Big Brother's New Best Friend

For decades, Republican candidates campaigned on the theme that they were the public's best protector against Democratic efforts to expand government. Often, conservatives would warn that liberals were pursuing policies to expand the role of Big Brother. As Tom DeWeese, of the conservative think-tank The American Policy Center, puts it:

Republican principles advocate limited government intrusion into the lives of the American people. Republican candidates campaign on the ideas of restraining Big Brother. Republicans have been given a majority in the U.S. Congress because the American people want some control over the massive power of the federal government.

So, would someone explain to me why the size of the federal government has mushroomed under the Bush Administration AND Big Brother's reach seems to be getting deeper and deeper?

The only explanation that I can discern is that conservatives aren't necessarily opposed to Big Brother at all. In fact, they love Big Brother provided that government is intruding on American life, not safeguarding the public from corporate might.