Even with the necessity of big government in our modern era, it's not unfair to say that our government is run inefficiently. Agencies with overlapping jurisdictions, bloated bureaucracies and piecemeal doling out of assistance translate into a gigantic, confusing, wasteful mess. Numerous politicians on both the left and right have attempted to streamline governmental operations with limited success. I have a number of solutions that would reduce overall government spending while retaining and possibly improving the level of service that the federal government provides. While my ideas may be controversial to some, I believe they would work if implemented.
The first thing I would do is replace the existing welfare system with a guaranteed minimum income, a lump sum that is paid monthly to all American citizens over the age of 18 regardless of their personal income or job. This would serve the purpose of providing a more equitable distribution of income (as all Americans would receive the payment) while eliminating the bureaucracy necessary in maintaining so many different types of welfare programs (Social Security, SNAP etc.). Secondly, I would consolidate redundant state agencies with federal ones. There is no reason to have separate Labor Departments, taxation departments and the like doing the same job. Finally, I would consolidate federal agencies that perform similar functions into larger institutions. For example, agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security and the TSA would be either consolidated into the FBI or eliminated entirely. Specifically, the TSA's function would be better handled by local law enforcement agencies or airport security.