See:

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starve_the_beast

The federal beast is being starved so badly that it's consuming 4x the fraction of non-wartime GDP that it was 100 years ago (oh yes, except the blip during participation in a WORLD WAR). It's the kind of starvation only obese America can understand.

https://ritholtz.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/outlays-GDP....

From what I understand the UK is pursuing a similar approach from Thatcher era onwards, they only seem to be slow with it.

Reagan did more than starve public services. There was an entire cultural moment during that presidency that made working in government low status. It's unsurprising that smart, competent people did not venture into government service, and basic things like "renew my ID/passport" are Kafkaesque endeavors as a result.

It’s become popular to blame things on Raegan, but it’s been 40 years. Come on. My passport renewal this decade was simple. And if you have an emergency it’s not Kafkaesque. See this comment: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32609897