Duplicate Programs Cost U.S. Government $100 To $200 Million

As Democrats and Republicans continue to bicker about the degree of spending cuts amid the fast-approaching March 4 deadline, a report by the Wall Street Journal reveals significant inefficiencies in government programs that consume billions of taxpayer dollars every year.

Republicans are currently unsatisfied with the degree to which President Obama plans to cut spending and are pushing for even more cuts. By September, Republicans want to reduce spending by $61 billion. Economists now cite the budget deficit as the economy's number-one concern.

As the debt and deficit spiral out of control, many Republicans are putting their foot down on spending and demand that it ends here; Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said that it is time to change the status quo.

The Government Accountability Office found that there are 15 different agencies overseeing food-safety laws, 20 programs aimed at helping the homeless and over 80 programs for economic development. The duplication of programs is one area which lawmakers can examine to reduce spending and cut government inefficiency. Senator Tom Coburn (R., Okla) estimated that there is $100 to $200 billion in duplicative spending, according to the article.

A merge or consolidation of the many overlapping programs could both serve to meet the underlying goals of the many agencies as well as save significantly and reduce the federal deficit.

Or, perhaps, the government will just create an agency to oversee the process.