Welfare state is definitely a huge problem that was intentionally designed. Ideally the goal would get to a point where private charity handles all people just needing a temporary boost. First thing short term in my opinion is to eliminate the way the system keeps people down. For instance people on the higher limit will turn down a $1 an hour pay raise because if they did their children would no longer have insurance. Why shouldn't it be they take the raise and then pay .25 an hour toward keeping the insurance? eventually they get out of the system. It took decades for things to get this bad. While we build the economy to be stronger than we have ever been, we can then pretty much eliminate much welfare need completely. It don't all happen over night.