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

• Republican conservatives in the House propose spending cuts.
• Government health care in 1798.
• The president’s decision to ignore the need for Social Security reform brings to mind a song from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
• Freezing nondefense discretionary spending at the levels specified or implied by Republicans and Democrats is only a start toward needed reforms in the federal budget.
• The U.S. Postal Service needs to adjust to the times, but congressional meddling makes the task nearly impossible.