I wonder if it would be helpful in political discussions to divide the topic of politics into two categories. If by “government” we meant the actual constitutional democratic process of decision making, infrastructure, and programs that tend to the welfare of the people.  And, if by “state,” we meant systems of control like police, military, prisons, and spying both foreign and domestic. If the idea of governance was divided thus, I wonder if many groups who now find themselves in opposition might find common cause by asking how we can shrink the state without destroying the government?