What ever happened to the Republican Party?

White House projects record deficit for 2009

I thought small government and fiscal responsibility were two of the core values of the Republican Party. What happened?

This administration has run a deficit every single year it's been in office. It might have lowered taxes (for the rich), but it surely hasn't kept spending down. It's created bureaucracy (DHS) and floundered our tax dollars (remember FEMA and its bang up job during Katrina?). What did we get for it? An economy in the toilet, a dollar worth less than the Canadian version, and an unbelievably expensive occupation of two countries that seems to be doing little good no matter how you look at it (unless you count padding the pockets of all the defense contractors).