Has the the U.S. government ever ran a program that was considered a success?

We've had great presidents who've started great programs, but they're all dead and the next president claimed the work to be his. For example, there was Lincoln (good), then Johnson (not so much). There was Reagan (good), then Clinton (not so much).

I'll concede that the government does an ok job with the military. However, with the post office, medicare,medicaid, social security are all in the red or are about to be. The government has no incentive to make a program that is making money because their is no accountability. When a government program is in the red instead of reforming it they just tax more not fixing the root of the problem.

Why don't you think the Post Office is a success? Name me one private company that will deliver a piece of paper or Christmas Card from one end of the country to the other, in 3-5 business days, for 44-cents. FedEx? UPS? Nope.

NASA has been hugely successful. So many modern conveniences are directly attributable to the space program

Certainly the military is a "success". The CIA and Secret Service do an incredible job too. The FDA keeps our food supply safe. The CDC keeps our drug supply safe.

There are a lot of successes in government.

Why yes sugar, they're called the Army, Navy, Marines and Airforce and Coast Guard. The civilian offices in the government however are a disaster and will always be a disaster.

There is a lesson in all of this, you take what you want from it.

Blessed Be

This question cheered me up. Or, it would be more accurate to say that the answers did. Not only was it a reminder of some of the many things America has done right, but those that answered weren't attacking each other based on party or belief, but were united in their praise of our country.

It is nice to see that at least once in a while on here!

They've run plenty of programs that could be considered successful (building of the Interstate highway system, National Park System, etc.). They are not always run very efficiently though, and they very often have unintended consequences that can either partially or fully offset the success that is achieved.

Yes. Tennessee Valley Authority, Hoover Dam, air traffic control, US military, state university system, municipal water supply, interstate highway system.

The FAA does a better job than ANY private company could.

Yes, its called the military.

yes. it was called a free country.