Over at Downsizing the Federal Government, we focused on the following issues this past week:

• The “government efficiency” snake‐​oil salesmanship from politicians has become tiresome, especially when it comes from high‐​profile Republicans like Mitt Romney.
• An establishment commission is planning to “reform the nation’s housing policy by crafting a package of realistic and actionable policy recommendations” for the Beltway establishment’s consideration. Hold onto your wallets, taxpayers.
• Certain people saw the “Christmas Tree Tax” as an opportunity to further partisan aims rather than provoke a discussion and debate on the proper role of the federal government.
• On so‐​called shallow loss proposals to provide subsidies for farms in cases when farm revenues fall slightly below the record high levels of the past few years.
• Politicians who fixate on “government efficiency” probably aren’t truly interested in reducing the size and scope of government.

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