Silent Calvin Coolidge, the last good president:

I want the people of America to be able to work less for the government and more for themselves. I want them to have the rewards of their own industry. That is the chief meaning of freedom. Until we can re-establish a condition under which the earnings of the people can be kept by the people, we are bound to suffer a very distinct curtailment of our liberty. -- Calvin Coolidge, State of the Union message, December 3, 1924

Actually, such few cutbacks as were made under Reagan were beneficial, but the weren't enough. But Reagan deserves credit for rolling back big government as much as he did, in the face of howls of protest.

BTW, Grover Cleveland was the last Great President. The greatest? Jefferson. Washington would be second.

Update: Quote thanks to Friesian.com.