“I’ve seen some studies indicating that eliminating the ‘middle-man’, ALL(local, state, federal) welfare departments and programs, and just giving the funding directly to recipients could save significant amounts of money in the long run. Of course how it is spent by said recipients is another matter.......”
That rational reasoning has been around for a long while. Even comes from the “conservative” side and “libertarian” side. Murray is libertarian, btw.
But since both major parties built Big Government, it is doubtful they have any interest in taking it down, except during election year speeches.
An article about “Basic Income”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income
Here is even Dr. Milton Friedman
http://www.libertarianism.org/columns/libertarian-case-basic-income
These concepts and intellectual discussions used to be common but of late seem almost non-existent.
The concept has its interesting points, but you still end up with homelessness (probably more) and hungry children.
And then you have to start giving section 8 and food stamps again to prevent that........and on we go.