"Instead of government business?" Gridlocked or paralyzed government is usually a feature, not a bug. Generally, the less the government is doing, the better off the rest of the country is. Who knows? Maybe a preoccupied Democratic president is another reason for the prosperity of the late 90s.

Republicans are about power? I thought Republicans were about greed and money.

Modern Democratic politicians are fundamentally about power and control. I have never seen a "progressive" Democratic idea or policy that did NOT involve increasing the power and wealth of the State, and decreasing the liberty and choices of the citizen.

The growth of statism is their solution to everything.

Where do conservatives threaten my liberty? Get past anti-abortion laws and things like prayer in schools - neither of which have remotely come close to becoming national law - and you've pretty much shot the entire wad.