To end poverty and close the doors to the social welfare system will not be an easy road to travel.  But this must be done. It must begin by reforming and privitizing education to assure that every American child receives a good education. It must be followed up with free trade, an end to over-regulation of businesses and corporations, cessation of the oppressive income tax system, and the return of this Country to its pre-income tax days. Prior to the imposition of income taxes, this country took care of its poor, gave freely to charitable causes, supported its communities and families, and educated its children. The post-income tax era has seen a need for such social programs as welfare, unemployment benefits, social security, medicaid, and medicare. To date, none of these programs has ended the problems they were put in place to resolve. They have merely created more bureaucracy, increased tax burdens, caused higher unemployment, and widened the gap between the haves and the have-nots. Nobody chooses to be poor. Nobody with a solid education in a free trade society without oppressive income taxes would be. Anyone who wants to work, should be able to work. It is time to end welfare, return the funds to the individual, and allow individuals, once again, to provide the charitable resources upon which the indigent can rely.

More on the actual costs of welfare and social programs - See the Welfare Budget

Cato Institute, The End of Welfare - read the article by clicking HERE