W had a Republican Congress for six of his eight years. He demonstrated no interest in controlling spending; indeed, aversion to reining in government spending is what his slogan “compassionate conservatism” was meant to convey. One should not confuse the Bushes with Reagan: Daddy Bush was the anti-Reagan on every major issue in the 1980 primaries, and he came from the anti-Goldwater wing of the party (as does Romney, by the by).
