Well, I think Ron Paul and even myself would agree with your first paragraph. Ron gets asked about all sorts of things "like" PBS etc often, he always says more or less: " Well, it probably wasnt intended in the Constitution but its really so inconsequential that its not really what we need to be focused on right now". And then goes back to talking about cutting defense, foreign aid and corporate welfare.


As to your second paragraph, both Paul and myself would disagree - because we both have a fundamentally view of economics and human action.

At least as long as Govt stays out of peoples way enough that people are still *able to do things, without being harassed. While more heavy industry will surely become automated, you are only thinking in subtractive terms. The free market has long found ways to create new employment. Four hundred years ago, most of the population was stuck in the agriculture field. Automation and improved processes changed that, and a lot of those jobs went away.

Even though robots and AI will be able to do more, there will still be plenty of things robots and AI cannot do, or do well. Still , things are changing. I think the new tech makes it more imperative than any time in history that a philosophical stand against large govt needs to be taken. We are at a point, where if we do not check the size of govt now, soon govt will be able to control all facets of society in a mostly automated and extremely totalitarian way.

For who could be free when every other man's humour might domineer over him? - John Locke (2nd Treatise, sect 57)