David Brooks is fueling my malaise over what the "conservative" movement has become now that it holds the reins of power -

It was only this week that we can truly say the exodus story is over, with the success of the Medicare reform bill. This week the G.O.P. behaved as a majority party in full. The Republicans used the powers of government to entrench their own dominance. They used their control of the federal budget to create a new entitlement, to woo new allies and service a key constituency group, the elderly.

...as the governing party, they have to betray some of the principles that first animated them. This week we saw dozens of conservatives, who once believed in limited government, vote for a new spending program that will cost over $2 trillion over the next 20 years.

Same crap, different constituency.  F**king politics as usual.   I have to respect Liberals & Democrats because they at least expressly said / admitted that their goal was to broaden role of the government (for the dubious goal of creating their own definition of equality).   These Republicans are saying one thing to the public, saying another thing to their pet interest goups, getting elected and doing something completely different. 

Brooks sees a light at the end of the tunnel but it isn't particularly reassuring:

...Many conservatives are dismayed over what has happened to their movement as it has grown fat and happy in the Promised Land. A significant rift has opened up between the conservative think tankers and journalists, who are loyal to ideas, and the K Street establishmentarians, who are loyal to groups.

The good news for Democrats is that the K Street establishment will slowly win this struggle. The majority will ossify. It will lose touch with its principles and eventually crumble under the weight of its own spoils. The bad news for Democrats is that, as Republicans can tell you, the ossification process is maddeningly slow. After the New Deal, it took 60 years. 

Great... Little Thomas will have 60 years of Democrat New Deals and a further 60 years of Republican New Deals to clean up.  Hopefully a few men of higher principle will stand up to this mess before our taxes become a mandatory 2nd mortgage - John Mccain, for example:

"Congress is now spending money like a drunken sailor — and I've never known a sailor drunk or sober with the imagination that this Congress has," said Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican and a former captain in the U.S. Navy.

Or how about Trent Lott:

"I am very worried that Republicans have started just ignoring the impact of these spending bills, that the deficit is running up. It's going to take us quite some time now — years — to begin to ratchet it back down," Mr. Lott said on ABC's "This Week" program.

Open Note to President Bush:  If you want to do something DRAMATIC that will buoy your stock, VETO some of the crap spending bills coming your way from the Republican congress.   I HONESTLY believe that you will win friends in the electorate if / when you take a visible, disciplinary action against your own party.   It's easy to say a veto was meted out on Principle when it's exercised against the opposition.  The real test will be if you can pull it out now.

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UPDATE: David Boaz chimes in @ the WashPost:

In 2000 George W. Bush campaigned across the country telling voters: "My opponent trusts government. I trust you."

Little wonder that some of his supporters are now wondering which candidate won that election.

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