Final answer:
Services covered by the general fund include transportation, mail service, and public safety services like fire and police departments. These are examples of public goods and are funded by the general tax base. Additionally, the federal government provides private goods like postage stamps and patent protections, which can be exclusively used by those who purchase them.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some examples of services covered by the general fund, which is primarily filled by tax revenues, include public services such as transportation, mail service, and provisions for food, housing, and health care for the poor, which are considered public goods. These services are provided universally and not on a fee-for-service basis. When a house catches on fire, the fire department offers their assistance without requiring immediate payment because it is funded through the general tax revenue. Similarly, police services are also provided as public goods, ensuring that if someone's property is being subject to a crime like burglary, the police will intervene without the expectation of payment for their services.
Federal government can also provide private goods/services, which are typically purchased by individuals who can exclude others from using them. As requested, here are two examples: postage stamps and patent protections. Even though they are provided by the government, these goods/services can be purchased and used exclusively by an individual or entity.
Public goods are those services that are not easily excludable and are provided to all citizens, such as fire and police protection. The nature of these services means that protecting some inherently provides protection for others, making them non-excludable and non-rivalrous in consumption.