An article in the New York Times makes clear how conservatives see spending on the military and roads as a separate class of government expenditures – not to be constrained.
In a draft proposal circulated to defense and transportation industry executives in recent weeks, the American Conservative Union is offering to use its grass-roots organization, annual conference and movement clout to lobby against cuts to federal military and infrastructure spending. …
“Constitutional conservatives recognize that not all government expenditures are equal,” the proposal says. …
The proposed new effort, called the American Strength Program, would be financed by contributions from the defense and transportation businesses, which have struggled to defend the federal appropriations that benefit them as Congressional Republicans seek further spending cuts.
Similarly in Canada, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, where calls for upgrades of crumbling roads are often heard, they argue that gas taxes to be used only for highway construction and dropped if used to fund any other use, like transit – a favourite target of CTF to typify government waste.
Very similar problem to what we have in New Zealand. Right wing politicians stuck between the traditional conservative beliefs and neoliberalism.