> A simple baseline would be competency. You mean some arbitrary assumption about competency and the threats the populace faces. Yes, government invariably co

> A simple baseline would be competency. You mean some arbitrary assumption about competency and the threats the populace faces. Yes, government invariably could do a better job of protecting people, and the US government in particular could do a better job of protecting people. However, even with the US government, if you were to systematically dismantle it, there'd be FAR more deaths. Take your example of mass shootings, do you really think there'd be fewer if there were no regulations, no police, no public emergency response systems, no import restrictions, no safety restrictions, no military, etc.?