In case you missed the most recent farm subsidy scandal, it’s the news that the Department of Agriculture paid $1.1 billion to farmers who were no longer farming because they happened to be dead.  One farm in Illinois, according to the Washington Post’s Sarah Cohen, collected $400,000 on behalf of an owner who lived in Florida before his death in 1995.  The farm certified that the deceased was "actively engaged" in its management.  According to the Government Accountability Office, payments like this are "approved without review" 40 percent of the time. 

Reprinted by permission from The Washington Monthly (www.washingtonmonthly.com)

The "temporary" trailers in which more than thousands of Hurricane Katrina victims are still housed emit formaldehyde gas at levels 75 times higher than those determined safe for the American workplace.  (Note that said "workplace" — where one assumes you and your children are not sleeping and spending half your waking hours.)  The Federal Emergency Management Agency is now moving trailer residents into hotels, motels, and apartments, increasing the costs to the taxpayer of housing Katrina victims.    Could the $3+ billion dollars spent on temporary housing have been used to build something a bit more permanent and safe?  See Spencer Hsu’s story in the Washington Post here.

If you give money to a charity, your taxable income is reduced.  This means less tax revenue for the government that can be used for social benefits determined by society at large.  On the other hand, charitable giving helps institutions of all kinds throughout the country.  Stephanie Strom of the New York Times provides a deep look at the costs and benefits to society and government of charitable giving — at a time when donations are on the increase.  Full article here.