Why aren't fiscal conservatives Democrats?

[Kablooie]

"Fiscal conservatism (also known as economic conservatism) is a political phrase term used in North America to describe advocacy of lower governmental spending practices and a lower federal debt; It is used to define someone who advocates smaller government, less federal spending, fewer earmarks and entitlement programs, and lower taxes." - wikipedia

Except for the lower taxes part, the Republicans are the exact opposite of fiscal conservatives.
Are lower taxes for the rich the only thing that's important?

Are gigantic government, horrendous federal debt and unbelievable federal spending with massive earmarks not really as important as low taxes for the rich?

It sure seems that a fiscal conservative would have a better chance of achieving his goals within the Democratic party.

[drmeow]

1. Democrats/Liberals

tend to be Keynesian deficit spenders, Republicans/Conservatives tend to be fascist deficit spenders. Fiscally conservative Republicans in this day and age is an oxymoron.

[Beregond2]

2. Because they stopped thinking in 1980.

[TygrBright]

3. There is a critical difference:

The Wikipedia definition of "fiscal conservative" is outdated. The term has mutated into a code word for "rabid anti-tax ideologue." All of the other factors --smaller government, less federal spending, fewer earmarks and entitlement programs," etc.-- are relevant ONLY insofar as they are the means to lowering taxes.

While Democrats have less aversion to using government resources to promote the well-being of the citizenry, ideally (but not always in practice) those spending choices are prioritized toward investments that ultimately lower the cost of government; i.e. every dollar spent today on Head Start saves twenty dollars in future spending on law enforcement, unemployment benefits, prisons, and other remediation.

Your modern "fiscal conservative" doesn't give a rat's ass whether taxing people to spend a buck today will keep their children from having to pay twenty bucks in taxes down the line, they don't want ANY taxing or ANY spending other than to keep the evil brown people from taking away Our Sacred Way of American Life-- unchecked consumerism, greed, jingoistic patriotism, and blind parochialism.

helpfully,
Bright

[OmahaBlueDog]

4. They cannot forgive LBJ or FDR

The Great Society and New Deal are, in the eyes of many fiscal conservatives, everything that is wrong with America.