November 6, 2009 11:27AM 

# The 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 failures in the following departments this week:

- Commerce: [corporate welfare in Ohio](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/public-dollars-private-profits)
- Defense: [cost overruns in the Pentagon’s space programs](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/more-cost-overruns-defense)
- Energy: [central planners gamble with taxpayer money](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/central-planning-energy)
- HUD: [subsidizing private firms to operate public housing isn’t a solution](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/chicagos-housing-subsidy-debacle)

Also, [dubious stimulus projects](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/neutering-spenders) point to a need to return to [fiscal federalism](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/fiscal-federalism).

##### Related Tags 

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

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