It is no longer possible for families to produce everything they need for survival. If we also consider things that are not absolutely necessary, but that make life more livable, it is obvious that we are all dependent on goods created by other people. For us to have access to products made by others, we must be able to trade our goods for theirs. Before we can trade for things we need,
we must first produce goods of equal value. The essence of this fact is that if you don’t produce, and yet expect to receive,  you are a dead weight on society.

However, society recognizes that not everyone is capable being productive at all times. The young are the producers of the future; they  best serve society by preparing themselves for that role. The elderly can provide leadership and wisdom,  and can set examples for future generations. The handicapped can contribute within their limitations, and the incapacitated should be taken care of by a society thankful that we have the strength to provide for those unable to care for themselves.

The United States is, in effect, a large family. As a nation, we must produce not only for ourselves, but to create goods surplus  to our own needs to trade with other countries for additional things we need (or want). Presently we are not producing enough to maintain this trade. This “imbalance of payments” means that eventually (sooner than later) We will be unable to trade for many of the thing we now take for granted. As things presently stand, this state of affairs is not a prediction, but a certainty. To prevent a gross decrease in our standard of living, the nation must be transformed into a country of producers, not just consumers.

Government, by and large, is not a producer, but a consumer of products. Therefore, money spent on government is an impediment to having tradable goods. Of course, good government is critical for our nation, but every person employed by the government whose job is not vital to our security and safety, is a waste in the competition for desired trade products.  Reduced to the basic level, the only role of these extraneous government workers is to decide how the benefits of the producers will be divided up among the population. 

Reducing the size of government will turn government workers into potential producers and increase goods available for trade.