How big should government be?

After reading an article in this weekend's Parade magazine, I had to comment on their website in answer to their question, "How big should government be?"

The best government is that which governs least; government should stay out of the citizens' way and provide only those things that individuals cannot do alone, namely national security. When government does what individuals should do, it robs us of our creativity to solve problems and our compassion to help our neighbors. Our allegiance should be to the rule of law, not to power-hungry individuals, for even the best-intentioned public servant will become corrupted over time when tempted by unlimited power over the national treasury.

“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." President Gerald R. Ford (a paraphrase of an original quote by Thomas Jefferson)