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Passing the Iowa government reorganization bill was a little like invading an enemy nation and being greeted by autograph seekers. It was too easy.

We’re not complaining about the potential savings. We’re just wondering why there was so little debate and discussion.

When no one complains, it usually means that no one’s constituents took much of a hit. Pleasant, but not what we need if we’re really trying to reorganize government and slash spending.

Look at the executive summary of Senate File 2088, as amended by the House, and you find quite a few reorganization steps that don’t make much financial difference.

Eliminating the medical library at the State Library is expected to have a “minimal” fiscal impact. Eliminating the sustainable natural resource funding advisory committee, minimal impact. Eliminating the renewable fuels advisory committee, minimal. Cooperative purchasing by the Board of Regents, unknown.

The bulk of the savings comes from a few big measures. For example, changing the “span of control,” which refers to increasing the ratio of workers to supervisors, is seen as saving $15 million in the general fund and $24 million in other funds in fiscal year 2011.

On the revenue side, the sale of some Department of Administrative Services property is expected to bring in $13.8 million.

We need more big-picture items. A rejected Republican amendment listed a number of things to consider. It claimed that the state could save $92.3 million by ending all state benefits to adult illegal immigrants; $62 million by combining the administrative functions at the three state universities; and so on.

We’re not convinced that all of these suggestions are worth pursuing. But maybe they could work in modified form, or maybe discussions about them could spark new and better ideas.

As we said when the session began, if you want to think big, this is the time. Or was.