December 18, 2009 3:11PM 

# 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:

- Washington is accused of being “[stingy](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/washingtons-new-stinginess)” with its subsidies to state and local governments. If only it were true.
- The [Federal Aviation Administration](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/faa-says-wasteful-spending-%E2%80%9Call-good%E2%80%9D) sees nothing wrong with spending taxpayer money on stone fireplaces in little-used airports.
- The Department of Energy’s new [Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program](Advanced%20Technology%20Vehicles%20Manufacturing%20Loan%20Program.) offers more evidence that American capitalism is taking a corporatist turn for the worse.
- Meet the new HUD, [same as the old HUD](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/new-hud-same-old).
- Food stamp usage has been rising more dramatically than cash welfare because [food stamps are simply easier to get](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/food-stamps-vs-cash-welfare).

##### Related Tags 

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

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