In some way's I'd agree with you. I'm not optimistic about what's taking place at the federal level. I know some things look pretty good. There are other things that don't look good at all.
Open borders...
Massive spending...
Massive increases in the Department of Education Budget...
Massive new programs promising even more services to special interest groups...
More and more oppressive security...
While we and some others talk a good game, it's what is being instituted that will haunt us for decades to come. I wish I were as optimistic as you are, but there are dark clouds on the horizon.
The government will always continue to spend more, if for no reason that it has more citizens every year to spend it on. I am uncomfortable with the increase of growth in spending, and I wish we hadn't added increased benefits to medicare and passed a preposterous farm subsidy bill. Bush's new budget proposal looks far better, especially in regard to the latter.
The DOE budget is also troubling, in two regards. It's a lot more money, and if money solved the problem, California would have the best test scores in the nation. In fact, they're pathetic.
The only place I find security oppressive is at our airports. It's absurd. I don't notice it anywhere else.
I think the nation is becoming more conservative, yet I think the measures we're taking during the Islamic Jihad for our protection are making a lot of conservatives nervous.