Smaller federal government that left local problems to local authorities would allow more of that tax money to make it to those who need it, rather than to an extra layer or three of bureaucrats. It would also let you keep more of your own money for you to be compassionate with. True compassion comes from people , who give of themselves when they give money they've earned themselves, not governments , who give only what they can take from those who earned it. A government that has less to work with is far less likely to waste taxpayer money on pet projects when passing unrelated legislation. A leaner government would produce leaner bills.
Pork is passed because there is money available to pay for it.
It goes without saying that these are perfect examples of the ills of big government. The federal government of these United States was meant to be decentralized. It was meant to be the glue between state governments, not the vice surrounding them. It simply doesn't work that way. The solution is smaller government.