BIG GOVERNMENT BUSH: Democrats create big government, Republicans cut budgets. Sound like a plan? Does to me. Nick Gillespie's latest makes clear all the old bets are off:

Over the past two weeks, I've written or co-written a couple of things about how George W. Bush outspent Lyndon Baines Johnson in his first four budgets. To recap: When it comes to inflation-adjusted increases in discretionary spending (comprising most defense and nonentitlement spending), Dubya beats LBJ like Sam Houston beat Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto.

This doesn't come as news to conservatives. They haven't liked it but many chose to stay silent because they had their eyes on the Supreme Court. Now they're seeing red because they believe Bush failed to deliver. Post-Miers, will conservatives continue excusing the administration's big spending ways? That's one question. Two more: Why were so many on the right so willing to ignore Bush's big government conservatism all along: beginning with the Medicare drug entitlement? Could it be that part of their rage toward Bush — ostensibly about Miers — is actually anger at themselves, for making a Faustian bargain they now regret?