Consider that those who run for office are egotistical in nature. Sure, many have hopes, but it's really a personal fulfillment thing to run for office, get elected, and weild and use power. There are no selfless beings in office.
The people (voters and squeaky wheels) naturally create the Bureaucracy from the gathering of egos. Calls of "I want this, and I want that" (shrimp museums in Kansas, a guy who sits around and knows everything there is to know about potatoes) feeds the ego of the politician ("he's a hero!"), and the expansion of the Bureaucracy in the form of new agencies and additional staff.
It's sort of a self-sustaining entity, but involves many players, not just politicians.
I'm sure that the collection of data and such was brought upon us by some sort of initial citizen's group inquiry or demand that simply grew into the monster it is today. I call it the Curse of the Ignorant Masses.
There is much to consider in your response. Thanks for replying.