Does a smaller government make America better?  

The current government shutdown is now the longest on record, surpassing the 34-day shutdown during President Trump’s first term. More than 700,000 government employees are on furlough, and not being paid. Those deemed essential have remained on the job, but without a paycheck to show for it.

What the Department of Government Efficiency attempted to do with a sledgehammer, Congress succeeded in doing with gridlock and an unwillingness to compromise. 

On the surface, a smaller government workforce appears to be working. But is it really?  

Government has two basic functions. It provides services for the population, and it collects data that informs such services. With the government shutdown, both of these functions are compromised. 

There are certain agencies that are not viewed favorably by President Trump, and they have a significant number of their workforce on furlough. The Internal Revenue Service, for example, has had only about half of its workforce active through the shutdown. As an organization, they oversee the collection of tax revenue. If such revenue slows, then less money comes into the federal Treasury. Whether the current non-furloughed employees are sufficient to fulfil their mission remains to be seen. 

The Environmental Protection Agency has around 90 percent of its workforce on furlough, effectively bringing all of its research and data collection activities to a standstill. NASA has also seen more than 80 percent of its workforce furloughed. Both of these agencies play an active role in monitoring factors that relate to the environment. Given that Trump believes climate change is a “con job,” starving these agencies of human capital is something he most likely enjoys. 

The Department of Commerce has about 80 percent of its workforce on furlough. This, too, is not surprising, since it is a highly data-centric unit within the government. It contains the Bureau of Economic Analysis and International Trade Administration, both of which are equipped to collect data that exposes flaws in the president’s tariff policies.

The U.S. Census Bureau, also housed within the Department of Commerce, collects and analyzes data that capture the economic condition and societal metrics of the nation. It is also responsible for overseeing the decennial census and apportionment, which determines which states gain or lose House seats — something Trump is keenly interested in. 

The Department of Labor has more than three-quarters of its workforce on furlough. It contains the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which collects data surrounding the labor force and the economy, exposing potential flaws in the president’s economic agenda. The firing of its commissioner back in August indicated the president’s interest in suppressing such data. 

Though essential workers like Transportation Security Administration officers and Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers continue to show up for work, the fact that they are not being paid is de facto slave labor for the government. For workers whose jobs are deemed essential for the nation, it should also be essential they get paid. The forced reduction in flights by the secretary of Transportation will cost the airlines and the government billions of dollars in lost revenue. 

Yes, the country continues to function. But is the level of function during this shutdown making the nation better? Ruptures in the foundation of our nation may not be visible for quite some time. And any time data is being suppressed by not being collected, or tasks that contribute to the stability of the nation are not being executed, we as nation are weaker for it.  

The goal of a smaller government is reasonable, with the number of government employees mostly flat over the past half-century. Yet, the U.S. population has grown by around 10 percent on average per decade over this time period. This means that the number of people served per government employee has grown over time. Thus, the government has already been shrinking for many years. With the proliferation of technology and the growth of artificial intelligence, there is every reason to believe that this downward trend will continue. 

The government shutdown may give the illusion that workers on furlough are not needed.  Undoubtedly, some of these people are expendable. The challenge is identifying who they are, as would also be the case in the private sector. Attrition over time can organically address this issue.   

Indeed, the tasks that federal workers perform, the services they provide, and the data they collect are all vital to keep the foundation of our nation strong and safe, both today and into the future. Over time, this shutdown will provide evidence to support this statement, as the carnage left in its wake is assessed. 

Sheldon H. Jacobson, Ph.D., is a computer science professor in the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As a data scientist, he uses his expertise in risk-based analytics to address problems in public policy.