There's a hoary political science saying that Americans are ideological conservatives but operational liberals. In other words, they oppose government in the abstract but favor it in the particulars. Political scientist John Sides goes through a survey of respondents who call themselves "conservative" or "very conservative," and asks them which government programs they'd like to cut. The answer is, none:
The main operational difference between the two parties for the last two years is that one thinks taxes should be set at a level to finance the government we have, and the other thinks taxes should be set at a level to finance the government they wish they had, but realize they can't actually get voters to accept.