January 8, 2010 1:00PM 

# 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:

- Central Michigan defeated Troy in the “[Bailout Bowl](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/the-bailout-bowl),” but taxpayers are the biggest losers.
- The 2010 census will [pave the way for subsidies](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/census-paves-way-subsidies) to state and local governments.
- Secure property rights and government support help make U.S. farmland a good investment. But what about the [property rights of taxpayers](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/us-best-investing-farmland)?
- The [federal government’s IT budget increases](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/government-vs-private-it-spending) by $5 billion while Uncle Sam’s private sector counterparts make do with less.
- [New York’s fraud-ridden Medicaid program](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/medicaids-cash-cab) is a prime example why government involvement in healthcare is part of the problem, not the solution.

##### Related Tags 

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

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