceiling fight. Not when the debt ceiling was slated to be hit just months later.