You're being misleading. You're including money that the government pays out in social security which is a retirement program and really nothing to do with gove

You're being misleading. You're including money that the government pays out in social security which is a retirement program and really nothing to do with government except that it's mandated. Ditto for health programs. In the absence of these programs insurance and investment companies would be doing the same. The real difference is how governments involve themselves in the day to day of the economy and that has to do with regulation and other government interventions. Small government is mostly ideological dogma since it makes no reference to what government is doing for you. Who wants a "small government" that provides no services to taxpayers? It's amazing, and quite stupid, that the discussion seems to be so much about the size of government rather than what people are getting for their money and if it is worth the cost.