No, I'm not happy about it. In 2001, when we got a republican president and republican-controlled U.S. Senate and House, many conservatives probably thought that they would pass conservative budgets, with very small spending increases, but that hasn't happened yet. In 2004, the departments of HUD, Education, and HHS received at least 28% more than they received in 2001. Bush's budgets have increased spending more than Clinton's budgets.
Republican DOES NOT EQUAL Conservative. Nor does Democratic equal Liberal. If it did, then Hillary's health care plan would have passed in 1993.
Taxes and spending have also been out of control in Ohio, and the Republicans here have had far more control than in Washington, where the Senate has never been under complete Republican (much less Conservative) control due to the filibuster.
Ken Blackwell is running for Governor of Ohio on an explicit platform of restricting spending increases. Hopefully he will win.
But he is unusual. MOST politicians, and most voters, sadly, like the government goodies. Look at the fit Ted Stevens threw in the Senate over his ridiculous bridge.