An Editorial: A Call for Smaller Government and Fiscal Restraint
Posted By RichC on April 29, 2025
Although TheHustings.news editor didn’t ask me to write anything this week (previous requests), I decided to work on something over the weekend that has been bothering me. 
As a long time advocate for shrinking our Federal government (as a conservative, small government Republican) and focused on the “spending problem” Congress has had for decades —which is a bipartisan problem— there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference coming from the current Trump administration or the current Republican controlled Congress. I do appreciate the few voices 
that still harp on fiscal restraint (including my current Ohio Rep Warren Davidson who efficiency uses social media to interact regularly with me — thank you). Our only hope seemed to be the Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) headed up by Elon Musk (soon to depart) … but unfortunately I’m sensing their efforts are slowing down and also being thwarted by the spenders who don’t want to give up the pork. ☹️
Of course writing this isn’t going to help, but it is cathartic for me (Warning: It is longer than usual).
A Call for Smaller Government and Fiscal Restraint
In 2010, Republican lawmakers rallied around a clear message: “We don’t have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem.” This sentiment, voiced prominently by figures like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Representative Eric Cantor, underscored a commitment to addressing the federal deficit through spending cuts rather than tax increases. Fast forward to 2025, and this principle remains as relevant as ever, yet the challenges facing Congress, the Trump administration, and the federal budget have grown more complex. With a national debt exceeding $36 trillion and annual deficits projected to remain above $1.8 trillion, the need for smaller government and disciplined fiscal policy is urgent. The current political landscape demands a renewed focus on reducing federal spending, streamlining government operations, and prioritizing economic stability over unchecked expansion.
The federal government’s growth has been relentless. In fiscal year 2022, federal spending reached $6.3 trillion, a level that dwarfs pre-COVID budgets of $4.4 trillion. This escalation, driven by emergency measures during the pandemic, has not receded. Instead, it has been cemented as a new baseline, with Congress passing massive omnibus bills, like the $1.7 trillion package in 2022, that bundle spending without sufficient scrutiny. The Trump administration, now in its second term, has an opportunity to break this cycle. President Trump’s recent calls to avoid government shutdowns while coordinating with House Republicans to craft a continuing resolution (CR) signal a willingness to address spending, but the details matter. A CR that merely extends current funding levels without meaningful cuts perpetuates the problem.
Smaller government is not just a slogan; it’s a necessity. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk and his team, has already identified areas of waste, such as $51 million in cuts to the U.S. African Development Foundation and $580 million in eliminated Pentagon programs. These are steps in the right direction, but they scratch the surface of a budget that allocates $892.5 billion for discretionary defense spending and $708 billion for non-defense discretionary programs in 2025 alone. Mandatory spending, including Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, continues to drive the lion’s share of the budget, yet Congress remains hesitant to tackle these politically sensitive entitlements—a hesitation that echoes the challenges faced by the 2010 deficit commission.
