What a great discussion! What I don’t see, though, is any examination of the “why” government grows along with the “how” it grows. Why did GW Bush expand government when his party purports to oppose that? Why did Barney Frank defend Freddie and Fannie? Until we can address the eagerness of political actors to expand government, we can’t really slow the process.

And I have to say, I worked for one of the very few government agencies that was ever abolished (the U.S. Information Agency) and I don’t think that was an example of how to save money: the function of that agency was taken up by the State Department, and I would guess any budgetary savings associated with the closure of USIA were promptly negated by an increase in State’s budget.

Growth of government will not be an easy matter to slow, much less reverse. No one who has run on the platform of limited government has delivered — even Reagan.

Damn fine discussion, nonetheless. F