I think the main driver in the recent massive expansion in the US government is that we've abandoned raising taxes and switched to just borrowing from a seeming

I think the main driver in the recent massive expansion in the US government is that we've abandoned raising taxes and switched to just borrowing from a seemingly endless supply of money. Without that check in place there is no limit on the growth of the government, and as John says there is always _something_ that _someone_ truly believes needs more money (like space flight?). I've always thought it would be interesting to put the following process in place: the congresspeople who vote for an appropriations bill need to meet and then physically count out money using $10,000 bills, one bill at a time. Then, maybe an extra 700 million dollars attached to a bill would have some real meaning. (You couldn't use real money of course, you can't trust a politician with that many unmarked bills).