How is advocating PAY AS YOU GO Taxcuts AND turning around an advocating SPENDING INCREASES even remotely thought of as being "an old timey way to be conservative"? Reagan's plan was cut taxes AND spending, not Cut Taxes as long as we can figure a way to "pay for the taxcuts" AND increase spending.
You're right, that's not conservative. And that's why neither our current budget nor Ronald Reagan's, May he rest in peace, are conservative.
Actually paying for tax cuts with equal spending cuts would be conservative.
The current President Bush has a war to contend with, of course, but if you look at the current budget it increases health and human services far more than defense.
http://www.federalbudget.com/