Small Government vs. Big Government

When not mere provocative rhetoric, the contemporary 'Small Government vs. Big Government' debate tends to suppress at least two significant premises.  One is that the context of the contention is a Government-Citizen contract, in which it is reducible to a negative services vs. positive services contrast, as has been previously discussed, the resolution of which seems under-determined by the United States Constitution.  The other is that a state-of-affairs determined by either a deity or market forces is better than that organized by human legislation.  But, typically lacking in the latter premise is both a definition of 'better', and, consequently, the presentation of a methodical procedure by which alternatives can be evaluated.  So, until both premises are rigorously addressed, the debate remains mere provocative rhetoric.