Conservatives, actually paleo-conservatives now, want fiscal RESPONSIBLITY. Neither party is real good at responsibility.
That means meeting the needs of the public at the same time balancing the books. And I have no problem borrowing for a need if you have a realistic plan to pay it off. Debt-free is a goal, not a condition that must be met by letting essentials slip. But deficit spending can not be a permanent long term solution. It simply can't work.
No matter how much someone may want what deficit spending can buy, it can't go on indefinitely. The choices are balance the books or suffer what real world economics brings to you sooner or later. That's exactly where we are now after 60 years of bi-partisan governments ignoring that fact.
Real conservatives have no problem with the general concept of social programs. They want them to be needed and to have both a cure for the problem and an exit plan built in from the start. Most important of all, they want the books balanced. If majority says we need program X, so be it as long as it's paid for.
Have your yacht and your fine wine if you like. Your business, not mine - if you can meet your bills at the end of the month instead of adding it to the card.