I think there was always an undercurrent of distaste among conservatives regarding the New Deal (the John Birchers all through the Cold War), but after Reagan and his “government is not the solution, government is the problem” it came to the forefront again.
There’s something puritanical about it, they need to stamp out anything that reminds them of communism, whether it’s beneficial or not. It’s like if Marx had invented the omelette they’d be calling for strict rules on how eggs can be cooked.
