Free Spending Republicans

I'm starting to get the impression that the sentiments expressed in this WSJ editorial (captioned "Republicans have abandoned small government. Why shouldn't voters abandon them?") are representative of those held by many non-religious conservatives. Hopefully it will send a message to the Republicans' leaders, though somehow I doubt it.

What we're seeing in the wake of Katrina is that despite all the winks and assurances to the contrary as they passed the energy and transportation bills, Republicans in Congress don't know how to control spending and are at a loss as to why they even should. That's one way to govern. But if Republicans no longer believe in smaller government, why not put the Democrats back in charge?