Like you, I am skeptical and wary of government.
But there's an underlying reason for that: I fundamentally don't think it's wise to bestow too much power in the hands of anyone.
The founders of the USA had it right: people are not angels. Give anyone too much power -- a king, a general, a merchant, a priest, you name it -- and abuse of that power will inevitably follow. This is why the system of checks and balances, separation of powers, etc., was brilliant and necessary.
This logic applies to ALL humans and human organizations. It applies to organizations that are typically feared by the right, including governments and labor unions, but also ones that are typically feared by the left, including corporations and the ultra-rich.
I think the key is to create a peaceful balance between different opposing societal forces, so they can keep each others' worst instincts at bay. What this means in practice varies based on the real-world situation. In some societies, this could mean reducing the power of government (ex., the Soviet Union). In other societies, it could mean increasing the power of government (ex., Somalia). But the same would apply to other organizations: corporations, unions, oligarchs, popular masses, religious groups, etc. Give any of them too much power, and problems ensue.
So that leads to the question: what is the balance of power like now in the USA?
My opinion is that at this point, in the USA, there is (1) too much power concentrated in the hands of mega-corporations and the ultra-rich, and that we need to rebalance it with stronger checks on their power through representational government, AND (2) that even within government, in part because of the rise of strong national parties, the system of checks and balances is too weak.
My view is not that we need to eliminate corporations or private property, but that their interests need to be rebalanced against the interests of the rest of society. It would still be a hybrid model, but to get to there from here, the reforms needed would fit what some call "democratic socialism". At some point, if the power swings too far in another direction, I would change my position accordingly.
TL;DR: It's not about public vs private, socialism vs capitalism, etc., but about balance.