[DannyTN]

"You may be correct; but our system has blown so far past anything reasonable that it’s impossible to defend."

I'm not saying it can't be improved.

But I don't see the real problem right now as being the charitable programs. The charitable programs are in excess because government policy, specifically trade policy has killed our industries and off-shored our jobs, resulting in high unemployment.

Restore the import tariffs and bring the industries back, and people will go back to work and the charitable programs will go back to reasonable.

[HereInTheHeartland]

WE have inter generational poverty that has been created by government programs.
And third world conditions in inner cities. The cause for much of this is government programs in my opinion.