December 4, 2009 2:44PM 

# 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:

- Medicare and Medicaid account for more than half of the [government’s improper payments](http:/http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/gov-health-care-awash-waste/).
- California illustrates the need to [revive federalism](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/california-illustrates-need-revive-federalism).
- [Food stamp](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/food-stamp-use-soars-and-stigma-fades) use is up and the stigma is apparently fading.
- The U.S. Postal Service’s [Intelligent Mail](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/not-so-intelligent-mail) program isn’t living up to its name.
- The Department of Energy is [stifling innovation by subsidizing it](http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/stifling-innovation-subsidizing-it).

##### Related Tags 

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

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