>>>>a bloated behemoth of a government that is quickly growing at an unsustainable rate
>>
>>In fact, federal employment, after spiking in the run-up to the census in 2010-2011, has been declining fairly rapidly.
>>
>>Total government employment- federal state and local has been in free-fall since the recession began.
>>The city of Trenton had to lay off almost half of its police force because of drastic reductions in state aid and the crime rate has gone through the roof.
>
>I should have been more clear - I wasn't specifically referring to employment, but cost. We have a federal deficit that is growing nearly explosively (I started to say exponentially but I'm no math guy LOL). It is a shame about state aid, but much of the problems at the state and local level are due to unfunded Federal mandates. It is a hydra that is consuming our country - or at least its economy and, based on the vitriol exhibited, much of its civility.
>
>Myself included.

>>much of its civility

Agreed, Phil.
JFK often said that in politics we don't have friends and enemies- we have allies and opponents, and an opponent on one issue can be an ally on the next.
We have to get back to that thinking.