How the Trump era is changing the federal bureaucracy

I think smaller can certainly be a good thing, but it won't necessarily be better or more efficient unless there is a clear plan, and I certainly hope there is. The challenge is that smaller is not necessarily better, and it's not necessarily smaller: (1) When we've tried getting rid of people before (civil servants), the laws don't let you get rid of the right ones (the non-producers), because they've been around the longest. You end up with people who make operations less efficient. (2) Just cutting out political appointees without a plan hinders the President in carrying out his agenda. For the most part, only a political administration appointee can testify before Congress on things like the budget, and he can't shape an agency by ordering CS around himself. It's way too much micromanagement, and it just doesn't work. (3) In every case when we have cut CS, we have spent that same amount, or more, buying contractors--and that $$ amount will grow every year. Plus there are many things contractors can't do legally. (4) We don't attract and grow the government leaders of tomorrow. In order to do many jobs where you need years to learn, we need to attract and retain the best talent. When you have severe cuts and lose those people you've spent lots of money training (a resource drain), and you don't attract new talent to take their place. Yes we are still functioning, but it's only been a year. We won't see the second and third order effects for some time, IMHO. I used to say we wouldn't have too many people in the Pentagon if they would let me stand at the door at 3:00 and pick out those leaving early! LOL

Let us ensure we do not throw out the baby with the bath water.

Government in general is bloated with duplication of effort and duplication of failure as well. You have to be blind not to see it at all levels. The actual folks who bust their collective ass are overshadowed by the chair warmers and those who work harder at doing nothing then they would have to if they did their jobs. Government doesn't actually make money, it spends it after taking it from taxpayers.