>>who was really the last good Republican leader who was actually committed to reducing the size of govt

My good friend Mike, a staunch Obama hater, agrees with you about Ford.
Mike never misses an opportunity to tell me that Obama has us on the road to socialism.
Mike is retired and his Social Security and Medicare, a VA disability pension for injuries he got in artillery when added to a small retirement income from his self employment, allow Mike to live with dignity.
Mike learned his profession - Land Surveyor - while going to school on the GI bill.
90% of the work that Mike did in his profession involved State or Municipal funded projects.
But, boy, is Mike down on socialism!

Regarding anti-government Gerry-
He served with distinction in WWII and thereafter served 13 terms in the House of Representatives before running for VP.
Except for jobs he held prior to the WWII and a brief fling with the law, to the best of my knowledge, he never earned a dime as a civilian.