May 13, 2011 4:10PM 

# 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:

- [HUD community development programs](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/hud-community-development-duds) illustrate what happens when the federal government severs the relationship between local officials and local taxpayers.
- [Republicans should package their spending reforms](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/gop-shouldnt-be-afraid-challenge-reckless-spending) as worth undertaking even if the government had a surplus.
- The sclerosis at the [U.S. Postal Service](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/postal-vision-2020) is a reflection of the sclerosis in Congress.
- Promises to hold down future discretionary spending levels and partial program trims [are not real spending cuts](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/boehners-spending-and-debt-promise).
- The president’s high-speed rail plan is probably dead. Unfortunately, [fiscal federalism isn’t faring much better](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/high-speed-rail-and-federalism).

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##### Related Tags 

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

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