If the number of government employees measures the size of government, and I assume we all want government to be as small as possible, then Carter, Bush Sr., Clinton, and Obama should be your favorites. They all CUT the number of federal nonmilitary employees according to the Office of Personnel Management. Despite the rhetoric and mantra fed to you, Reagan increased federal nonmilitary employees by 230,000 1980-1988 and he started this country on a steep budget deficit trajectory. Bush Jr increased fed staff by about 50,000. By contrast, Clinton reduced the size of government by almost 400,000 federal nonmilitary employees during his 8 years. The government now has about 300,000 FEWER employees under Obama then in 1988 when Reagan left office. If you're looking for an economic model that reduces government, balances budgets, and leads to the largest economic expansion in US history, then follow what Clinton did. Unfortunately, it requires a balanced approach founded in arithmetic, not dogma founded on wishful thinking.