December 10, 2010 3:18PM 

# This Week in Government Failure 

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

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

- Unfortunately, the president’s [Fiscal Commission](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/the-fiscal-commissions-omission) appears to have operated on the premise that the federal government should continue to do everything it now does.
- Getting [Rep. Jeff Flake](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/rep-jeff-flake-appropriations) on appropriations is a step in the right direction, but his appointment can’t be a token gesture.
- A new study finds that policymakers needn’t fear [spending cuts](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/policymakers-neednt-fear-spending-cuts).
- House Republican leaders’ support for [“Prince of Pork”](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/prince-pork-chair-appropriations) Hal Rogers to chair the chamber’s appropriations committee is a slap in the face of voters who demanded change in November.
- Michigan [Gov. Jennifer Granholm](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/bad-advice-gov-polar-star), whose state’s unemployment rate is almost 13 percent, has advice for Washington on how to create jobs. No, it’s not April 1st.

##### Related Tags 

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

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