If government is actually the top power on the land with oversight over and the power to rule over everything, then the power of voters which choses the people who lead said government controls the top power on the land, which is what’s known as Democracy (even when imperfect).

However if government ties its own hands so that it doesn’t really oversee or rule over the domains were Money has the most power, then it’s not the top power on the land anymore - Money is - and the votes of people do not control the highest power on the land anymore, they only control a secondary power, so what you have in not Democracy anymore, it’s Oligarchy - Money is not democratic since doesn’t have any “one person one vote” rule and instead some have billions of times more power than others.

“Small government” is really just a slogan for a government which has had its hands tied by reducing its funding so that it’s unable to oversee, much less rule over, the areas where Money dominates, especially when it comes to facing the wealthiest people and companies. Mind you this only works if the other elements of Democracy are kept, so Money still wants a Judiciary and Law Enforcement independent of Government to uphold their ownership of things and stop the plebes from taking their shit, just a government weakenned in all other areas and unable to fight Money in the Courts.

And also way more expensive than big government

Fucking TSA, 2 decade long wars… Republicans have NEVER reduced spending or increased liberties. It’s all bullshit, but their propaganda machine is simply miles ahead because they have almost zero infighting.

Democrats are constantly bickering, and not about just important stuff. I fully believe there are bad actors purposefully starting arguments about BS they know Democrats will latch on and distract us. And as a bonus make us look like lunatics to anyone not already fully aligned with our ideas.

Building giant walls, deporting people en masse, surveillance society, making sure women’s rights are held at bay, placing and enforcing restrictions on clean energy - all things that sound “small government”? As dumb as they are, I don’t think I’ve even heard the Republicans using this phrase lately - it’s so ridiculous.

They increase spending on really stupid shit that have no legs but will absolutely gut useful services. People aren’t wrong to be mad when they see their stuff get defunded and that’s the important stuff many are going to focus on. So you’re right but it’s not as simple as that.

They strip away everything that actually helps people, so in that way it’s really small.

It’s small because they have zero oversight and they only need to worry about one party. Hurray!

Small dick tater