A department-by-department guide to cutting the government's budget.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development funds public housing, provides rental vouchers, and subsidizes homeownership.
The department will spend $57 billion in 2012, or about $480 for every U.S. household. It employs 9,400 workers and operates 122 subsidy programs.
The Department of Energy oversees nuclear weapons sites, runs electric utilities, and subsidizes conventional and alternative fuels.
The department will spend $39 billion in 2012, or about $330 for every U.S. household. It employs 17,000 workers directly and oversees about 100,000 contract workers.
The Department of Health and Human Services administers Medicare, Medicaid, and hundreds of other subsidy and welfare programs.
The department will spend $872 billion in 2012, or about $7,400 for every U.S. household. It employs 70,000 workers and operates more than 445 subsidy programs.
When Bipartisanship is a Dirty Word
In a blog post I wrote about two years ago, I said “Usually when I hear that a policy proposal has bipartisan support, I instinctively check for my wallet.” At that time I was lauding a bipartisan proposal to shut the USDA’s market access program (although it seems that idea didn’t get much traction) under the heading “When Bipartisanship Is Good News.” Read more
The States are Already Getting Bailed Out
In today’s Wall Street Journal, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) advise the states to get their fiscal houses in order instead of holding out hope for a bailout from federal taxpayers. That’s sound advice. However, the states already effectively get bailed out by federal taxpayers each and every year. Read more
$1 Million in Waste, but No Bathtubs
Occasional episodes of government mismanagement explode into big scandals, such as the General Services Administration’s party in Las Vegas that wasted more than $800,000. Read more
