Prior to 1998, the GOP was fiscally conservative and patriotic to America.
No, from 1980-1998 the GOP professed those ideals while putting everything on the credit card for future generations to pay. Reagan exploded the debt and deficit. As for patriotic, Republicans sold arms to our enemy, lied about it, transported drugs south of he border, lied about it, and went after Bill Clinton in a way they had never done with previous presidents.
Reagan, Gingrich, Limbaugh, Gramm. They put the Republican Party on the path of destruction.