"No, that won't wash. Bush likes deficit spending, big government, and being in power. That's the very model of a modern day Republican. What is isn't is a conservative."
Well, you've got some stuff right here. Of course, Reagan was quite the deficit spender, so...oops, I guess Reagan doesn't qualify as conservative either.
"Bush likes...being in power...the very model of a modern day Republican. What is(sic) isn't is a conservative."
You got that part right, many of today's conservatives seem quite happy to be out of power, and carping from the sidelines. It is easier than leadership and governance.
Reagan was also duped by a democrat congress. Reagan's tax cuts, TEFRA, congress spent 2:1 in dollars collected from increased revenues.