June 25, 2010 3:57PM 

# This Week in Government Failure 

By [Tad DeHaven](https://www.cato.org/people/tad-dehaven) 

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Over at [Downsizing Government](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/), we focused on the following issues this week:

- Why a [taxpayer gift](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/usda-local-subsidies) to a wealthy Indian tribe in Connecticut isn’t any more egregious than the billions of dollars of other subsidies handed out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- [Protectionism at the Department of Commerce](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/ironing-boards-and-trade-policy) is helping 200 workers at an ironing board manufacturing plant in Indiana. However, it’s hurting millions of U.S. consumers by forcing them to pay higher prices for ironing boards.
- Pigs still can’t fly: More concerns for the [Federal Aviation Administration’s](//www.downsizinggovernment.org/more-concerns-faa%E2%80%99s-nextgen) next-generation air traffic control system.
- The evidence is more than anecdotal: Businesses are reluctant to invest or hire because they’re concerned that [the president’s big government agenda](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/uncertainty-more-than-anecdotal) will mean higher taxes and more onerous regulations.

##### Related Tags 

[Tax and Budget Policy](https://www.cato.org/tax-budget-policy) 

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