You're speaking in generalities. Let's talk specifics:

Senate Bill 4 dramatically reshapes the governor's power in election oversight. Previously, the governor appointed a majority of state election board officials on the five-person panel. SB4 expands the board to eight members. The governor now appoints four and Republicans select the other four. Republicans call it bipartisan good governance. Democrats call it a power grab.

So that's not smaller, that's bigger. That's also taking an odd number (which cannot tie) and replacing it with an even one (which always will).

What about HB17?

In nearly every way possible, the bill strips power from the State Board of Education to provide more authority to the newly-elected Republican Superintendent-elect of Public Schools, Mark Johnson. If the bill becomes law, it will certainly be challenged in court due to constitutional issues.

An important part of the bill that might go unnoticed involves changes the oversight of the controversial Achievement School District (ASD) program. The ASD program places five low-performing elementary schools under the operation of a charter school operator. The program is based off a similar program in Tennessee that has failed to improve student performance.

So that doesn't shrink government, either - it just changes who wields it. Oh, and sets up charter schools.

But then, they filed 26 other bills.

The proposals were wide ranging. A 43-page regulatory reform bill proposed dozens of things including changing the name of the Board of Refrigeration Examiners to the Board of Commercial Refrigeration Examiners.

Certainly worthy of a special session.

House Bill 17 requires the Governor's cabinet appointments to go through senate confirmation. It also makes 1,200 McCrory appointees permanent state employees.

Government. Shrinking all the way to permanence.

So, generally speaking, you can want whatever you want. But specifically speaking, there has never been an elected official who thinks that they should have less power so their opponents can have more.