I wish we had a metric of "acceptable government waste, because we're providing a public service." When we provide public services the goal needs to be that we

I wish we had a metric of "acceptable government waste, because we're providing a public service." When we provide public services the goal needs to be that we provide them to everyone within a reasonable cost-basis. Too many gov't programs are the subject of budget cuts because people cry out "Waste!" when in reality the amount you save by addressing that waste undercuts the impact of the program. There are so many basic programs where we cut people off because of "WASTE!", and we'd be better served trying to offer broad services at a base-level, and addressing individual needs more targeted. Feels like a Mountain vs. Valley approach. Gov't programs should be Mountains that we build up with a wide-base to cover the wide needs and that we can address smaller needs with more targeted approaches. Rather than the valley approach of wide need, and we cut support based on where we think we see waste.