December 23, 2010 2:43PM 

# 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:

- Taxpayers received a rare, albeit small and temporary, victory when a pork-laden [omnibus bill](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/omnibusted) died in the Senate. We’re now about to find out how serious Republicans are about cutting spending.
- Chris Edwards looks at [breastfeeding](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/breastfeeding-and-the-government) and argues that bigger isn’t better when it comes to subsidies.
- “The nearest earthly approach to immortality is a [bureau of the federal government](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/government-program-immortality).”
- Former President [George W. Bush](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/bush-deception-points) defends his abysmal spending record in his book *Decision Points*. Upon further review, perhaps the book should be retitled *Deception Points*.
- [A new Cato essay](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/usps) discusses the problems of the [U.S. Postal Service](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/usps) and concludes that taxpayers, consumers, and the broader economy would stand to gain with reforms to privatize the USPS and open mail delivery up to competition.

##### Related Tags 

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

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